Home Equals is a five-year global advocacy campaign dedicated to achieving policy change, at all levels, to ensure that people living in informal settlements have equitable access to adequate housing. Together, with partners, governments and communities, we can create lasting change so that people living in informal settlements have safe and secure homes.
Currently, the more than 1 billion people around the world living in informal settlements, such as slums or favelas, are not treated as equals — their homes often lack basic services, land tenure security and climate resilience.
- A home without access to clean water means families are at risk of life-threatening diseases.
- A home without land rights means families live in fear of eviction with their futures on hold.
- A poorly built home in a disaster-prone area means families are more vulnerable to climate change.
- A home where civic participation is limited means families struggle to have their voices heard.
This isn’t fair, this isn’t right. It will take the power of communities coupled with policy change to ensure access to adequate housing for all.
The research that drives our advocacy:
Informal settlement improvements and women's health (2025): Investing in improvements to housing in informal settlements — like better ventilation within houses, improved sanitation, and easier access to health centers and green spaces — promotes health outcomes of women and entire communities, advancing sustainable development. With our global partners, we call for bold, coordinated action to address the interconnected challenges of housing and women’s health and to prioritize solutions that elevate the unique needs of women living in informal settlements.
Learn more: https://www.habitat.org/home-equals/womens-health
Slum Blind: The overlooked links between climate migration and informal settlements (2024)Climate migration has the potential to impact over 215 million people by 2050 and affect the lowest-income and most rapidly urbanizing countries the most. A blind spot is preventing world leaders from seeing an important part of the future, where climate change-induced migration meets informal settlements.
Learn more: https://www.habitat.org/home-equals/issue-brief-climate-migration-informal-settlements
What if everyone living in informal settlements gained access to adequate housing? What benefits would we see, and how would it impact a country’s economic and human development? Habitat for Humanity and the International Institute for Environment and Develop explore these questions in this report.
See how residents of the Kibera informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya are constructing safer, more affordable homes with innovative materials and together to transform their community in this photo gallery.