NAIROBI, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The UN-Habitat on Monday presented awards to 10 most outstanding and innovative housing ideas, projects and programs from across the globe.
The 2018 World Habitat award winners and finalists were selected following their role in promoting housing solutions that change people lives and contribute to their well being.
"I am proud that UN-Habitat supports the work of communities and people to innovate towards more sustainable and affordable housing solutions," Maimunah Mohd Sharif, UN-Habitat executive director, said at a ceremony on the sidelines of the ongoing first UN-Habitat Assembly in Nairobi.
Sharif said that the World Habitat Awards recognize and highlight innovative, outstanding and sometimes revolutionary housing ideas, projects and programs from across the world to help spur growth in housing sector globally.
Leilani Farha, UN Habitat special rapportuer on the rights to adequate housing, said that the projects put the right to housing in action, transforming and empowering some of the most vulnerable communities and neighborhoods at a time when housing challenges across the world are heightened.
"Through their work, they are demonstrating what is possible and this will inspire similar rights based projects where they are needed," Farha added.
Two leading innovative ideas from Japan and Pakistan were awarded a cash price of 11,000 U.S. dollars each by the event judges from a list of 100 entries.
In Japan, the program renovates abandoned homes using government subsidies and rented out to the single mothers at discounted rates since it is extremely hard for single mothers to find affordable place to live.
The Pakistan chulahs program that is run by Heritage Foundation of Pakistan teaches marginalized women to build a hygienic, sustainable, smokeless earthen stove which not only improve their health but also empowers them to earn a living by marketing and building stoves in other villages.
Other finalists came from Haiti, Netherlands, Algeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tajikistan and United Kingdom.
Initiated in 1985, the annual World Habitat Awards competition attracts projects which make an outstanding contribution to people's living conditions in a variety of contexts.
More than 250 outstanding World Habitat Awards have been recognized over the years, demonstrating substantial, lasting improvements in living conditions.
Each year, two winners receive 11,000 dollars each and a trophy that is presented at the UN Habitat Assembly in Nairobi.
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