At Habitat for Humanity Australia, building homes and communities is just one part of our mission. Equally important is advocacy – transforming the systems that shape access to adequate housing. By influencing policy, amplifying community voices, and engaging in global coalitions, we unlock more doors and more homes for families across Australia, Asia, and the Pacific.
International Advocacy: Shaping Global Systems
At the international level, Habitat for Humanity Australia works with country partners and global institutions to shape development policy and practice. Our team participates in the Australian government’s consultations on country-level Development Partnership Plan (DPP), meeting with the Embassies and High Commissions in-country and in Canberra to advocate for household-level climate resilience as a cornerstone of sustainable development.
As a member of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID), the peak body for Australian NGOs working in international development, we join together with others to advocate for impact. We joined ACFID’s Safer World for All campaign, together with our supporters, calling on the Australian Government to increase Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) to 1% of the Federal Budget. Working alongside like-minded organisations and individuals, we highlight the critical role of aid in promoting economic stability and global equity.
Globally, we proudly support the Habitat for Humanity International Home Equals campaign, which builds on the UN’s recognition of adequate housing as a human right and a driver of health, education, and economic opportunity. In the campaign’s first year:
- 50 local and national policy successes were achieved across 46 countries where Habitat for Humanity is working
- US$1.2 billion in new public funding was allocated for adequate housing
- 2.8 million people gained improved access to safe, adequate housing
Local Advocacy in Action
On the ground, advocacy is community-led. We empower local groups to self-organise and strengthen their knowledge, skills, and governance, so they can more effectively advocate for support to address their needs and priorities around inclusive disaster risk reduction and resilience planning for their communities.
- In Jhapa Rural Municipality, Nepal, the Sugabathan Community Disaster Management Committee (CDMC) successfully secured NPR 1.2 million (AUD $14,050) from the local government’s Disaster Risk Management Fund. This enabled the construction of a 400-metre bamboo piling along the Kankai River, protecting 64 households from flooding.
- In Sambhunath Municipality, Saptari, CDMC-led action plans led to the installation of concrete pipelines to divert monsoon rainwater from homes and roads. A new drainage pipeline near a local school now allows 260 students to safely access education during the rainy season—removing a daily barrier to learning.
Advocacy in Australia: Unlocking Housing Solutions
In Australia, we advocate for innovative, collaborative housing solutions that respond to the growing housing crisis. By building an evidence base for lease-and-repair models, we demonstrate how vacant or underutilised properties can be repurposed as affordable, secure homes for vulnerable Australians.
These initiatives showcase the power of partnerships between the private sector and community housing providers to rapidly deliver housing in a cost-effective, sustainable way. We continue to engage with the government to unlock vacant land and properties, relax planning controls, and create more housing opportunities for those who need it most.
Together, we can make systemic change
From local communities in Nepal to global policy campaigns and innovative solutions in Australia, Habitat’s advocacy work amplifies voices, influences systems and unlocks housing opportunities. Advocacy ensures that our mission goes beyond building homes and communities; it transforms the structures and policies that enable access to safe, secure, and adequate housing for millions of people.
Join us in advocating for change. Whether through partnerships, community engagement, or supporting our policy initiatives, your involvement helps unlock access to more homes, more safety, and more hope.
Learn more about what we do overseas.