In accordance with UN Secretariat’s governance arrangements, ethics-related functions are mandated by the UN Ethics Office. 

UN-Habitat’s Legal Office has dedicated ethics focal points who coordinate and support the implementation of ethics, conduct, integrity and accountability frameworks released by the UN Ethics Office. The Conduct and Discipline Focal Point works closely with the Office of the Executive Director, (OED) and HR Liaison Office to ensure that all staff are aware on matters related to the work of the UN Ethics Office and trained on its application in their line of work. 

The UN Ethics Office provides:

1. Ethics Advice 
2. Protection Against Retaliation
3. Financial Disclosure
4. Ethics Training

For further information contact the UN Ethics Office 

Ethics Helpline: available on iSeek (for UN personnel) or E-mail:ethicsoffice@un.org

• Ethics Advice

The ethics advice may be provided by the UN Ethics Office for the following situations

• Outside activities
• Employment-related questions
• Financial interests
• Pre-appointment reviews for senior appointments
• Honours, decorations, favours and gifts
• Institutional integrity matters
• Procurement ethics
• Due diligence and risk assessment process
• Other conflicts of interest

For ethics questions and concerns contact the UN Ethics Office 

Ethics Helpline: available on iSeek (for UN personnel) or E-mail:ethicsoffice@un.org

• Protection Against Retaliation

The UN Ethics Office also provides confidential advice on ethical issues and review requests for protection against retaliation for reporting of misconduct.

The UN’s protection against retaliation policy, ST/SGB/2017/2/Rev.1, (“the policy”) is to ensure that the Organization functions in an open, transparent and fair manner and enhances protection for those who report misconduct (any violation of the Organization’s rules and regulations by staff members), wrongdoing (by any person that is harmful to the interests, operation or governance of the United Nations), or cooperate with duly authorized audits and investigations.

The reports and cooperation are considered “protected activities” under the policy. In order to receive protection, any report should be made to the UN Ethics Office, (Protection Against Retaliation), as soon as possible, in good faith and within six (6) months of becoming aware of the retaliation.

“Retaliation” means any direct or indirect detrimental action that adversely affects your employment or working conditions, where such action has been recommended, threatened or taken for the purpose of punishing, intimidating or injuring you because you engaged in a protected activity

For retaliation complaints fill in this form and contact the UN Ethics Office 

Ethics Helpline: available on iSeek or E-mail:ethicsoffice@un.org

• Financial Disclosure

UN Financial Disclosure Programme (UNFDP), administered by the UN Ethics Office, is designed to identify, resolve and mitigate conflict of interest risks arising from staff members’ personal financial assets, liabilities, investments, and outside activities. 

ST/SGB/2006/6 on financial disclosure and declaration of interest statements outlines the obligations and scope of staff members to file financial disclosure statement or declaration of interest statements.

In support of the UN Ethics Office, the Legal Unit, which serves as the focal point for ethics matters, works in close collaboration with UN-Habitat’s Corporate Management Division (CMD) to submit the list of UN-Habitat participants to the UNFDP required to complete an annual disclosure. 

How to file a Conflict of Interest case: See UN Ethics Office Financial Disclosure

Links to the statements of those senior UN officials who have elected to participate in the Voluntary Public Disclosure initiative available at Public Disclosure | United Nations Secretary-General.

For UNFDP questions or concerns, contact the UN Ethics Office

Helpline: available on iSeek or email:ethicsoffice@un.org

For UN-Habitat’s list of UNFDP participants, contact UN-Habitat Legal Office, unhabitat-legaloffice@un.org 

• Ethics Training

In early 2013, the UN Ethics Office (Leadership Dialogue) launched the United Nations Leadership Dialogue that required all UN Secretariat entities to hold annual discussions with their teams on: (i) the ethical challenges we encounter in our day-to-day work; (ii) where to seek guidance on ethical matters; and (iii) our roles as United Nations personnel in addressing ethical dilemmas.

The United Nations Leadership Dialogue discussion is facilitated by the Legal Office who shares information on the sessions on an annual basis.

The UN Ethics Office (Leadership Dialogue) that provides an overview of the Leadership Dialogue, documents and leadership dialogue documents from previous years and frequently asked questions (FAQs)

For Leadership Dialogue questions or concerns contact UN-Habitat Legal Office, unhabitat-legaloffice@un.org 

The Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) is the only independent external oversight body of the United Nations system mandated to conduct evaluations, inspections and investigations system-wide.

Its mandate is to look at cross-cutting issues and to act as an agent for change across the United Nations system. JIU works to secure management and administrative efficiency and to promote greater coordination both between UN agencies and with other internal and external oversight bodies. 

In its reports and notes, the Unit identifies best practices, proposes benchmarks and facilitates information-sharing throughout the organizations of the UN system that have adopted its Statute.

