THE word ‘habitat’ refers to the natural home or environment of an organism. When we come across this term, we usually think about nature, especially animals. However, the word ‘habitat’ can also apply to where humans live. As such, the United Nations (UN) celebrates World Habitat Day annually on the first Monday of October to reflect on the state of human settlements and people’s right to sufficient shelter. This year, the United Nations chose the theme “Changing Cities, Building Opportunities” since it is in cities that many persons seek out and realise their dreams of a better life. Even if this is not achieved, many individuals leave the rural areas and rush to cities simply because there is the promise of a better future and prosperity.
However, while some persons see moving to a city as beneficial, there are negative impacts of this act. Moving from rural to urban areas, especially in large numbers can lead to overcrowding, which in itself would lead to other effects. Firstly, there is an increase in the amount of waste generated; litter is a major issue in many cities globally. Due to poor sewage facilities, waterways become polluted. There is also a heavier dependence on motorised transport which leads to air pollution. All of these result in an unsanitary environment that leads to the spread of diseases.

The development of slums is another effect of persons flocking to cities in hope of a better life. A slum is an urban area that is heavily populated  and is characterised by the following conditions:
•    Land insecurity – Slums are usually located on land, which are not owned by the slum dwellers. They can be evicted at any time.
•    Poor living conditions – Crowding and lack of sanitation are main problems. This contributes to outbreak of diseases. Utilities such as potable water, electricity and sewage disposal are also scarce.
•    Unemployment – Since the number of people competing for jobs is more than jobs available, unemployment is a typical problem.
•    Crime – Slum conditions make maintenance of law and order difficult. Patrolling of slums is not a priority of law-enforcement officers. Unemployment and poverty force people into anti-social activities, therefore slums become a breeding ground for criminal activities.
According to Habitat for Humanity, there are currently 1.6 billion inadequately housed people around the world, and more than 1 billion people live in slums. This affects not only people but the natural environment, since more people moving into urban areas means more space has to be created which means that the natural habitats of many plants and animals are destroyed. Also, there is an ever present problem of pollution, whether it is air, water, or land pollution.
This year, the UN’s focus for World Habitat Day seeks to raise awareness about the results of unplanned growth of cities, i.e., chaotic development and urban sprawl and emphasise the need to plan our cities better since well planned development of cities will provide the opportunities persons need to have safe and adequate housing, while there will also be little effect on the environment.
World Habitat Day, therefore, is an opportunity for us to raise our collective voices to change the systems, policies and attitudes that cause housing of poor quality in cities.