Forced displacement, violence, and rapid urbanization are severely affecting people's lives.
Oxu.Az reports that this was stated by Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), during the closing ceremony of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku.
She noted that these issues have become a key agenda for the UN and international organizations to ensure migrants and citizens live safely and with dignity.
“That is why governments and communities are needed. State institutions, local and regional authorities, civil society organizations, private sector leaders, and individuals must act together. The main issue today is: how do we sustain people and protect their lives? Restoring dignity, inclusivity, opportunities, and the right to livelihood is one of the most powerful ways to achieve sustainable development goals.”
As we celebrate the anniversary of the New Urban Agenda, the coming decade must be remembered for accelerating implementation, expanding services, and achieving measurable results in people's lives.
Rossbach added that today, over 365 million people worldwide are affected by crisis and forced displacement.
“We need collective action based on a human-centered approach. First, accountability and responsibility must be ensured. Second, cities and communities must be involved in this process. Third, discrimination must be ended and global communities protected. Fourth, policy and financial mechanisms must be strengthened. Fifth, investment in data systems and data accessibility must be ensured.
And finally, an innovation system that creates clean, measurable opportunities and is based on genuine collaboration with communities must be established.”
According to her, from Baku to New York, from high-level forums to the UN General Assembly, the message is the same: housing and urban issues must be at the center of sustainable development goals.
“Housing policy must be fully integrated into the global climate and water agenda. With partners in over 90 countries, this is a global mission. In cooperation with the Open Expert Group, the US Global Climate Change Committee, and the European Parliament, new guidelines for coordinating national policies are being developed. Extensive cooperation, especially in urban planning and architectural design, will continue.”
