World Habitat Day is marked on the first Monday of every October every year. The day is officially recognised by the United Nations. The day is observed to acknowledge the state of our towns and cities, and the basic right of all to adequate shelter. The day is meant to remind the people about their power and responsibility to shape the future of our cities.
The day was established in 1985 by the United Nations and first time it was marked in 1986.
The theme for this year’s World Habitat Day is Housing For All: A better Urban Future, and the global observance will be hosted by Surabaya, in Indonesia. Themes for previous World Habitat Days were "Shelter for the Homeless", "Our Neighbourhood", "Safer Cities", "Women in Urban Government", Cities without Slums" and "Water and Sanitation for Cities".
Importance of a safe habitat
As the population of the world increases, issues of space, climate change, and civic issues such as garbage management, clean water availability, and public health have become pressing needs. Waste management has become a headache for most cities. Most cities have a waste management system, which is overworked and not adequate to manage the ever growing population’s needs. A fully functional waste management system can have a positive impact on climate change, public health, and the environment.
The Sustainable Development Goals agenda prescribes inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities. Increase in income inequality has also turned house buying into a luxury exercise in the life of most people on earth. Every year thousands of people die because they don’t have an adequate shelter to live. The news of homeless people in Delhi dying because of the chilling cold in the winter season has become a routine story for most of us.
Thus, it is important to address the challenges facing the human population for a sustainable life.
Technology can play an important role in making our societies more inclusive. It has a great potential in changing how people live and work and accelerate efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.
