Home Equals Health: How Better Housing is Saving Lives.
At Habitat for Humanity Australia, we’ve long said that housing is more than just four walls and a roof. It’s about dignity, safety, health, and opportunity. Now, a groundbreaking global Home Equals report from Habitat for Humanity International has put data behind that belief, showing just how transformative better housing can be, especially for women living in informal settlements.
The Home Equals Campaign: A Global Call to Action
Launched in 2023, the five-year Home Equals campaign is a global advocacy effort calling for equitable access to adequate housing in informal settlements. The 2025 report, released ahead of the G7 Summit, makes a compelling case: if we want to improve global health outcomes and advance gender equality, we must start by improving the places people call home.
The numbers are staggering. If key housing improvements were implemented in informal settlements worldwide, we could see in just one year:
- 20.3 million fewer cases of illness: including respiratory infections, reproductive and urinary tract infections, and heat-related sickness.
- 42.9 million fewer incidents of gender-based violence, including intimate partner and non-partner sexual violence.
- 80,200 fewer deaths of women and girls from maternal and climate-related causes.
These are not just statistics, they represent real lives changed, families strengthened, and communities empowered.
How Habitat for Humanity is Making a Difference
Habitat for Humanity is not just advocating for change – we’re building it. Across the globe, we’re working with communities to:
- Upgrade informal settlements with safer, more resilient housing.
- Improve access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities.
- Promote women’s leadership in community planning and housing solutions.
- Advocate for policy changes that secure land tenure and protect women’s rights.
In countries like Kenya, Indonesia, Egypt, Mexico, and North Macedonia, Habitat teams are partnering with local residents – especially women – to co-create solutions that are culturally appropriate, sustainable, and impactful.
Why This Matters for Australia
As Australians, we pride ourselves on fairness, community, and giving everyone a fair go. The Home Equals campaign is a chance for us to extend that spirit globally. Whether through donations, advocacy, or simply sharing these stories, we can help shift the narrative on housing justice.
Safe, adequate housing is not a luxury, it’s a human right. It’s also one of the most powerful tools we have to improve health, reduce violence, and promote gender equality. When home equals health, hope, and opportunity, everyone wins.
Let’s build a world where every individual has a safe place to call home.
To learn more about our work at home and overseas, and for ways you can get involved, click here.
Read the full Home Equals Report here.