This guide is designed to be adaptable to different legal, institutional, and resource contexts. It may be applied at various stages of the legislative cycle, including during the drafting of new laws, the revision of existing legislation, or the evaluation of proposed amendments. While the full methodology is intended for comprehensive impact assessments, elements of the guide can also be applied in a simplified manner where time, data, or institutional capacity is limited. By offering a…

As global urbanization accelerates, cities are increasingly on the front lines of humanitarian crises and post-conflict recovery, while bearing a growing responsibility to uphold the right to adequate housing. Conflict is now predominantly unfolding in urban settings, as seen in recent crises in Palestine, Syria, Ukraine, and Yemen, where widespread housing destruction and mass displacement have placed large civilian populations at risk of losing their homes, land, and tenure security. Many of…

This playbook provides governments with a practical, people-centred approach to urban digital transformation. It offers a step-by-step guidance, tools, access to relevant resources and case studies to help cities design inclusive, ethical, and resilient smart city strategies grounded in community needs and human rights.

Public spaces are vital for the dynamic social, environmental and health need functions as part of public life of diverse user groups, as they provide areas for social encounter, civic and political engagement, recreation (including work, play and study), shelter needs and other forms of community engagement. This publication has examined the crucial role that legislation, governance, and financial frameworks play as critical aspects of public space management and development. It has provided a…

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,…

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,…

Evictions remove people from their homes, sometimes legally if in the public interest and with no alternatives. Forced evictions violate human rights. Authorities must justify evictions, consult affected communities, provide notice, and offer compensation. Evictions must be safe, with no unnecessary force. Afghanistan’s legal protections exist but remain uncertain post-2021, making advocacy crucial to prevent forced evictions.

This brief provides information on legal documents associated with land ownership, land lease/rent, and land occupancy in reference to relevant Afghan laws. It is intended to provide guidance on land and property rights in relation to IDPs, returnees and other tenure insecure groups. This guidance note is not a legal document, but provides information and analysis from the Housing, Land and Property Task Force (HLPTF). The HLPTF is a sub cluster of the Protection Cluster, and part of…

This brief provides information on legal mechanisms to protect the Housing, Land and Property (HLP) rights of women in Afghanistan. The guidance note is not a legal document, but provides information and analysis from the Housing, Land and Property Task Force (HLPTF). The HLPTF is a sub-cluster of the Protection Cluster, and part of Afghanistan’s Humanitarian Country Team. The content of this brief is extracted from UN-Habitat’s (forthcoming) Housing, Land and Property Rights Guide.