Gender Responsive Urban Research and Capacity Development 2014 Women, men, girls and boys are differentially affected by the conditions of urbanization. For instance, women are ???invariably disadvantaged compared to men in cities in terms of equal access to employment and shelter, health and education, transport, asset ownership, experiences of urban violence and ability to exercise their rights. These disadvantages are especially marked for poor urban women???1 These gendered dimensions of cities require continual examination if inequalities are to be understood and addressed for equitable and sustainable development. The Research unit can potentially help enhance understanding of this human-urban environment interface from gender perspectives.
Realizing The Human Rights To Water And Sanitation: Checklists 2014 The UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, Catarina de Albuquerque, presented recently a new publication: Realizing the human rights to water and sanitation: A handbook. UN-Habitat has supported the work of the UN Special Rapporteur and welcomes this publication.
Liberia Housing Profile 2014 To contribute towards addressing this challenge, the Liberia Housing Profile offers a comprehensive in-depth analysis of the urban housing sector. The Profile contributes to the creation of a framework that enables provision of adequate housing for all. It builds a comprehensive understanding of the functioning of the urban housing sector that can serve as an authoritative reference point for all actors involved in the direct provision or enablement of housing in Liberia.
The Evolution of National Urban Policies – A Global Overview 2014 More than half of the world’s population currently live in cities, and a projected 70 per cent will be living in urban areas by 2050. Urban settlements are growing and will continue to grow whether this is planned or they simply spread. Much of the way in which cities progress, stagnate or become dysfunctional depends on the extent to which their evolvement is planned, coordinated and well-managed. These factors, in turn, depend on the skills, money and political will being available and used in the best possible way to improve the lives of millions of people. The alternative is poor transport networks, insufficient water supplies, public health crises and slum settlements, among other things.
Housing, land and property issues in Lebanon. Implications of the Syrian refugee crisis. 2014 Lebanon hosts the highest number of Syrian refugees in the region. UNHCR estimates that over one million refugees currently reside in Lebanon, in addition to at least 50,000 Palestinian Refugees from Syria (PRS). Most of this influx has occurred in the past year. In January 2013 the refugee population was less than 150,000, but grew almost six-fold during 2013.
UNHCR and UNHabitat conducted an assessment of housing, land and property (HLP) issues related to the Syrian refugee crisis.4 This report reviews the impact of the crisis in four specific areas:
(i) Shelter options available to refugees
(ii) HLP rights of refugees and host communities
(iii) Housing and property markets
(iv) Land-use, particularly in heavily impacted cities and towns, but also in rural areas
Planning for Climate Change - Toolkit. 2014 A strategic, values-based approach for city planners to better understand, assess and take action on climate change at the local level.
Planning for climate change: A strategic, values-based approach for urban planners 2014 This guide was developed for city planners to better understand, assess and take action on climate change at the local level. Specifically targeted to the needs of planners and allied professionals in low and middle-income countries where the challenges of planning for climate change are particularly high.
The guide’s strategic, values based planning framework: – promotes a participatory planning process that integrates local participation and good decision-making. – provides practical tools for addressing climate change through different urban planning processes. – supports the “mainstreaming” of climate change actions into other local government policy instruments.
Women and housing: Towards inclusive Cities 2014 This publication explores the complex terrain of diverse women’s unrealized right to adequate housing and the consequent negative implications for urban sustainability.
The Right to Adequate Housing: Fact Sheet No. 21/Rev.1; 2014 International human rights law recognizes everyone’s right to adequate housing. This Fact Sheet explains what the right to adequate housing is, illustrates what it means for specific individuals and groups, and elaborates upon States’ related obligations.
Structure Plans for Ila - Orangun and Environs State of Osun Structure Plans Project 2014 The Structure plan project was initiated by the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who signed a technical cooperation agreement with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) for the preparation of Structure Plans for nine major cities in the State. The cities are Osogbo, Ede, Ilesa, Iwo, Ikirun, Ila-Orangun, Ile-Ife, Ikire and Ejigbo. This will build on a related initiative – the Osun Urban Renewal Project - designed to regenerate the core areas of these cities. The Structure Plan will incorporate elements of the regeneration strategy and a combination of the two will form the development plan for each city. The overall objective of this project is to support the preparation of Structure Plan for these cities with an overall framework for guiding their development and growth in the next 20 years.