United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)

1.In the past year, has the governing body of your organization taken any decisions to advance sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and ensure that no one is left behind? If yes, please briefly mention these decisions taken by your governing body in 2024 and provide the respective symbols. (max 200 words)

The UN-Habitat Executive Board adopted a series of decisions with potentials for achieving the SDGs: Draft Decision 2024/B on the “Implementation of the Normative and Operational Activities of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme,”1 where the Executive Board, in its first 2024 session, acknowledged the Executive Director’s report on UN-Habitat’s activities—including updates on the Inclusive Communities, Thriving Cities flagship programme, the Sustainable Urban Resilience for the Next Generation initiative, and urban crisis response efforts—and requested the Executive Director to continue implementing these activities and building partnerships to advance flagship programmes and promote inclusive, sustainable solutions to urban challenges and crises. Leaving no one behind, the Executive Board requested the Executive Director, to continue to support the efforts to reconstruct the human settlements affected by conflict and disaster, through a comprehensive system-wide response, and to continue to provide assistance to urban crises, using urban profiling to assess the needs, vulnerabilities and capacities of urban areas and to establish urban recovery frameworks.

2. During 2024, what actions have your entity taken to improve coordination among UN system entities across policy and normative activities as well as with ECOSOC subsidiary bodies with a view to increase impact and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda? Please ​​provide any relevant links.  (max 200 words)

UN-Habitat’s efforts to improve participation and coordination among UN entities focus on regional and country levels, enhancing policy, planning, and collective implementation. Through the leadership of resident coordinators (RCs) and the Management and Accountability Framework (MAF), UN-Habitat aligns programming with national Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs). At the regional level, UN-Habitat contributes expertise to Regional Collaboration Platforms (RCP) for peer review, supports Issues-Based Coalitions (IBC), and promotes efficiency through policy coherence. 
In Africa, UN-Habitat works with RCs in Burkina Faso, Niger, Sudan, Mozambique, and Malawi to address SDG 11, and co-leads on digital development, advancing smart cities in Botswana, South Africa, and Namibia. In the Arab States, UN-Habitat integrates “urban data” in the regional platform Manara and engages in IBCs focused on climate, gender, youth, and migration. In Asia and the Pacific, it co-chairs the RCP on Human Mobility and Urbanization, focusing on migration, climate, housing, and SDG 11 reporting. In Latin America and the Caribbean, it co-chairs with UNDP to promote urban dimensions in SDG discussions and collaborates with IOM and UNHCR to support urban migrant integration in cities across six countries. Finally, in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, UN-Habitat supports “Data and Statistics” initiatives, collaborating closely with regional entities to advance urban resilience and sustainable development in alignment with regional priorities.

3. In the past year, has your organization organized any intergovernmentally mandated conferences, forums or events that contributed to the achievement of the SDGs, or has been in the process of planning and organizing any such mandated events to be held next year? 

4. In the past year, has your organization published or planned to publish any analytical work, guidance or reference materials, or toolkits to guide and support the implementation of SDGs at national, regional and global levels? Please select up to three to highlight, especially those that address interlinkages among the SDGs.  

Please copy the table below to fill out for each resource:  

5. The United Nations has defined six key transitions, or transformative entry points, that can have catalytic and multiplier effects across the SDGs and which have been guiding the UN development system work since the 2023 SDG Summit. In the past year, how has your organization contributed to these transformative actions and how various actors are being rallied behind them to mobilize further leadership and investment to bring progress to scale? Please provide any relevant links. (max 200 words under each transition)

1)Food systems

UN-Habitat is committed to transforming food systems by enhancing food security, nutrition, and climate resilience, particularly in urban areas. This multifaceted approach integrates sustainable urban development with agrifood systems to ensure cities can effectively manage their food resources while addressing social and environmental challenges. In the past year, UN-Habitat contributed to partner-led events by FAO, Global alliance for Nutrition, World farmers 'markets coalition on the food systems amidst urbanization and in consideration of the urban-rural continuum. Similarly, a strategy paper on digital solutions for the urban-rural food systems in collaboration with partners is being finalized with experiences focusing on East Africa.  

As part of these broader efforts, discussions surrounding innovative financial mechanisms that support urban agrifood systems will take place during the upcoming World Urban Forum 12 (WUF12) in November 2024. The aim is to explore funding models that leverage public-private partnerships and sustainable financing to improve access to nutritious food and bolster urban agriculture initiatives. 
While innovative financial mechanisms are a crucial component of UN-Habitat's strategy to create resilient, inclusive, and equitable food systems across Africa, their overall approach encompasses a range of initiatives that prioritize sustainability and social equity. In Mesoamerica and the Andean region, for example, strategies focus on strengthening supply chains linked to regional agricultural distribution, while initiatives in the Andean countries promote access to basic services and employment opportunities that support food security. UN-Habitat collaborates with organizations like the FAO to identify these financial mechanisms, ensuring that efforts focus not only on enhancing agricultural productivity but also on fostering environmental sustainability in light of climate change challenges. These initiatives underscore the critical role of urban areas in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and enhancing food security.

