The United Nations said Monday without investment the world's cities will be unable to meet the need of adequate housing for the growing numbers of urban poor.
U.N. Habitat Executive Director Anna Tibaijuka warned "more than 2 billion people will be added to the number of urban dwellers in the developing countries over the next 25 years." She added that without adequate financial resources, "this population will be also trapped in urban poverty, deplorable housing conditions, poor health and low productivity ... compounding the enormous slum challenge that exists today."
According to the U.N. agency's 2005 report, Financing Urban Shelter: Global Report on Human Settlements, for the first time in history, the world's urban population will soon exceed its rural population. The report said 50 percent of the world's population, about 3 billion out of 6 billion, are living in urban areas, and the expected growth will strain services for housing, water supply, and sanitation.
The report concludes that while governments have encouraged home ownership and cut back on public housing, more attention should go towards supporting community-based financing, housing subsidies and micro-loan services in order to meet the U.N. Millennium Development Goals to improve the lives of 100 million slum dwellers by 2015.
© Copyright 2005 by United Press International
