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.

This report introduces Smart-Inclusive Transition (SIT) as a key driver for building more equitable urban futures by integrating smart technology with inclusive practice. The SIT Analysis is designed to help cities uncover their unique opportunities for SIT by leveraging urban SDGs data and indicators from the Global Urban Monitoring Framework. This approach will create an opportunity for cities worldwide to shape urban spaces that are genuinely designed by, for, and of all citizens.

The report provides groundbreaking insights into the current state of smart city developments globally. By analyzing trends, challenges and opportunities, it offers a robust evidence base to foster inclusive, sustainable and people-centred smart cities. With recommendations for policymakers and other actors, it serves as a global reference for advancing digital transformation and innovation in urban areas while addressing regional disparities and digital divides.

This report analyses the land sector in Lebanon by looking at its legal and institutional set up, its stakeholders, and the key land administration functions: land tenure, land value, land use, land development, and land disputes’ resolution. The most important legislation is annexed and a set of preliminary recommendations for consideration by national stakeholders complement the report.

This report analyses the land sector in Lebanon by looking at its legal and institutional set up, its stakeholders, and the key land administration functions: land tenure, land value, land use, land development, and land disputes’ resolution. The most important legislation is annexed and a set of preliminary recommendations for consideration by national stakeholders complement the report.