Embedded Files
UN-Habitat is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities—an effort that directly supports SDG 11, which focuses on making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Working in over 90 countries, UN-Habitat collaborates with various partners to leverage urbanization as a transformative force that reduces poverty, inequality, and discrimination. Through its mission of knowledge sharing, policy advice, technical assistance, and collaborative action, the agency not only advances sustainable urban development but also contributes to broader SDG targets such as reducing poverty (SDG 1) and inequalities (SDG 10).
Structure
Structure
UN-Habitat’s governance structure is based on a three-tier framework designed to strengthen accountability, transparency, and effective oversight of its normative and operational activities. At the top is the UN-Habitat Assembly, a universal body composed of all 193 UN member states, which convenes every four years at UN-Habitat’s headquarters in Nairobi. This Assembly replaced the former Governing Council, as decided by UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/73/239, and provides the overall political direction and strategic guidance for the agency. The Executive Board, made up of 36 member states elected by the Assembly, meets three times a year to closely monitor UN-Habitat’s operations and ensure that its activities align with the expectations of its members. Complementing these bodies is the Committee of Permanent Representatives, which meets twice every four years in an open-ended format to discuss and review ongoing issues. Together, these three governing bodies ensure that UN-Habitat remains accountable to its member states while effectively addressing the challenges of urban development and human settlements worldwide.
un-habitat_leardership.pdfstrategic Plan
strategic Plan
The Plan outlines a bold vision to transform cities and human settlements by addressing four interlinked domains of change: reducing spatial inequality and poverty, enhancing shared prosperity, strengthening climate action and improving the urban environment, and preventing and responding effectively to urban crises. These domains directly support key SDGs such as SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), SDG 13 (climate action), and others related to poverty elimination, health, economic growth, and reduced inequalities.
By integrating normative work, technical assistance, and policy guidance as well as emphasizing multi-stakeholder partnerships, knowledge sharing, and innovation, the Strategic Plan leverages urbanization as a transformative force. It promotes inclusive urban growth that leaves no one behind, ensuring that improvements in infrastructure, housing, public space, and resource efficiency contribute to reducing poverty and building resilient communities. In doing so, it not only reinforces the specific targets and indicators associated with the SDGs but also aligns with major international frameworks such as the New Urban Agenda, thereby providing a clear roadmap for cities and regions to foster sustainable development and transform urban living conditions worldwide.
strategic plan.pdfstrategic_plan_2020-2023.pdfSupporting Documents
Supporting Documents
nua-english.pdfThe New Agenda
The New Agenda
The New Urban Agenda is a landmark United Nations framework that was adopted at the Habitat III Conference in Quito, Ecuador, in October 2016. It represents a shared global vision to reimagine the way cities are planned, built, managed, and governed. Anchored in the principles of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it seeks to transform urbanization into a powerful engine for sustainable development by promoting cities that are inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
Its purpose is to provide standards, principles, and actionable strategies for governments at all levels—as well as for civil society, the private sector, and other stakeholders—to address the challenges and opportunities presented by rapid urbanization. The Agenda emphasizes the need for effective national urban policies, integrated urban planning and design, participatory governance, and innovative financing mechanisms to improve living conditions. By driving a paradigm shift toward sustainable urban development, the New Urban Agenda strives to ensure that all urban residents, including marginalized groups, have equal access to quality housing, basic services, and economic opportunities, ultimately contributing to a better quality of life for all.
new urban policy.pdfAll information sourced from UN-Habitat
Page updated
Report abuse