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 "Guidelines for Urban Ecosystem-based Adaptation in the Arab Region" provide a comprehensive framework for addressing climate change impacts in urban areas. These guidelines emphasize the importance of integrating Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) into urban planning. By leveraging nature-based solutions, the guidelines aim to enhance resilience, manage urban growth sustainably, and engage stakeholders across various sectors. This resource is crucial for governments, NGOs, and…

The Public Space Policy for local government units is the first document of its kind at the national level in Palestine to guide the creation of safe and inclusive public spaces for all community groups, with consideration for gender sensitive planning principles. This policy focuses on four main pillars of public spaces. The preparation of this policy is the result of a participatory approach in partnership with various governmental and non-governmental institutions that influence the…

The use of the public space methodology will enhance the sustainability, replicability and scaling-up of the achievements of UN-Habitat’s interventions under the HAYA Joint: Eliminating Violence Against Women in the West Bank and Gaza Strip funded by the government of Canada. The Public Space Assessment, Design and Management Methodology is a comprehensive guide for local governments and illustrates the process of developing safe and inclusive public spaces for all. The methodology covers city-…

This report summarizes the Shuangjing Sub-district's best practices on how to implement SDG11 at the sub-district level. In 2019, the China Center for Urban Development and the UN-Habitat conducted the International Sustainable Development Pilot Community Assessment for Shuangjing Sub-District of Beijing, China. Shuangjing summarized relevant policies and practices to research the objectives of the UN SDGs, especially Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. Shuangjing proposed to…

MY Neighbourhood’ provides an extensive ‘check list’ of urban design principles that are applicable in diverse cultural and geographical contexts at the neighbourhood scale. This checklist ensures an integrated approach to neighbourhood design by integrating principles across five key city objectives, across sectors (transport, housing, public space, utilities etc), and across design dimensions (neighbourhood, street, open public space, and building unit).

This study explores the benefits that can accrue if cities prioritise active mobility and public transport. It quantifies the benefits of walking, cycling, and public transport in the Africa region, comparing alternate investment scenarios for the 188 largest African cities. Under a Business-as-Usual (BAU) scenario, cities would continue to focus on road expansions, flyovers, and other investments primarily catering to personal car use. In a Sustainable scenario, cities would develop adequate…