Saudi princess at WUF13 calls for people-centered housing development

The approach to housing provision should be built around the needs of a specific community and be accompanied by the creation of a full-fledged social and economic support ecosystem, Princess of Saudi Arabia Lamia bint Majid Al Saud - UN-Habitat Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Arab States - during the panel discussion "The Social and Economic Power of Housing", said at the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Report informs.

According to her, the Saudi charitable foundation Alwaleed Philanthropies has already provided 1.2 million housing units to those in need around the world, with each project being adapted to the characteristics and needs of the local population.

"It all depends on the needs of the specific community. We always treat local communities with respect when implementing projects in any country in the world. We study people's needs, the type of housing required, and its location. Moreover, we create an entire financial ecosystem around it," she said.

As an example, the princess cited a joint project with a French organization in Africa, within which "Nubian housing" technology, designed for hot climates, was used.

According to her, housing and transportation are considered important tools for social and economic stability, especially for women.

"Housing can become a kind of hub for developing one's own project. The same applies to cars. Most of the cars we provide go to women. They use them not only for transportation but also for additional income, for example, by working for various taxi services," she stated.

According to the princess, the key goal of such initiatives is to provide people with a sense of security and preserve human dignity.