Pacific Housing Forum: Progressing Access to Safe and Resilient Affordable Housing

The lack of adequate housing and the impact this has on Fijian communities and other Pacific nations, is the focus of a one-day forum being held in Suva on Monday, 4 September 2023.

The Pacific Housing Forum 2023, jointly hosted by Habitat for Humanity Fiji and Habitat for Humanity New Zealand and funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, will bring communities together to look for both practical and long-term initiatives which will improve housing.

“Housing stands as a fundamental basic need and access to a safe home paves the way for genuine resilience in the face of challenges. Recognition of and support towards housing practitioners is critical to advance access to safe housing in the Pacific,” says Susan Naidu, National Director, Habitat for Humanity Fiji.

“Many factors have contributed to the pressing housing need being faced in the Pacific. Yet by working together to better understand the shelter needs of each country, along with what might be required at a local policy level, we can ultimately deliver long-term outcomes for safe resilient and affordable housing,” says Alan Thorp, Group CEO, Habitat for Humanity New Zealand.

“The Habitat team is looking forward to facilitating these important discussions about how to best meet the needs of vulnerable Pacific families, particularly where we work in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.”

In recent years, the impact of natural disasters combined with population growth and urbanisation, has brought the lack of adequate housing into the spotlight, especially for vulnerable communities.

Empowering Sustainable Futures

Under the theme “Progressing Access to Safe and Resilient Affordable Housing”, the Pacific Housing Forum 2023 aims to:

• Promote Collaboration: Foster cooperation and knowledge exchange among governments, organizations, and communities to find common ground and work together towards resilient housing solutions.
• Highlight Innovations: Showcase innovative housing technologies, materials, and construction methods that can enhance the quality and affordability of housing in the Pacific region.
• Advocate for Policy Reform: Drive discussions on policy frameworks and regulations that encourage resilient housing practices and create an enabling environment for investment and development.
• Strengthen Community Engagement: Empower local communities to actively participate in decision-making processes concerning housing development, ensuring their needs and aspirations are at the forefront.

Key Themes and Topics

The Pacific Housing Forum 2023 will cover a wide range of themes and topics, including:

• Barriers to resilient housing
• Informal settlements
• Climate change
• WASH – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
• Demographic changes
• Urbanization
• Key stakeholders’ responsibilities to enabling access to resilient housing.
• Governing Laws and Regulations & implementation

Call to Action

By joining forces and sharing expertise, we can collectively drive positive change and create access to resilient housing solutions that will have a lasting impact on the lives of Pacific communities.