This publication is part of the activities of the Global Network for Sustainable Housing (GNSH) managed by the UN-Habitat Housing Unit. The handbook presents practical solutions to outgrow accessibility barriers for persons with disabilities and older persons in the contexts of slum upgrading, reconstruction, large-scale affordable and social housing programmes. 

This handbook aims to bridge the existing gap between the needs and rights of persons with disabilities and older persons with slum upgrading, reconstruction, large-scale affordable and social housing programmes. Through the provision of concepts, major policy approaches, practical information and technical tools, the handbook intends to build capacity regarding designing and implementing accessibility in identified contexts. Likewise, it brings into light the implication and the global importance of developing accessibility of sustainable human settlements.

Современные системы городского планирования не приспособлены для того, чтобы решать серьезные городские проблемы XXI века, в том числе связанные с последствиями изменения климата, истощением ресурсов и экономической нестабильностью, а также непрерывным процессом стремительной урбанизации с присущими ей негативными явлениями, такими, например, как нищета, трущобы и неорганизованная городская экономическая деятельность. Кроме того, такие системы городского планирования в значительной степени не смогли создать и обеспечить нормальные условия для проживания местного населения и его участия наряду с другими заинтересованными сторонами в планировании городских районов, что способствовует возникновению проблем маргинализации общества и социально отверженных групп населения. Понятно, что городское планирование необходимо пересмотреть и обновить ради устойчивого будущего городов. В публикации «Гармонично развивающиеся города» рассматриваются серьезные проблемы, с которыми сталкиваются в настоящее время большие и малые города в разных странах мира, а также вопросы возникновения и распространения современного городского планирования и эффективности современных методов. И что не менее важно, в докладе приводятся данные о новейших технологиях и методах городского планирования, позволяющих более оперативно реагировать на нынешние и грядущие проблемы урбанизации.

Planning Sustainable Cities reviews recent urban planning practices and approaches, discusses constraints and conflicts therein, and identifies innovative approaches that are more responsive to current challenges of urbanization.

It notes that traditional approaches to urban planning (particularly in developing countries) have largely failed to promote equitable, efficient and sustainable human settlements and to address twenty-first century challenges, including rapid urbanization, shrinking cities and ageing, climate change and related disasters, urban sprawl and unplanned peri-urbanization, as well as urbanization of poverty and informality.

It concludes that new approaches to planning can only be meaningful, and have a greater chance of succeeding, if they effectively address all of these challenges, are participatory and inclusive, as well as linked to contextual socio-political processes.

This report documents many effective and equitable examples of sustainable urbanization that are helping to define a new role for urban planning.

إن نظم التخطيط الحضري المتبعة في الوقت الحاضر تفتقر للجاهزية اللازمة للتعامل مع أبرز التحديات الحضرية الناشئة في القرن الحادي والعشرين، بما في ذلك الآثار الناجمة عن ظاهرة تغير المناخ، واستنزاف الموارد، وحالة عدم الاستقرار الاقتصادي، وذلك إلى جانب الوتيرة السريعة لعمليات التحضر وما تنطوي عليه من تأثيرات سلبية كنشوء مظاهر الفقر، والأحياء الفقيرة، والمظاهر غير الرسمية في المناطق الحضرية. إضافة لذلك، فإن هذه النظم قد أخفقت إلى حد كبير في الإدراج الفعلي للأساليب المعيشية للمجتمعات الحضرية وغيرهم من أصحاب المصلحة ضمن عمليات تخطيط المناطق الحضرية، مما ساهم بالتالي في نشوء المشكلات المرتبطة بمظاهر التهميش والإقصاء العمراني. كما تتضح هنا ضرورة إعادة النظر في نظم التخطيط الحضري وتحفيزها لتحقيق المستقبل الحضري المستدام. ويطرح تقرير "تخطيط المدن المستدامة" أبرز التحديات الراهنة في كل من المدن والبلدات في جميع أنحاء العالم، بالإضافة للبحث في نشوء نظم التخطيط الحضري الحديثة وانتشارها، والنظر في مدى فعالية المنهجيات القائمة. والأهم من ذلك، فيتضمن هذا التقرير تحديداً لكل من المنهجيات والممارسات المبتكرة في مجال التخطيط الحضري والتي تشكل استجابة أكبر لكل من التحديات الراهنة والمستقبلية والمرتبطة بعمليات التحضر.

Current urban planning systems are not equipped to deal with the major urban challenges of the 21st century, including effects of climate change, resource depletion and economic instability, plus continued rapid urbanization with its negative consequences such as poverty, slums and urban informality. These planning systems have also, to a large extent, failed to meaningfully involve and accommodate the ways of life of communities and other stakeholders in the planning of urban areas, thus contributing to the problems of spatial marginalization and exclusion.

It is clear that urban planning needs to be reconsidered and revitalized for a sustainable urban future. planning Sustainable Cities reviews the major challenges currently facing cities and towns all over the world, the emergence and spreae of medern urban planning and the effectiveness of current approaches. More importantly, it identifies innovative urban planning approaches and practices that are more responsive to current and future challenges of urbanization.

Current urban planning systems are not equipped to deal with the major urban challenges of the 21st century, including effects of climate change, resource depletion and economic instability, plus continued rapid urbanization with its negative consequences such as poverty, slums and urban informality. These planning systems have also, to a large extent, failed to meaningfully involve and accommodate the ways of life of communities and other stakeholders in the planning of urban areas, thus contributing to the problems of spatial marginalization and exclusion. It is clear that urban planning needs to be reconsidered and revitalized for a sustainable urban future. Planning Sustainable Cities reviews the major challenges currently facing cities and towns all over the world, the emergence and spread of modern urban planning and the effectiveness of current approaches. More importantly, it identifies innovative urban planning approaches and practices that are more responsive to current and future challenges of urbanization.  

Introduction of participatory budgeting can be a sound vehicle in realizing good governance and fighting poverty. It is a mechanism that involves elected leaders, public officials, service providers, and non-state actors – civil society, private sector and development partners.

This Training Companion is part of the effort to build capacity of local government practitioners in introducing participatory budgeting in local government in Africa. The Companion was developed with a view to providing users with Information, tool, methodologies, case studies and tips on how participatory budgeting can be introduced. The materials in the Companion were collected from various local governments in Africa and beyond that are already practicing participatory budgeting. Users are encouraged to adopt the material to their local condition.