State budgets are vital tools for translating human rights obligations into practical reality. This booklet outlines how States can meet these obligations by allocating the maximum available resources for the realisation of all human rights, and, in this context, the human rights to water and sanitation.Specifically, this booklet outlines how the human rights to water and sanitation are integrated into the four stages of a State’s budget cycle: formulation, enactment, execution and oversight.

This publication is an evaluation housing finance mechanisms in Republic of Korea. It details Republic of Korea’s experience with this type of financing and may provide other countries with insights that could inform their efforts to promote effective housing and housing finance systems. 

This evaluation of social housing finance in Europe is placed in the context of the purpose of social housing, the sources of funds and the institutions that are used for provision. The effectiveness of social housing finance systems and the transferability of European approaches to other countries, particularly the developing world, are discussed. 

The analysis shows that an examination of the appropriate standards for decent housing and the barriers to market sector institutions meeting housing needs can usefully be investigated before alternative new institutions are created. If existing institutions are judged to be capable of delivery but financial incentives are inadequate, the focus should be on the best form of incentives. The use of a contractual form of provision is seen as a useful means of tying incentives to supply and potentially promoting good value for money.

It is argued that the European experience shows that housing finance that supports low income households is likely to involve a subsidy and that some form of subsidy and thus some form of transfer of resources into social housing will be needed if social housing is to have a social purpose that includes meeting housing needs as opposed to satisfying housing demand.

This Guide to Municipal Finance describes the current issues in municipal finance and the ways in which local governments finance services and infrastructure. It sets out a basic economic framework that is used to evaluate the different aspects of municipal finance and that can be used by readers to evaluate other options.

The Guide emphasizes that responsible, accountable, and efficient local governments need to raise their own revenues as much possible, adhere to an open and visible municipal budgetary process, and engage in transparent and prudent financial management.

The subprime crisis refers to the collapse of subprime mortgage markets in the United States due to the sharp rise in foreclosures beginning in 2006, which led to the failure, merger, and government bailout of leading American financial institutions and enterprises.

This report examines the causes and impacts of subprime crisis. The report examines the elements causing the crisis, particularly the over-spending behaviors of both governments and individuals and deregulation and lack of monitoring.

The over-spending beyond the income/revenue capacity leads to the imbalance between income/revenue and spending and eventually causes the sub-prime crisis and further the global financial and economic crisis.The report then examines the impacts of the crisis.

This report examines the economic role of cities. It illustrates the important contributions of cities to national economic development and poverty reduction. It looks at the agglomeration economies, city clusters, city regions and mega city regions.

Part of a series of four entitled Urban Patterns for a Green Economy, this guide argues that strategic investment in physical infrastructure with the diversification of economies allows cities to play a specialized role in polycentric urban development.

Furthermore, it suggests that green economic development can be achieved through the development of green clusters and green jobs. Finally, this guide argues that a number of green economy outcomes may be reached through efficiencies and shared infrastructure, rather than duplication.

Urban competitiveness has become one of  the central issues in public policy today. This has long been the case for cities (taken to refer both to cities and urban regions) in the industrialized countries, especially during the past three decades. The study of urban competitiveness is central to the achievement of the development goals each population sets for itself.

This report concludes with a set of policy suggestions to guide local leaders who choose to take up the challenge of enhancement of the competitiveness of their city.