2) Energy access and affordability: N/A

3) Digital connectivity

UN-Habitat’s digital connectivity work advances inclusive smart cities in line with the SDGs, a mission reinforced at the second United Nations Habitat Assembly in June 2023, where 193 Member States requested UN-Habitat to establish guidelines for people-centered digital transformation. These guidelines, developed with expert input, will address key areas like digital equity, data protection, and resilient digital infrastructure, aiming for adoption by 2025. Within this framework, UN-Habitat also leads the Global Alliance of Mayors for Digital Cooperation, promoting equitable digital development worldwide. The Alliance fosters knowledge-sharing and localized, people-centered policies to bridge digital divides, increase digital literacy, and safeguard data privacy. Aligned with the UN’s Global Digital Compact, the initiative prioritizes environmental sustainability and ensures that cities adopt digital strategies enhancing urban resilience, accessibility, and rights protection. This holistic approach is shaping urban centers to become inclusive, sustainable, and digitally empowered for future generations.

4) Education: N/A

5) Jobs and social protection

UN-Habitat’s approach to social protection emphasizes resilience, economic empowerment, and the strengthening of local infrastructure to foster inclusive urban environments. By engaging communities and improving essential services, UN-Habitat works to reduce social vulnerability and promote sustainable development across diverse urban contexts. 
In Pakistan, initiatives aim to secure housing and improve living conditions while promoting local economic participation through vocational training and cultural events. In Afghanistan, efforts enhance infrastructure and social services while considering disaster resilience and local needs. In Mesoamerica, the focus is on boosting education, entrepreneurship, and social care in underserved areas, and strategies in Mexico support job creation through targeted investments. Similarly, in the Andean region, urban integration strategies facilitate enhancing employment, while in Armenia, Colombia, and Bolivia, youth programs provide youth with digital skills for improved employability. These projects collectively foster urban resilience and social inclusion aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

6) Climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution

UN-Habitat’s efforts in climate change, biodiversity, and pollution share a unified focus on sustainable urbanization, community resilience, and environmental protection, tailored to local needs across regions. By engaging local governments and fostering inclusive partnerships, UN-Habitat works to address these issues with a localized approach, ensuring that climate action, biodiversity conservation, and pollution mitigation are adapted to the specific social and environmental challenges of each community.  

In Asia-Pacific, projects are underway to accelerate SDG localization. In Thailand, a 2024 initiative collaborates with provincial leaders to address climate transition in two target cities, advancing bankable climate projects3. Nepal’s project integrates SDG 13 and biodiversity action, prioritizing climate adaptation frameworks for marginalized groups4. The Philippines' "Localize to Realize" project, focused on vulnerable groups, supports inclusive climate policy and gender-responsive governance5.

In the Americas, climate-focused urban projects in Mesoamerica and Mexico tackle biodiversity and pollution through green corridors and environmental sustainability. The Andean Inclusive Cities initiative promotes social and environmental resilience via public space improvements. Lastly, Brazil’s Southern Cone Sustainable Urbanization Plan invests in climate resilience and nature-based development for over 4,000 families in Belo Horizonte, advancing sustainable growth through improved urban infrastructure. Together, these projects demonstrate UN-Habitat’s regional commitment to sustainable development and environmental stewardship.

6. Please provide strategies (policies, guidance, plan) and/or collective actions taken to implement the 2024 Ministerial Declaration of the Economic and Social Council and the high-level political forum on sustainable development convened under the auspices of the Council. Please note any challenges foreseen and provide any relevant links.  (max 200 words)  

UN-Habitat has supported national governments and stakeholders in the development of national land policies, legal frameworks and proclamations in Nepal, Zambia, Iraq, DRC, and South Sudan to improve the security of tenure, impacting 329,067,806 million people (of which approximately 166,309,418 are women and girls) towards increasing access and control over land and natural resources and in so doing, contributing to poverty reduction.

7. What collective efforts is your entity undertaking to support countries in accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in the areas of Goal 3 (Good health and well-being), Goal 5 (Gender equality), Goal 8 (Decent work and economic growth), Goal 14 (Life below water) and Goal 17 (Partnerships), which will go under in-depth review at the HLPF in 2025? Please note any achievements, challenges and gaps and provide any relevant links. (max 200 words)  

If your organization has been part of any initiatives or multi-stakeholder partnerships in the past year that support these goals, please copy the below table to fill out for each initiative/partnership.  

Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) 

Goal 5 (Gender Equality) 

Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) 

Goal 14 (Life Below Water) 

Goal 17 (Partnerships)  N/A