Some see urban areas with exploding populations as escalating battlegrounds of income inequality; others envision them as engines for economic growth. Which will it be? At Habitat for Humanity, we believe the future holds great potential, and we are advocating for policies that will make life more livable for the millions of people who are drawn to the world's cities in hopes of earning a better living and finding a better life. Creating affordable housing in those urban areas will be key.
The ratio of the population living in urban areas increased from 13 percent in 1900 to 54 percent today. That's almost four billion people, and the numbers keep rising. The infrastructure in our cities was not intended to handle the current population, let alone the projections for the future.
In 2000, nearly 200 governments came together and adopted the Millennium Development Goals, which were intended to lift people out of poverty. Many great successes have been attributed to the MDGs, but unfortunately, the total number of people living in slums today is greater than it was 15 years ago. Habitat for Humanity has been advocating strongly for more than two years for housing to be included in the new set of global guidelines to be agreed on later this month.
Global leaders have listened and responded as they created a universal development agenda that is unprecedented in scope. Goal 11 in the proposed new agenda, known as the Sustainable Development Goals, is to "make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable." One of the targets of that goal calls for "access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services" and for the upgrading of slums.
Achieving this goal is going to require a focus on serving the expanding populations in the world's cities and collaboration of the public, private and social sectors. Where infrastructure is lacking, people often live in unsanitary environments, far from the services that could improve their lives. Without sound plans for growth, cities will continue to see an increase in informal settlements and crowded slums; and lack of secure tenure in these areas will discourage families from investing in housing improvements.
If we are to see a reduction in the absolute number of people living in slum conditions and ensure that everyone has a decent place to live, we have to think in new ways. Though progress will take time, we have seen some great examples of how collaboration can yield positive changes.
In the city of Medellin, Colombia, for example, I have seen firsthand the transformation of informal settlements. Rapid growth, political struggles and drug trafficking in a place once known as the most violent city in the world forced many people into informal settlements on the hillsides above the city.
In a reversal of the general flow of events, the government created essential infrastructure to support those informal settlements -- decades after they were established. A cable-car system now connects the hillside neighborhoods to the subway system and businesses in the valley. What was a three-hour walk is now 20 minutes by cable car and subway.
Like any city, Medellin still faces challenges, but violence has declined and amenities such as libraries and pocket parks established by the government give people attractive places to gather. Other businesses began to spring up throughout the area, and Habitat Colombia is part of the effort to improve housing in the settlements, as well.
We are delighted to see housing included in conversations about creating sustainable cities. If you would like to join Habitat in calling for governments to keep the promises set forth in the SDGs and create a world where everyone has a decent place to live, add your voice today.
This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post, "What's Working: Sustainable Development Goals," in conjunction with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The proposed set of milestones will be the subject of discussion at the UN General Assembly meeting on Sept. 25-27, 2015 in New York. The goals, which will replace the UN's Millennium Development Goals (2000-2015), cover 17 key areas of development -- including poverty, hunger, health, education, and gender equality, among many others. As part of The Huffington Post's commitment to solutions-oriented journalism, this What's Working SDG blog series will focus on one goal every weekday in September. This post addresses Goal 11.