The paper was part of the special issue of Habitat International Journal to commemorate the Fifth World Urban Forum held in Rio de Janeiro in March 2010. The special issue picked up the WUF dialogue theme ‘Equal Access to Shelter’’, highlighting the role of self-help in meeting the needs of the poor in housing provision. In her foreword, Anna Tibaijuka, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Habitat states ‘The papers included in the issue explore the concept's potential, providing an analysis of the key points that must be included in a successful policy to facilitate shelter development in the developing world.’