This publication, prepared by UN-Habitat in collaboration with Fordham University Urban Law Center, US, supports Costa Rica in developing an adaptation construction code while offering insights for policymakers, legislators, urban planners, practitioners, researchers, and development partners working to strengthen legal and institutional frameworks for climate-resilient urban development. Drawing on comparative case studies from twelve countries across Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia,…

This publication examines how rapid urbanization and the increasing concentration of conflict in urban areas are placing housing, land, and property rights under growing pressure. It explores how widespread destruction, displacement, and pre-existing tenure insecurity complicate safe return, restitution, and the resolution of housing, land, and property (HLP) disputes. As part of the Urban Law and Conflict Series, the publication demonstrates the critical role of urban law and policy in…

The report “Land Governance in the Middle East: Regional Perspectives for Improved Land Administration and Access to Housing” was developed by UN Habitat and the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN), in partnership with the Urban Training and Studies Institute (UTI) and with financial support from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) of the Federal Republic of Germany, to respond to the growing recognition that land governance is central to sustainable development,…

​​This publication assesses Africa’s progress in implementing the New Urban Agenda between 2022 and 2026. It highlights advances in urban governance, planning, climate resilience, digital innovation, and local economic development, while examining persistent challenges including housing deficits, urban poverty, informality, infrastructure financing gaps, and unequal access to services.

Housing is fundamental to achieving SDG 11’s vision of inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and communities. Yet, despite this central role, the interlinkages between adequate housing and progress across the ten targets of Goal 11 have received limited systematic attention.

This brief examines how legal and governance frameworks can reduce food loss and waste in cities. Drawing on case studies from Milan, Singapore, Vienna, South Korea, France, Rwanda, Brazil, and India, it offers practical legal pathways for policymakers, urban planners, and legal practitioners.

​​Suwon is the first city to apply the Smart Inclusive Transition (SIT) framework, an implementation adaptation of the Global Urban Monitoring Framework (UMF). This report tracks the city’s progress across five SIT pillars, identifies critical strengths and gaps, and demonstrates how SIT is operationalized into practice through co-production of basic urban services and platforms. It provides a practical monitoring framework to pursue people-centred smart and equitable cities; enabling cities…

As rapid urbanization blurs the lines between the urban and the rural, the Beyond the City: Global Trends and Insights on Urban-Rural Linkages report challenges the traditional development dichotomy, arguing that sustainable prosperity depends on the health of the entire territory. By exploring the critical interconnections between urban and rural areas, it analyzes how these linkages are essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda (NUA). Drawing on…

​​Still Far From Home examines how housing policies shape durable solutions for internally displaced persons across five crisis-affected countries. The report argues that lasting solutions require moving beyond housing construction toward strengthening the broader systems—land, services, governance, and livelihoods—that enable displaced communities to achieve long-term stability and inclusion.​