From Savings to Shelter: The Role of Pension Funds in Housing Development in Indonesia

UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme) reminds us that housing solutions for informal settlements are not just about buildings, but about people, dignity, and long-term change (source: UN-Habitat ). Their approach highlights several principles: Upgrade where people live: Improve basic services like roads, water, and sanitation without displacing residents. Communities stay together, and their right to remain is respected. Give people legal security: When families know they won’t be evicted, they invest in their homes and neighbourhoods, making communities safer and more resilient. Tools such as land titling and gradual formalisation make this possible. Let communities lead: Planning with residents rather than for them ensures solutions are trusted, practical, and sustainable. Offer real housing alternatives: Relocation, when necessary, must be voluntary and should provide affordable homes nearby, so culture and kinship ties remain intact. Build with nature: Green infra...