UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme)

Africa’s cities are growing, and fast. Millions of people are moving to urban areas every year, with six new megacities on the horizon by 2025. In this new interview, UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach explains why this shift matters—and how smart planning and inclusive policies can shape a sustainable urban future. 📰 Read the full article: https://loom.ly/2EDuL2I #SustainableCities #HousingForAll

🏙️ Urban changemakers, this one’s for you! 🏆 The UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour – one of the most prestigious awards in sustainable urban development – is now accepting nominations! This global award recognises individuals, organisations, and initiatives that are making cities more inclusive, resilient, and liveable. 🔹 Do you know a project that’s transforming communities? 🔹 Is there a leader making a real impact on urban life? Now’s the time to get them the recognition they deserve! 🌍💡 📅 Nominations close: 30 April 2025 🏅 Winners announced on World Habitat Day – 6 October 2025 Nominate today & be part of the change! ➡️ https://loom.ly/erf_0XE

"WUF is a very good platform to connect each other, with our words, with our values and with our hearts." 📽️ Hear from World Urban Forum participants on how the Forum helped them turn bold ideas into local action. By fostering dialogue, building networks and sharing knowledge, WUF supports real change on the ground—and helps cities advance the #SDGs. Hosting the 14th session of the World Urban Forum is a unique opportunity to inspire, convene, and lead global urban transformation. 🔗 Submit your Expression of Interest today: https://loom.ly/BSsjaTA #WUF14 #UrbanAction #InclusiveCities #SustainableDevelopment

80% of countries now have National Urban Policies—and that’s a big deal. Our cities are at a crossroads. With rapid urbanization, climate change, and a growing demand for affordable housing, the need for effective urban governance has never been more urgent. The good news? According to the new Global State of National Urban Policy 2024 report, over 80% of countries surveyed now have National Urban Policies (NUPs) in place. 📈 This marks a major milestone in the global commitment to sustainable, inclusive, and resilient urban development. How are NUPs making a difference? 💡 Guiding Sustainable Development: NUPs provide a framework for coordinated efforts and investments, ensuring a holistic approach to urban challenges and opportunities. 💡 Promoting Sustainable Housing: NUPs can prioritize access to safe, affordable, and sustainable housing for all, addressing a fundamental human right. 💡 Building Resilience: NUPs can strengthen our cities' ability to withstand climate change, natural disasters, and other shocks. ⚠️ The Challenge: Turning policy into action requires strong political will, adequate funding, and effective multi-stakeholder collaboration. 📊 We’ve broken it all down in the Global State of National Urban Policy 2024 report. #UrbanPolicy #SustainableCities #HousingForAll #Resilience #Urbanization

🚆 Public transport is a climate solution - except when it isn’t safe. Did you know? Women rely on public transport far more than men but are also the most at risk of harassment and violence when using it. 📍 Why does this matter for climate justice? 🚗 Unsafe transit = More cars on the road. Women who don’t feel safe often resort to private transport, increasing urban emissions. 💼 Limited mobility = Fewer economic opportunities. If women can’t safely commute, they lose access to jobs, education, and essential services. 🌙 Lack of night services = Greater exclusion. Many women work late hours, but unreliable transit makes them more vulnerable. 📍 The solution? ✅ Design public transport with women in mind – Well-lit stations, panic buttons, and women-only carriages in high-risk areas can improve safety. ✅ Improve service frequency & affordability – Safe, reliable, and cheap public transit benefits everyone, but especially low-income women. ✅ Engage women in urban planning – Women must be involved in shaping transportation policies that affect them. 🚀 A sustainable city is one where everyone can move safely. Gender-responsive transit planning is essential for both climate action and social justice. 📖 Read more in the Global State of National Urban Policy 2024.

