| Quality of Life in Cities: Insights from the Quality of Life Initiative Pilot Phase | 2025 | Quality of Life in Cities: Insights from the Quality of Life Initiative Pilot Phase offers a data-driven, people-centered assessment of urban well-being across nine cities on five continents. By integrating objective indicators with residents’ lived experiences, the report identifies the conditions most closely associated with life satisfaction and highlights priority areas for policy action. The findings aim to support local and national governments in advancing inclusive, evidence-based urban development. |
| 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. |
| Effective Climate Governance in Intermediary Cities: A Focus on Climate Mitigation | 2025 | As the world races toward a sustainable future, intermediary cities emerge as crucial players in effective climate mitigation. This guide offers practical insights into balancing economic development, environmental stewardship and social equity within these pivotal urban hubs. It delves into strategies such as climate-sensitive budgeting, urban planning and policy incentives that foster green transitions. Designed for urban managers, climate champions and national or regional governments, this guide provides a roadmap for crafting resilient climate actions and navigating climate-smart urbanization. It also serves as a valuable resource for the private sector, academics, civil society and other United Nations agencies aiming to collaborate on or support climate initiatives. Equip yourself with the tools to drive meaningful climate action and lead your city toward a resilient, sustainable future. |
| Multilayered Vulnerability Profile for Debre Birhan City, Ethiopia | 2025 | |
| 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 Mali | 2025 | Delve into this in-depth analysis of the economic, environmental, and social challenges faced by both urban and rural communities in Mali. 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 Mali’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 Mali. 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 Mali. 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 Mali citizens. |
| Comparative Legal Research on Spatial Planning Hierarchies at Various Administrative Levels: Bangladesh, Japan, Malaysia, Panama, Paraguay, Republic of Korea, South Africa, Thailand, Philippines. | 2025 | UN-Habitat, as part of the Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building (ISCB) project in Viet Nam, funded by the Government of Switzerland through the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), conducted this comparative legal study of spatial planning laws and governance frameworks in nine countries—Bangladesh, Japan, Malaysia, Panama, Paraguay, the Republic of Korea, South Africa, Thailand, and the Philippines. The study examined how planning mandates and hierarchies are defined and implemented across national, regional/provincial, and local levels, and how these frameworks foster integrated, participatory, and effective urban development. |
| 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. |
| Towards inclusive solutions to urban internal displacement: A global framework for Governments, UN agencies, the Resident Coordinator System and partners. | 2025 | This publication by UN-Habitat provides a comprehensive framework for addressing urban internal displacement. It offers strategic guidance for governments, UN agencies, and partners to develop sustainable, scalable, and transformative solutions, focusing on housing, land, and basic services to support displaced communities in urban areas. |
| The Role of Heritage in Localising SDGs in the Metropolis | 2025 | This is the Volume 2 of the Heritopolis Working Papers representing the activities of its Research Forum and the diverse studies on Heritage and the Metropolis that were debated by researchers around the world. The document is an effort to reflect on the new role of heritage in the current context, being aware of the ongoing demographic, economic, political and demographic challenges while considering heritage as a resource to be managed in the support of common wellbeing. Moreover, with the metropolis becoming a dominant urban typology, the heritage values can support vibrant living and unique identities in the ever-growing conurbations. This demonstrates the key role that heritage, both natural and cultural, plays in supporting spatial sustainability and the symbiotic relationships. The changing notion of heritage poses a challenge to metropolitan policies, calling for a more comprehensive view that acknowledges its dynamic nature and its influence on future generations. For this reason, it is believed that the overarching approach to heritage in the metropolis should be in the localising of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other future goals and priorities, which have brought to give this Volume the title of The Role of Heritage in Localising SDGs in the Metropolis. |