The second speaker at the NCID Workshop on Urban Issues in Developing Countries was Prof. Belén Gesto, director at the Instituto de Cooperación en Habitabilidad Básica (ICHaB). On her presentation, titled Urban Expansion, Challenges and Responses from the Basic Habitability Approach, she focused on handling data and explaining what basic habitability is. “More than 50% of the urban population in Sub-Saharan Africa live in slums,” highlighted Gesto. “Every year 70 million more people live in slums. It is an increasing phenomenon.” She explained that the overwhelming housing deficit and urban growth is a challenge that the construction sector must face.

Gesto explained that basic habitability is not only affording a roof, but it also includes the environment where you live in, with its infrastructures and public spaces. She said that there are four steps in the basic habitability process in 4 steps: site selection, land allotment, urbanization, and building process.