This thorough and wide-ranging study, published jointly by the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) and the ILO, considers shelter provision as a means of meeting housing needs, generating employment and reducing poverty. It examines the scope for self-employment and small-scale enterprises in construction, and the backward and forward linkages. This publication argues that priority should be given to development strategies based on labour-intensive provision of housing, services and infrastructure, with community involvement.