Building Sustainable Cities

Food, shelter and clothing are basic needs of the people. Right to adequate housing is fundamental human right that is acknowledged by the international laws and the constitution. The right to habitat is the key to live in peace and dignity. However, over a billion people across the world are deprived of adequate housing. Poverty, war, conflicts, hunger and natural disasters have forced millions of people to live in a life-threatening conditions. The United Nations has recognised the citizens' rights to adequate housing that include the various freedoms of the people - the right to choose one's residence, protection against forced evictions and arbitrary demolition of one's house and the right to be free from arbitrary interference with one's home, privacy and family. 

Article 37 of Nepal's constitution stipulates that every citizen has the right to proper housing. In line with the constitutional provision, the federal parliament endorsed the Right to Housing Act, 2018, paving way for the governments to provide housing facilities to all homeless people. As more than 20 per cent of population still live below the poverty line and around 2.5 million people are homeless, the state's policy to grant housing facilities to the citizens is pragmatic and appreciative. The government has made feat in the construction of houses for those rendered homeless in the 2015 earthquake. However, it continues to face challenges of providing safe houses to the citizens as the recent floods and landslides, triggered by the monsoon downpours, left hundreds of people homeless.

Against this backdrop, the importance of right to housing has again come to spotlight as the countries marked World Habitat Day under the theme 'engaging youth to create a better urban future' on Monday. It seeks to address the emerging challenges and opportunities of rapid urbanisation. The role of youths is vital in building sustainable cities through the participatory approach. On the occasion, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development, Prakash Man Singh said that the young people, who constituted a significant, dynamic, and powerful segment of the population, should be imparted appropriate education, employment skills, and job opportunities, thereby unlocking their creative potential for nation building.

DPM Singh informed that his ministry was committed to providing well-planned housing to rural communities through programmes like the People’s Housing Programme, the Safe Citizens Housing Programme, and the Settlement Development Programme. The Sustainable Development Agenda (SDG) 2030 calls for inclusive and sustainable economic growth and generation of dignified employment opportunities. The SDGs put emphasis on building cities and human settlements that are inclusive, safe and resilient. The 16th periodic plan and policies and programmes of federal, provincial, and local governments have attached a top priority to the agenda of safe housing. 

Given that fast development of urban areas with the increasing rural-urban migration trend, the theme of this year's World Habitat Day is appropriate. According to a UN report, the youths comprise more than 70 per cent population of cities in the global South.  Similarly, the urban centres are estimated to host around 70 per cent world population by 2050. Equitable growth and resilience of cities is necessary to end poverty, inequality and threat of climate change. The youth possess energy, creativity and fresh outlook so they can greatly contribute to building resilient and inclusive cites. This requires empowering youths and involving them in urban-decision making.