Today 1.6 billion people live in inadequate shelter around the world - 1 billion of those live in slums. By the year 2030 it is expected that 3 billion people will live in slum communities.

October 6, 2008, is World Habitat Day, a UN-designated day to reflect on the state of human settlements and to remind the world of its collective responsibility to address substandard housing and that adequate shelter leads to better health for families, better education for children, and safer and more secure communities.

Habitat for Humanity International is recognizing the day by focusing on the lack of secure tenure around the world —whether due to poverty, corruption, excessive bureaucracy, lack of political will, gender discrimination or financial illiteracy. Secure tenure signifies that an individual has legal protection against forced eviction, harassment and other threats. of conflicts within communities. For women, access to property rights means greater opportunity for economic empowerment and reassurance that their children will be able to inherit their mothers' properties. With secure tenure, families choose to invest in their homes and further strive to demand services and hold their government accountable.

Ensuring secure tenure is a key to improving housing conditions for the poor and vulnerable, whether renters or owners, as one part of a multi-prong approach to ensuring adequate housing for all.