Partnerships

UN-Habitat engaged development actors from all sectors and levels to jointly implement its Strategic Plan to realize the achievement of the global urban development agenda of shared prosperity and sustainable development in cities.

From January 2020, UN-Habitat has signed agreements with 191 partners: Governments (51), United Nations entities (18), Local Governments (26) and Civil Society Organizations (96).

UN-Habitat strengthened strategic partnerships with Regional Economic Commissions and other United Nations entities. UN-Habitat worked with several United Nations entities and more than 40 institutions to develop the Global Urban Monitoring Framework to harmonize indicators and data on the SDGs and the New Urban Agenda.

UN-Habitat partnered with Regional Economic Commissions, UNDP, the United Nations Development Coordination Office and other United Nations agencies as part of the emerging regional collaborative platforms and regional forums for sustainable development.

UN-Habitat partnered with Regional Economic Commissions, UNDP, the United Nations Development Coordination Office and other United Nations agencies as part of the emerging regional collaborative platforms and regional forums for sustainable development.

UN-Habitat developed normative guidance for local and regional governments on Voluntary Local Reviews to support SDG reporting by Member States. UN-Habitat also developed and led a 10-year Local2030 campaign to support efforts by local governments in achieving the SDGs.

Advocacy

World Urban Forum: WUF is the leading advocacy platform for UN-Habitat to influence advocacy and action at all levels. In 2020, more than 13,000 people representing key stakeholder groups and the United Nations system attended the WUF. The resulting Abu Dhabi Declared Actions includes commitments to achieving the SDGs over the next two years and beyond.

Urban October: In 2020, 753 Urban October events were held in 74 countries and 230 cities with 3,400 editorial mentions, providing platforms to discuss challenges and opportunities faced by rapidly changing cities.

World Habitat Day was celebrated in Surabaya, Indonesia on the theme, Housing for All: A Better Urban Future, and in 69 other events in 42 countries and 58 cities across the world.

World Cities Day on 31 October involved 78 events in 39 countries and 70 cities celebrating the theme Valuing Our Communities and Cities. Around 500 people took part in the online opening ceremony of the first Global Observance of World Cities Day held in Nakuru, Kenya with live links to China and Malaysia, and another 1,800 people watched live on YouTube.

The World Urban Campaign and Urban Thinkers Campuses engaged stakeholders to raise awareness about the positive urban change necessary to promote the realization of sustainable cities and communities. In 2020, the advocacy focused on addressing multiple gaps in basic services, shelter, safety, wages and social security caused by COVID-19 in cities and communities, and harnessing the role of city and community leaders in urban planning and design in building pandemic resilience.

Stakeholder Advisory Group Enterprise: In 2020, SAGE bolstered UN-Habitat’s innovative and effective stakeholder engagement by ensuring stakeholder views were represented in UN-Habitat’s inter-governmental meetings and contributing to knowledge products.