Over the past decade, efforts under the Millennium Development Goals have cut the proportion of people living in slums by more than half. Yet, over the same period, rapid urbanization, especially in the developing world, has seen overall slum populations rise. In some parts of sub-Saharan Africa, as many as 70 per cent of urban dwellers live in slums and informal settlements.
过去十年来，在千年发展目标下所作的努力已将贫民窟居住人口比例减少了一半以上。但在同一时期，特别是在发展中国家，快速城市化使贫民窟的总人口出现增加。在撒哈拉以南非洲一些地区，多达70%的城市居民居住在贫民窟和非正规住区。
Slums are often located on the least desirable and appropriate land, such as flood plains and steep hillsides, and are inherently vulnerable to the increasingly severe weather events that climate change is causing. Many of the people who inhabit slums were pushed to migrate by the lack of opportunities in rural areas or their countries of origin. They regularly lack basic services such as water, sanitation, electricity and street lighting. Crime is often endemic, with women and girls particularly at risk. Unemployment, under-employment and the cost of transport to distant places of work add further hardship.
受到气候变化带来的日益严重的恶劣气候影响。很多居住在贫民窟的人由于在农村地区或原籍国缺乏机会而被迫移徙。他们往往缺乏基本服务，如供水、环卫、电力和街道照明。犯罪往往普遍存在，妇女和女童尤其处于危险之中。失业、就业不足和遥远工作地点的交通费用更增添了艰难困苦。
To achieve sustainable development and a life of dignity for all, we must address these issues. This year, World Habitat Day is devoted to giving a voice to slum dwellers. Often, people in the slums live in near-anonymity – no address, no census and no idea when their living conditions will improve. By learning from their experiences, city planners and policy makers can enhance the well-being of a significant portion of the human family. Let us hear from people who live in slums what has worked and what has not – and what we need to do.
为实现可持续发展和人人过上有尊严的生活，我们必须解决这些问题。今年，世界人居日是要专门倾听贫民窟居民的声音。贫民窟居民通常几乎匿名而居——没有住址，没有人口普查，也不知道他们的居住条件何时会得到改善。通过了解他们的经历，城市规划者和决策者可以促进人类大家庭中一大部分人的福祉。让我们听听贫民窟居民告诉我们什么可行，什么不可行，而且我们需要做些什么。
On this World Habitat Day, I encourage governments, businesses, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations to give slum dwellers a voice – and to listen to what they have to say. We have the technology and the know-how to build economically, socially and environmentally sustainable cities based on local solutions. Ensuring that our towns and cities expand in a well-planned and managed way is not only necessary to meeting the housing needs of our growing urban population, it is also vital for combatting climate change, protecting the environment and supporting sustainable development. Let us focus on a new urban agenda that leaves no-one behind.
值此世界人居日之际，我鼓励各国政府、企业、学术机构和非政府组织让贫民窟居民发出自己的声音，并聆听他们所要说的话。我们有技术和专门知识来根据当地的解决方案建设在经济、社会和环境上可持续的城市。确保以精心规划、精心管理的方式扩大我们的城镇，这不仅对于满足城市日益增多的人口的住房需求是必要的，而且对于应对气候变化、保护环境和支持可持续发展也是至关重要的。让我们集中精力制订不落下任何一个人的新城市议程。