“Shelter is a critical determinant for survival in the initial stages of a disaster. Beyond survival, shelter is necessary to provide security, personal safety and protection from the climate, and to promote resistance to ill health and disease. It is also important for human dignity, to sustain family and community life, and to enable affected populations to recover from the impact of disaster.”
Sphere Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response
Everyone has the right to adequate housing. This is not just my opinion. This right is affirmed in dozens of international treaties, conventions, charters, policies, and laws. It is a widely recognized standard that humanitarian organizations strive to provide for their beneficiaries. But what does adequate actually mean? Is it purely subjective, or are there standards to which we can hold one another accountable?
In 1997, a group of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) teamed up with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to form the Sphere Project. This project is an ongoing effort to consolidate all the mandates outlined in international law into one document that includes the basic, core principles that we can all agree on. The result is The Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response. Among many other topics covered in this 393 page document, minimum standards for adequate shelter, settlement, and non-food items are outlined in great detail.
The SPHERE standards first point out that in order to be adequate, housing provisions must at minimum fulfill people’s right to live in security, peace, and dignity, with protection from forced eviction and the right to restitution. Practically speaking, this includes:
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Sufficient space and protection from cold, damp, heat, rain, wind or other threats to health, including structural hazards and disease vectors.
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The availability of services, facilities, materials and infrastructure.
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Affordability, habitability, accessibility, location and cultural appropriateness.
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Sustainable access to natural and common resources; safe drinking water; energy for cooking, heating and lighting; sanitation and washing facilities; means of food storage; refuse disposal; site drainage; and emergency services.
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The appropriate siting of settlements and housing to provide safe access to healthcare services, schools, childcare centers and other social facilities and to livelihood opportunities
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That building materials and policies relating to housing construction appropriately enable the expression of cultural identity and diversity of housing.
There is a lot to consider beyond just a roof and four walls to keep people dry, clean, and safe! Where will people bath or use the toilet in a culturally appropriate and hygienic way? Where will people cook, and is there proper ventilation? Is it a cold climate, like the harsh winters in Lebanon and Jordan? Is it a rainy climate prone to monsoon rains and landslides, like Bangladesh? Is there sufficient access to water? Waste elimination? Electricity? All this and more must be taken into consideration when planning for shelter that can adequately meet the needs and rights of occupants. And it’s important to note that these are the very minimum standards. The foundational base to build from and continually improve.
How this plays out varies greatly by the cause of the crisis. In the case of natural disaster, the primary focus is to quickly provide temporary shelter and then help communities rebuild their original homes and settlements as soon as possible. But for people displaced by ongoing conflict, people who cannot return home for many years on end, other solutions must be found. Let’s look at some of the methods in use today and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
Prefabricated Shelters
Two types of prefabricated shelters in a Syrian refugee camp. Photo by Benjamin Rasmussen.
One approach has been to create high-quality, standardized shelters that can be quickly deployed and used worldwide in a camp setting. When entire shelters are imported and provided, NGOs naturally have the most control over materials and construction to ensure that recipients will have sturdy shelters and sufficient access to resources. While this is the best option in some cases, it’s also very expensive, sometimes culturally inappropriate, and can dampen the growth of the local economy or ongoing development of the host and displaced populations.
Local Materials
Shelter made from locally sourced bamboo using traditional construction methods in Kutapalong Refugee Camp, Bangladesh. Photo by Nicole Iman.
Sometimes shelters are constructed with a hybrid of local materials and imported supplies (such as using local wood for framing and imported tarpaulin to cover). This helps the local economy and gives displaced people agency to play a role in building their own homes and providing for themselves and their families while using construction methods with which they are already familiar. However, sometimes local resources are scarce. For example, a sudden influx in harvesting of wood or bamboo in the immediate region could have massive environmental repercussions. It’s also more difficult to ensure that all homes are constructed in an effective, durable design that can withstand the elements.
Urban Dwellings
