| Bridging the Divide: A review of Urban-Rural Linkages in Senegal | 2025 | Delve into this in-depth analysis of the economic, environmental, and social challenges faced by both urban and rural communities in Senegal. Gain valuable insights into the intricate interplay between these two domains and their impact on the nation’s development trajectory. The report offers a thorough assessment of Senegal’s national policies and strategies through the lens of urban-rural linkages, shedding light on their effectiveness and relevance in addressing key developmental issues. Discover how these policies shape the socio-economic landscape and influence the well-being of communities across the country. Furthermore, read more on an evaluation of institutional capacities and stakeholder engagement surrounding urban-rural linkages in Senegal. Explore the extent of institutional involvement and capacity development in addressing these challenges and uncover opportunities for enhancing collaboration and coordination among stakeholders. Finally, read on a set of actionable policy recommendations aimed at fostering sustainable development and promoting inclusive growth in Senegal. From bolstering infrastructure and improving access to basic services to enhancing governance structures and empowering local communities, our recommendations offer a roadmap for driving positive change and building a more resilient future for all Senegalese citizens. |
| Urban Impact Issue 28 | 2025 | |
| Douala 3, Cameroon : Vision, Area Planning and Action Plan Report | 2025 | Based on the results of the Douala 3 (CAD 3) Spatial Profile which identified the main areas of intervention and the main challenges to be addressed in the CAD3 and the pilot neighborhood of Ndogpassi Plage; the Vision, Area Planning and Action Plan Report describes the short, medium and long term action to implement to provide an inclusive and sustainable environment for displaced and host communities. The Vision is a process through which communities and key stakeholders defined the future they envision for their Subdivision. This future includes the strengths and attractions of the Douala 3 which should be promoted while addressing existing urban issues with innovative sustainable solutions. |
| WUF12 Perspectives. Voices on localization for sustainable urban development | 2025 | WUF12 Perspectives is a new UN-Habitat analysis capturing the views of participants from the World Urban Forum 12 held in Cairo in 2024, focused on localization. It highlights three dimensions—implementation, representation, and translation—and identifies nine key elements to guide stakeholders in embedding localization into sustainable urban development and advancing global SDG localization efforts. |
| Xudur Strategic Urban Plan for Durable Solutions to Displacement | 2025 | The displacement crisis in Somalia is a longstanding problem exacerbated by natural disasters, floods, droughts, and continued conflicts throughout many parts of the country. The persistent influx of displaced persons continues to impose challenges on urban areas while hindering social, economic, and environmental development. The issues extend beyond just humanitarian concerns. Cities and towns in Somalia must quickly absorb large numbers of newcomers, putting pressure on the existing resources and often leading to the creation of informal settlements that only perpetuate displacement and inequality by leaving IDPs in crowded and precarious conditions. The Xudur Strategic Urban Plan for Durable Solutions to Displacement was elaborated through a partnership between UN-Habitat and the Danwadaag Consortium, led by IOM. It aims to support cities and local authorities in enabling durable solutions for displaced-affected communities (DACs) and trigger long-term city development through inclusive, displacement-sensitive, and sustainable urban planning processes. The report is a first step toward challenging the status quo in Somalia by shifting from humanitarian and emergency interventions to more permanent responses to displacement in terms of land tenure, housing provision, livelihood opportunities, infrastructure delivery, and basic services accessibility. Furthermore, it provides a clear roadmap and framework to facilitate decision-making regarding potential urban development actions and attract capital investments to implement specific interventions. |
| Bridging the Divide: A review of Urban-Rural Linkages in Democratic Republic of Congo | 2025 | In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the interplay between urban and rural areas holds profound implications for socio-economic development and environmental sustainability. This publication offers a comprehensive examination of the challenges and opportunities within these linkages, drawing on extensive research and a survey conducted among 53 government officials. It is part of the UN-Habitat project titled “Supporting the implementation of the New Urban Agenda through National and Subnational Urban Policies” funded by the Andalusian Agency of International Cooperation for Development (AACID). Key Features: Socio-Economic and Environmental Challenges: Explore the complex landscape of urban-rural dynamics in the DRC, highlighting disparities in access to services and infrastructure, environmental degradation, and climate change vulnerabilities. Stakeholder Engagement Assessment: Gain valuable insights into the level of stakeholder engagement in urban-rural development efforts, uncovering opportunities for collaboration and areas for improvement. Capacity Assessment: Assess the institutional capacity within government agencies to address urban-rural challenges effectively, identifying gaps in resources, technical expertise, and coordination mechanisms. Policy Assessment: Examine the policy landscape governing urban-rural development, evaluating the coherence, relevance, and effectiveness of existing policies in addressing the identified challenges. Recommendations for Action: Based on the outcomes of the assessments, this publication provides actionable recommendations to enhance stakeholder engagement, strengthen institutional capacity, and reform policies for more integrated and sustainable urban-rural development in the DRC. This publication serves as a vital resource for policymakers, development practitioners, and researchers striving to promote inclusive and resilient urban-rural linkages in the DRC. By embracing the recommendations outlined herein, stakeholders can collectively advance towards a future where urban and rural communities thrive in harmony, ensuring equitable and sustainable development for all. |
