ASIA PACIFIC SHELTER AND SETTLEMENTS FORUM 2024: BUILDING RESILIENCE AND BRIDGING INCLUSIVITY

The Philippines recently hosted the Asia Pacific Shelter and Settlements Forum 2024 (APSSF 2024), a pivotal platform for sharing best practices and promoting resilient and inclusive housing across Asia and the Pacific attended by diverse sectors including government, global and local humanitarian institutions, international and Philippine-based civil societies and non-government organizations, professionals, academics, and housing stakeholders.

- By HENRY L. YAP, UAP, FPIEP, EAROPH

BACKGROUND Initiated in 2015 by a handful of practitioners to localize the United Kingdom's Shelter Forum, the former Asian Shelter Forum has eventually evolved into a significant annual event that aims to foster shelter and settlements industry collaboration, improve and enhance coordination work among government, inter-governmental and non-government players. The Forum also intends to give meaningful learning experiences to governments, donors, development partners, shelter cluster, and humanitarian organizations and partners while emphasizing the need for safe, adequate, and dignified shelters and settlements.

Co-organized by the Philippines' Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development in partnership with the Ministry of Human Settlements and Development - BARMM (MHSD-BARMM) and various humanitarian organizations including Catholic Relief Services (CRS), International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Philippine Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, International Organization for Migration/UN Migration, Build Change, Save the Children, Caritas Philippines, and the United Architects of the Philippines - Resilience Architects, the Forum was held as a specialized and focus event following the hosting of the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster-Risk Reduction last October.