Global strategy for shelter to the year 2000 adopted; poor and homeless are its main focus.

A "Global Strategy for Shelter to the Year 2000" an international policy framework to help solve the world-wide housing crisis-was approved by the 58-member Commission on Human Settlements at its eleventh session (New Delhi, 6-12 April). The 32-page text is expected to be endorsed by the General Assembly later this year

Specific guidelines to help Governments set up national shelter strategies and to guide international action were approved as part of the Strategy. Habitat-the Centre for Human Settlements-will coordinate international action triggered by the Strategy.

In an opening speech, the Commission Chairman, Mrs. Mohsina Kidwai, India's Minister of Urban Development and Tourism, called attention to the importance of the informal sector, the co-operative sector and self-help as a major part of housing activity

Ranasinghe Premadasa, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, the original sponsor of the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless, recommended establishment of a global housing and shelter bank and a specialized United Nations agency focused on shelter.

Habitat Executive Director Arcot Ramachandran said that a country's claim to development would appear hollow, regardless of how impressive its macro-economic statistics might be, as long as the great majority of the population lacked the basic necessities of life, such as adequate shelter.

In a message to the session, Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar said the International Year had heightened awareness of the escalating problem of homelessness throughout the world and asked all present at the session to provide the leadership needed for the implementation of the Strategy To house the poor

Improving the housing situation of the poor and the homeless all over the world is the main focus of the Strategy. The crucial role of women and women's organizations in solving that crisis should be fully recognized, the Strategy states. Women should have equal participation in all aspects of the housing initiative.

"Despite efforts of Governments and international organizations, more than 1 billion people have shelter unfit for habitation, and this number will expand dramatically unless determined measures are taken immediately", it warns.

The Strategy advises Governments to adopt an "enabling" approach to solving the crisis. This means that rather than attempting to solve the housing problem by itself the public sector should function as a catalyst enabling other social forces to join the...