The Unit operates with respect to the legislative organs and the secretariats of those specialized agencies and other international organizations, within the United Nations system, that have accepted its Statute. These entities are often referred to as the JIU participating organizations. JIU has a total of 28 participating organizations as of 2018, of which UN-Habitat is one of them, that play a crucial role in how the Unit functions.

Further information is available here including the reports pertinent to UN-Habitat.

UN‑Habitat’s policies and procedures provide the foundation for transparent, accountable, and effective programme delivery across the organization. They outline clear operational standards, guide decision‑making, and ensure consistency in how projects are planned, implemented, and monitored. These frameworks strengthen risk management, promote ethical conduct, and support compliance with UN‑wide requirements. UN‑Habitat’s policies and procedures help staff and partners operate efficiently while safeguarding resources and maximizing impact. They also facilitate coordination, enhance institutional learning, and ensure that programmes are delivered in a way that is inclusive, and aligned with the agency’s global mandate for sustainable urban development.

Social inclusion

UN-Habitat promotes inclusive development and recovery assistance and targets vulnerable groups in society who find themselves marginalized – the urban and disaster stricken poor, and especially women and young people. The Gender Mainstreaming Unit of UN-Habitat strives to broaden gender equality and women’s rights into all of UN-Habitat’s activities by supporting and strengthening gender awareness. Through our programmes youth are encouraged to be active partners empowered to play a role of leadership. The agency works with the government, local authorities, non-governmental organizations, youth groups, governments and municipalities to promote better opportunities for those living on the margins of society.

Cross-cutting themes

UN‑Habitat’s policies and procedures on cross‑cutting themes ensure that gender equality, human rights, climate resilience, and youth empowerment are systematically integrated across all programmes and operations. These frameworks guide staff in applying standardized tools, assessments, and quality checks that embed inclusive, sustainable, and rights‑based practices. By establishing clear requirements for mainstreaming cross‑cutting priorities, UN‑Habitat promotes coherent action, strengthens accountability, and supports partners in addressing the complex social, economic, and environmental dimensions of urban development. Through consistent application of these procedures, the organization enhances the impact, equity, and sustainability of its interventions, ensuring that no one is left behind.

Relevant Definitions

Independence

United Nations personnel shall maintain their independence and shall not seek or receive instructions from any Government or from any other person or entity external to the United Nations and shall refrain from any action which might reflect negatively on their position as United Nations personnel responsible only to the United Nations.

Loyalty

Loyalty to the purposes, values and principles of the United Nations is a fundamental obligation of all United Nations personnel. They shall be loyal to the United Nations and shall, at all times, discharge their functions and regulate their conduct with the interests of the United Nations only in view.

Impartiality 

United Nations personnel, in the performance of their official duties, shall always act with impartiality, objectivity and professionalism. They shall ensure that expression of personal views and convictions does not compromise or appear to compromise the performance of their official duties or the interests of the United Nations. They shall not act in a way that unjustifiably could lead to actual or perceived preferential treatment for or against particular individuals, groups or interests.

Integrity

United Nations personnel shall maintain the highest standards of integrity, including honesty, truthfulness, fairness and incorruptibility, in all matters affecting their official duties and the interests of the United Nations.

Accountability

United Nations personnel shall be accountable for the proper discharge of their functions and for their decisions and actions. In fulfilling their official duties and responsibilities, United Nations personnel shall make decisions in the interests of the United Nations. They shall submit themselves to scrutiny as required by their position.

Respect for human rights

United Nations personnel shall fully respect the human rights, dignity and worth of all persons and shall act with understanding, tolerance, sensitivity and respect for diversity and without discrimination of any kind.

Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)

Sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), constitutes a profound violation of trust that communities place in the United Nations including UN-Habitat and its partners as it undermines the United Nations core values and severely erodes the credibility and effectiveness of our mission. Above all, it causes devastating and often, lifelong harm to survivors. 

As part of the UN Secretariat, UN-Habitat maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy for preventing and addressing sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), anchored in ST/SGB/2003/13 on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, which sets the foundational standards across the UN system, informs UN-Habitat’s internal SEA policies, and defines clear obligations for all personnel regarding conduct, reporting and accountability. 

These safeguards are integrated across UN-Habitat’s programmes and operations including mainstreaming PSEA consideration into programme/project designs, strengthening due diligence, risk assessment and monitoring of implementing partners, ensuring that community engagement processes provide accessible and appropriate information on rights and reporting mechanisms and supporting survivor‑centered referral pathways through UN-Habitat country teams. Together, these measures reinforce UN-Habitat’s commitment to accountability, uphold the dignity and rights of affected persons and help ensure that all UN-Habitat activities are carried out in an environment that protects every individual from the risk of SEA.

For any PSEA guidance and/or support, contact the global PSEA focal point at the UN-Habitat Legal Office at unhabitat-legaloffice@un.org

Media files

UN-Habitat Strategic Plan 2026-2029