| Housing, Land and Property (HLP)-Sensitive Urban Law: Enhancing urban law to protect HLP across the conflict cycle (Conflict Prevention) | 2025 | As the world continues to urbanize, cities face greater challenges in responding to humanitarian crises and achieving sustainable post-conflict development that upholds everyone’s right to adequate housing. The impacts of conflict are increasingly being experienced in urban areas around the world – as seen in modern crises such as those in Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Yemen and Syria – putting the housing, land and property (HLP) rights of civilians at risk. HLP issues arise in conflict contexts, but many of the challenges surrounding these issues, such as return, restitution, adjudication and dispute-resolution, can be traced back to tenure insecurity caused by poor governance, chaotic urbanization, weak land administration and inadequate housing law and policy. For this reason, urban law has a critical role to play in preventing conflicts and their collateral impacts on people’s access to their HLP. In establishing the legal frameworks for the governance, management and development of urban areas, urban law can strengthen tenure security and reduce the likelihood of land being a root cause or trigger of conflict. As the first publication in the “Urban Law and Conflict Series”, this report examines how urban law can support accountable, inclusive and responsive urban governance, spatial planning, land administration and housing law and policy to prevent conflict and mitigate the adverse impacts of conflict on HLP rights. |
| PLGS Annual Report 2024 | 2025 | Building upon a successful 2023, the 2024 Annual Report of the Policy, Legislation and Governance Section (PLGS) showcases continued progress towards achieving sustainable urban development. Through a range of impactful activities, PLGS strengthened its collaboration with donors, development partners, and beneficiary countries, advancing UN-Habitat work on policy, legislation, governance, metropolitan management, and urban-rural linkages. This report highlights key achievements, financial performance, and outlines ambitious plans for 2025 to further contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. |
| The Impact of UN-Habitat’s Work on Women and Girls Living in informal Settlements | 2025 | Since 1992, UN-Habitat has been working in Afghanistan to improve living conditions for people in vulnerable situations. While cities grew fast in recent years due to conflict-induced displacement, it is now climate change (reducing agricultural livelihoods), forced displacement from neighboring countries, and a large number of people in protracted internal displacement contexts which have resulted in rapid urban growth. A recent study found that Kabul’s built-up area expanded by 72% between 2008 and 2021. And cities keep growing. Many people in vulnerable situations settle in informal, unplanned and underserviced areas of cities – often in high-risk locations prone to flooding, landslides, and water shortages. Also, inadequate housing, no waste management, absence of sanitation and constant risk of forced evictions add to those challenges. Women are most impacted by inadequate housing conditions, the lack of proper sanitation and hygiene, being responsible for providing water for the family, and the absence of basic services in those informal settlements. Read more to discover how UN-Habitat's work shapes women's lives in Afghanistan. |
| Bridging the Divide: A review of Urban-Rural Linkages in Burkina Faso | 2025 | Delve into this in-depth analysis of the economic, environmental, and social challenges faced by both urban and rural communities in Burkina Faso. Gain valuable insights into the intricate interplay between these two domains and their impact on the nation’s development trajectory. The report offers a thorough assessment of Burkina Faso’s national policies and strategies through the lens of urban-rural linkages, shedding light on their effectiveness and relevance in addressing key developmental issues. Discover how these policies shape the socio-economic landscape and influence the well-being of communities across the country. Furthermore, read more on an evaluation of institutional capacities and stakeholder engagement surrounding urban-rural linkages in Burkina Faso. Explore the extent of institutional involvement and capacity development in addressing these challenges and uncover opportunities for enhancing collaboration and coordination among stakeholders. Finally, read on a set of actionable policy recommendations aimed at fostering sustainable development and promoting inclusive growth in Burkina Faso. From bolstering infrastructure and improving access to basic services to enhancing governance structures and empowering local communities, our recommendations offer a roadmap for driving positive change and building a more resilient future for all Burkinabè citizens. |