Discover the power of transformation initiatives habitat participatory in Africa, Asia and Latin America in our new publication.
This publication provides readers with a glimpse inspiring solutions put in place by the communities and their support partners to create conditions favourable to the realization of their projects participative housing. It sheds light on the challenges and strategies related to the active participation and long-term resident·es, to the strengthening of their capacities, their collective organizing and creating a feeling of belonging.
Habitat participatory increasingly appears as an efficient solution to guarantee the right to housing, particularly for low-income households living in precarious conditions and often informal in the cities and large urban areas. In fact, the models of participative housing, such as housing co-operatives, Community Land Trusts (CLTs) or savings groups formed by the inhabitant·es – is not addressed only to the systemic problem of affordability and lack of housing, but also offer the possibility of claiming our rights as a citizen·nes, to regain control of our living spaces and common to reinvent the way we live together. Participatory approaches and the concept of collective ownership that characterize these models place the inhabitants in the centre of the planning, production and management of their habitat. In the case of low-income communities of the South, whose fundamental human rights are violated in many ways, they allow them to organize, strengthen their skills and take their future in their hands, while responding creatively and appropriately to their needs.
Over the chapters, you will discover the inspiring experiences of five organizations, as diverse as the contexts in which they operate. Despite their differences, they are all motivated by the same goal : ensuring the right to adequate housing for low-income communities. They all seek to develop participatory practices, which strengthen communities and result in a profound change in our individualistic practices. And they are all faced with challenges that are very similar.
This publication is the result of a process of systematization led by urbaMonde and its local partners urbaSEN, the Coalition of asian for housing rights (ACHR), Catalytic Communities (CatComm) and the national School of the Russian Federation uruguayan housing cooperatives, self-help (FUCVAM). The case presented is a testimony, illustrating the incredible commitment of these organizations and communities for a more just world. It is also a reference document, designed to encourage a critical reflection permanent, in order to constantly improve our practices.
▶ Download the full study is here (in English, PDF, 9 MB)