💡Did you know that enhancing reporting, auditing, and accounting procedures can improve incentives for local governments to strengthen their cities’ own source revenue systems, leading to increased revenue and transparency—take a listen to learn more!    The Own Source Revenue (OSR) for Local Governments free course, under the SDG Cities Learning Path e-learning programme, supports those working to enhance local revenue generation and management. As part of the course, Lennart Fleck, UN-Habitat's Senior Local Finance and Economic Development Specialist, highlights the role of reporting, auditing, and accounting in OSR. Enhance your local government’s financial systems—enroll now! https://loom.ly/i8ciO_w #LocalFinancing #OwnSourceRevenue #LocalRevenue #SDGCities

25,000 global leaders, 180 countries, thousands of urban solutions. And your city could be at the centre of it all at WUF14 😍 We are inviting cities to apply to host the 14th World Urban Forum - the world’s leading event on sustainable urbanisation. Hosting WUF14 is more than a prestigious event – it’s a catalyst for visibility, partnerships and long-term impact. Here’s what’s in it for your city or country: ✅ Global leadership – Show the world your innovation in sustainable urban development. ✅ Worldwide recognition – in 2024 WUF attracted 25,000+ participants from 180+ countries: leaders, experts, media and change-makers. ✅ Urban transformation – Be at the heart of breakthrough ideas and practical solutions that shape future cities. 📅 Key dates: Expression of Interest deadline: 15 April 2025 Final proposals refined with UN-Habitat: by 30 October 2025 Host city announced: December 2025 🛠️ A transparent, collaborative selection process ensures strong partnerships and UN-Habitat support throughout. This isn’t just a conference. It’s a movement - where global policy meets local action. 🌐 Learn more and apply: https://loom.ly/ClQieDM Image: Mong Kok, Hong Kong

A strengthened #CELAC is a stronger Latin America and the Caribbean. At a time when the world needs hope, collaboration, and concrete action, CELAC stands as a powerful example of regional unity. Its strengthened voice represents the collective will of our countries to advance towards a more just, sustainable, and resilient future. I congratulate the Government of Honduras for a successful Pro Tempore Presidency marked by strategic vision, commitment, and inclusive dialogue. Their leadership has helped open new pathways to build integration from the ground up, with the territories and their people at the center. At UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme), we are proud to be a trusted ally of CELAC. We stand ready to deepen our collaboration and contribute our technical expertise to shared goals. From informal settlements to national policies, we know the local realities and work hand-in-hand with governments and communities to achieve real impact. In this respect, we believe that adequate housing is a strategic entry point to address key regional challenges, including: 🏘️ Urban multidimensional poverty 🌱 Local climate resilience and adaptation 🛡️ Crisis preparedness and response We offer our full support to CELAC and thank Member States for their endorsement of our upcoming Strategic Plan. Together, we can scale up transformative action across Latin America and the Caribbean—because every community deserves to thrive in dignity, safety, and peace. Let us take this partnership to the next level!

The UN-Habitat Policy, Legislation and Governance Section (PLGS) Annual Report 2024 is out! This report highlights our work across 33 countries, focusing on urban policy, legislation, governance, metropolitan management, and urban-rural linkages. Key achievements in 2024 include: • Endorsement of urban policies in Jordan, Mozambique and Paraguay, with Paraguay's policy supporting a transformative housing program. • Improved access to clean water for over 250,000 people in Niger State, Nigeria, through urban policy implementation. • Capacity building in Malawi, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, empowering stakeholders to address climate change at the local level. • The launch of 17 new normative tools and knowledge products, with over 800 downloads, to guide sustainable urban development. This year's report demonstrates PLGS's commitment to delivering on the UN-Habitat Strategic Plan and contributing to the SDGs and the New Urban Agenda. We've strengthened partnerships, enhanced our advocacy, and continued to support sustainable urban development globally. We invite you to read the full report to learn more about our impact and contributions to sustainable development. Link: https://loom.ly/PnEFAgk #UNHabitat #UrbanDevelopment #Policy #Governance #SustainableCities #AnnualReport #PLGS"

As cities grow, they also face the heat - literally. How we shape urban areas can either fuel or fight the climate crisis. So… what urban design strategy makes the biggest difference? 👇 Write your answer in the comments below We'll let you know if you've got it right or not 👀