Shelter Forum programmes are formulated based on the recognition that there exist the following issues: 

• Inadequate building by laws, standards and regulations which severely constraint shelter development, particularly in low-income urban environments.
  
• Controversial land policies that lead to irregular and unequal allocations at the expense of the majority poor that critically affect shelter development in urban areas through evictions and demolitions of informal settlements.
  
• Inadequate policies on housing rights, specifically those that fail to protect the rights of women, children and other marginalized groups to access decent and affordable shelter.
  
• Poor information flow among institutions and individuals on building technologies and techniques, approaches and options in shelter improvement.
   

Main strategies

Some of the strategies used in addressing shelter issues are:

• Provision of information on production of appropriate building materials and environmentally friendly technologies. Presentation of information in diverse ways to various target audiences.
  
• Formation of strategic alliances with other NGO’s and institutions to develop and monitor new approaches to shelter delivery.
  
• Utilization of instruments such as participative relationships with collaborating Community Based Organizations (CBO’s) to help ensure that their needs and aspirations are met.