Every year on the first Monday of October, World Habitat Day is observed with the goal of raising awareness of everyone’s basic right to adequate shelter. The day also emphasises the state of human settlements and reminds people that they are also responsible for future generations’ habitats. World Habitat Day will be observed on Monday, October 3rd, 2022 this year.
Significance of World Habitat Day 2022
Humans have a basic right to adequate shelter, and everyone deserves a roof over their heads. Years of hard work have been put in to combat poverty, but with the pandemic hitting hard, years of progress have been reversed. Now is the time to be even more determined in our fight against poverty and homelessness, and World Habitat Day 2022 will commemorate this mission.
Aside from shelter and habitat issues, urban poverty and inequality have emerged as critical global concerns. World Habitat Day 2022 will also address the issues of rapid urbanisation, including the effects on the environment and human poverty.
History of World Habitat Day
The resolution to establish World Habitat Day was proposed at a United Nations General Assembly meeting in 1985. The resolution 40/202 established World Habitat Day as the first Monday of October each year. The idea behind establishing this day was to reflect on the state of towns and cities around the world and ensure that everyone has the basic right to adequate shelter, as well as to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat. On October 6, 1986, the first World
Habitat Day was observed. The theme for this day was “Housing is My Right,” and Nairobi was the host city.
Theme for World Habitat Day 2022
In 2022, the World Habitat Day (WHD 2022) will be observed under the theme “Mind the Gap. Leave No One and Place Behind”. The theme will focus on the problems of growing inequality and challenges in cities and human settlements and also aims to draw attention towards the growing inequalities and vulnerabilities that have been aggravated by the triple ‘C’ crises: COVID-19, climate and conflict.
