The right to adequate housing

Amada Iveth Martinez, Honduras Photo: Jesper Klemedsson
Amada Iveth Martinez, Honduras Photo: Jesper Klemedsson

Over 2.8 billion people lack a decent home. For many, housing is not just a safe place—it is the key to breaking free from poverty. Without stable housing, it is nearly impossible to protect oneself from climate disasters, disease, and insecurity. Women, in particular, are disproportionately affected when they lack safety and legal rights to land and housing.

The UN estimates that the world needs to build 96,000 new homes—every single day—to meet the demand. Yet, housing remains a low priority in many of the world’s poorest countries. We can change this.

Housing Site in Honduras Photo by Jesper Klemedsson

A home provides not only shelter but also hope and opportunities for the future.

Our joint housing program – a pathway to dignified living, community, and sustainable societies.

We Effect, together with the two Swedish cooperative housing companies HSB and Riksbyggen, has launched a new housing program built on 30 years of successful cooperative development cooperation. The program aims to work alongside local partners to ensure that more people living in poverty gain access to a dignified home—a fundamental human right and a crucial step toward breaking the cycle of poverty.

What Do We Do?

Supporting Cooperative Solutions: We know that housing cooperatives are a sustainable model, allowing people to organize, own, plan, build, and manage their homes together.

Providing Education and Capacity Building: Cooperative members gain access to training in construction, management, and organization, as well as advisory support to create long-term solutions.

Advocating for Change: Influencing political and financial policies that benefit the most vulnerable is crucial to making the right to housing a priority.

Building Sustainable Communities: Housing is more than just a roof over one’s head. We Effect supports local partners whose programs include livelihood opportunities, childcare, and access to essential infrastructure such as water, electricity, and sanitation.

Our housing program supports local partners and housing cooperatives in countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Honduras, El Salvador, and Colombia.

People who take an active role in their own development are not just building houses—they are building communities and connections that stand the test of time.

Our work makes a difference

Thanks to the support and dedication of committed individuals and partner organizations, we have contributed to sustainable solutions that improve the lives of thousands of people worldwide. Together, we are not just building homes—we are creating inclusive, climate-resilient communities.

Three good results

  1. Over 1,000 Homes built globally (2018–2024)
    Through projects like the Mwanza Rural Housing Programme (MRHP) in Tanzania and Basey Ecoville in the Philippines, we have built safe and sustainable homes, providing thousands of people with better living conditions.
  2. 71.6% of cooperative members were women in El Salvador
    In 2023, in collaboration with our partner organization FUNDASAL, we supported 21 cooperatives where 71.6% of the members were women. Many women have taken on leadership roles within the cooperatives, leading to greater gender equality and increased influence for women in both society and housing development.
  3. Lower interest rates for social housing loans in the Philippines
    Through advocacy efforts, we successfully reduced the interest rate on social housing loans from 6% to 2% in 2022. This has made it possible for more low-income families to afford safe and secure housing.

Source: MRHP Annual Project Report, 0-2018-2022 Project Final Report, and Informe Narrativo Anual 2023 – FUNDASAL.

James, Gires, Jenipha and Sabina Renatus. Photo: George Kamau

A home provides not only shelter but also hope and opportunities for the future.

Housing cooperative in El Salvador

In northern El Salvador women from our partner housing cooperative are building homes for 62 families. Most families had to leave their homes due to gang violence. In this video Daisy Méndez tells us about the project.

Report - the Right to Housing

Thematic Report 2018-2020

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Two cooperatives in the north of El Salvador joined forces to build a new housing complex. With the help of our partner organisation Fundasal, 62 houses are now being built for the members. The members are mostly women (85%) and almost all of them are self-employed, selling tortillas, sweets or handicrafts. Some of them are also victims of violence who now, with the new housing complex, are looking for a home where they can live without fear. "On one side was Calle 18 and on the other side was the Mara Salvatrucha, so we were in the middle. Sometimes when they started fighting, they grabbed us to take shelter", says Daysi Méndez, a member of one of the cooperatives. She and her husband were forced to move out of their neighbourhood because of gang violence and have now been living in the complex for five months. "Even though you already have a house, the work goes on because there are 62 houses that need to be built," she says.

A new model for development cooperation

With our new housing program, we—together with HSB and Riksbyggen—are introducing a model where businesses and civil society collaborate to ensure the right to dignified housing. Through cooperative solutions, we help more people secure a roof over their heads. At the same time, we are paving the way for a new development model where companies, governments, and organizations work together to achieve the global goals.