This Urban Street Design Manual offers context-sensitive guidance for creating safer, more inclusive, and people-friendly streets in Afghan cities. It outlines key street elements, design principles, and practical solutions to support sustainable mobility, improve accessibility, and enhance the urban environment for all users.

In the light of the analytical work and the exchanges carried out during the first part of the UPIMC programme in Damietta Governorate, this report developed a strategic vision based on an urban strategy developed in full engagement of all stakeholders. This report, which is the output of the second component, draws on the spatial profile that has been created to generate a common strategic vision and scenario and to provide an action plan for accomplishing it by identifying priority…

This paper explores the potential of public spaces to foster healthier cities, with a specific focus on the role of urban planners and local governments. It introduces the topic by examining global agendas that highlight the interconnectedness of public spaces and health, emphasizing the synergies between them. The paper outlines seven strategies proposed by UN-Habitat for enhancing health outcomes through public spaces and concludes with five actionable recommendations to effectively implement…

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 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.

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 Spatial Profile conducts a comprehensive review of urban areas hosting IDPs, focusing on several sectors. It focuses on the second Subdivision hosting the largest number of IDPs in the city of Douala: Douala 3. Unequal distribution of basic urban services, gaps in public infrastructure, urbanization on areas vulnerable to environmental hazards were identified, mapped and presented. This diagnostic can then be used as a basis for informed decisions regarding short, medium and long-term…

World Cities Report 2024: Cities and Climate Action

This edition of the World Cities Report provides a wide and far-reaching analysis of the current and expected climate impacts on different regions and cities, as well as the differing vulnerabilities urban populations face due to factors such as poverty, inequality, ethnicity, gender, disability and other characteristics. Notwithstanding the acute financial and institutional shortfalls many face, the Report shows that cities are…

In response to growing urban migration challenges, the Migration Informed Urban Planning: A 3-Step Guidebook offers practical strategies for integrating migrants displaced persons and host communities promoting equitable urban development. Drawing on experiences from Cameroon, Egypt, and Jordan, it equips urban planners, policymakers, and local governments with tools to create inclusive, resilient cities through sustainable urban planning.