As part of the Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building project in Vietnam, UN-Habitat conducted a benchmarking legal case study including a comparative analysis from 11 countries (Australia, Brazil, Chile, Kenya, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, South Korea, and the United Kingdom) to inform Vietnam’s Urban Development and Management Law. The study highlights global inspiring practices across seven themes, including land-value capture, public participation, climate…

As the world races toward a sustainable future, intermediary cities emerge as crucial players in effective climate mitigation. This guide offers practical insights into balancing economic development, environmental stewardship and social equity within these pivotal urban hubs. It delves into strategies such as climate-sensitive budgeting, urban planning and policy incentives that foster green transitions.

Designed for urban managers, climate champions and national or regional…

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,…

This handbook is designed to provide practical guidance to national and international actors, institutions, and organizations working to protect the housing, land, and property rights of refugees and displaced persons. It contributes to achieving sustainable solutions by applying the Pinheiro Principles to displacement situations across the Middle East and North Africa region.

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…

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.