Global Public Space Programme: UN-Habitat’s initiatives towards safe, inclusive and accessible green and public spaces for all

2024 marked a transitional and defining year for UN-Habitat’s Global Public Space Programme, reaffirming the central role of public space in shaping inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban futures. As cities continue to grow and face compounding challenges, from climate impacts and inequality to displacement and economic precarity, public spaces remain critical platforms for delivering integrated urban solutions. 

Throughout the year, the Programme delivered impactful action across 13 countries, benefiting more than 70,000 people in 2024 alone. Interventions were anchored across four key thematic areas: climate resilience, economy and livelihoods, social inclusion, and crisis response. From the regeneration of neighbourhood parks and streets to the revitalisation of marketplaces and civic spaces, projects demonstrated how well-designed, safe, and accessible public spaces can strengthen community cohesion, support local economies, and improve everyday access to basic services. 

A major milestone in 2024 was the 12th World Urban Forum (WUF12) held in Cairo, Egypt. The Forum provided a global platform to showcase innovative public space practices with public space emerging as a unifying theme - as a practical and scalable entry point for advancing the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. 

The year reinforced the intrinsic link between access to public space and access to adequate housing, land, and basic services. In informal settlements public spaces play a vital role in structuring urban growth, improving liveability, enabling service delivery, supporting livelihoods, and enhancing climate resilience. Public space is not a backdrop to urban life but a foundational enabler of equitable development. 

As UN-Habitat looks ahead to the implementation of its Strategic Plan 2026 - 2029, the Global Public Space Programme is transitioning toward a more networked and catalytic role, strengthening local ownership, scaling partnerships, and consolidating global knowledge. Building on the momentum of 2024, the Programme will continue to champion public spaces as essential infrastructure for cities that work for everyone, ensuring no one is left behind.