UN-Habitat

We shape our buildings; therefore, they shape us. But what happens when the system is broken? When finance ignores informal incomes? WUF13 has made it clear: housing is not secondary. It is the foundation of peace, health, and opportunity. We can’t just build walls.

Cheap to build, expensive to live in: The hidden cost of the "affordability trap." 🏗️💸 Read the daily summary for day 4 at WUF13: enb.iisd.org/world-urban-...

Is housing an investment or a human right? With 3 billion people lacking adequate sanitation and nearly half of households struggling to pay rent, the status quo isn't working. Read the summary of day 3 of the World Urban Forum: enb.iisd.org/world-urban-...

Cities are growing, but land remains fixed. Yet, the real challenge isn't just construction, it's allocation. We need to ensure the homes we build actually reach those who need them most, particularly our most vulnerable communities. Video: @enb.iisd.org

Day 2 of the World Urban Forum brought a stark reality to the forefront: the current international financial architecture is broken.

In DAY 1 of the World Urban Forum, discussions focused on moving beyond "token representation" to concrete action.

Between 50% and 80% of people in low- and middle-income countries cannot access formal housing finance. At the same time, the global financing gap for adequate housing is estimated at US$16 trillion. 👉 Join us to discuss solutions to the largest urban challenges: lnkd.in/eBAH9Hc6

🏠 Introducing Dialogue 5 at #WUF13 When a crisis strikes, the loss of a home goes far beyond physical damage. It disrupts livelihoods, safety, and the social fabric of entire communities. Join us at the World Urban Forum to discuss solutions to the largest urban challenges: wuf.unhabitat.org/wuf13

"You shouldn't have to travel long distances to get your daily, basic everyday needs met - and that's it." - @reenamahajan.bsky.social 👉 Join us at the World Urban Forum to discuss the solutions to the biggest urban challenges: wuf.unhabitat.org/wuf13

“Without a safe home, there is no health, no education, no stable employment.” At #WUF13, UN-Habitat brings together partners including The Gere Foundation, through HOGAR SÍ, to place homelessness at the heart of the global agenda. youtu.be/OUgxcGAdqFY

🏠 Introducing Dialogue 4 at #WUF13. From floods to extreme heat, millions of people, especially the most vulnerable, are increasingly exposed to climate risks. 👉 Join us at the World Urban Forum this month to discuss solutions to the largest urban challenges: wuf.unhabitat.org/wuf13

Shops, schools and sports facilities. Parks, playgrounds and plazas. High streets, hospitals and healthcare clinics. Post offices, public squares and public transportation hubs All these community favourites we cherish are just empty spaces without housing at the core.

🏠 Introducing Dialogue 3 at #WUF13. Today, nearly 1.1 billion people live in slums or slum-like conditions. A number expected to grow by 2 billion more in the coming decades. 👉 Join us at the World Urban Forum next month to discuss solutions to the largest urban challenges: wuf.unhabitat.org/wuf13

Affordable housing isn’t about charity. It’s not even about economics. Housing is: - healthcare - education - climate policy - economic policy Housing is everything policy. A home shouldn’t be a privilege. It's something we all need to thrive. Get housing right and everything else gets easier.

Communities possess fine-grained, lived knowledge about their environment: flood patterns, informal infrastructure, social networks, and risks. Jini Agrawal, country manager in Nepal for Miyamoto, on why co-creation with local communities is key to their post-disaster reconstruction work.

🏠 Introducing Dialogue 2 at #WUF13: “The social and economic power of housing” Housing accounts for 13% of the global economy and supporting millions of livelihoods worldwide. 👉 Join us at the World Urban Forum to discuss solutions to the largest urban challenges: wuf.unhabitat.org/wuf13

🏠 Introducing Dialogue 1 at #WUF13: The global housing crisis: what is the plan? Across the world, 2.8 billion people still lack access to adequate housing. Addressing this crisis requires bold ideas, coordinated action and global dialogue.

When we think about making cities inclusive, public toilets rarely top the list. Yet these essential facilities are perhaps one of the most fundamental – and often overlooked – infrastructure investments cities can make. Featuring architect and urbanist Safaa Charafi.

🚨 Good news! Urban Expo applications are now open until 𝟭𝟬 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 The Urban Expo at #WUF13 is where bold solutions, innovation and partnerships come to life, bringing together actors from across the globe. 🌍 Be part of the main space to showcase, connect and inspire housing solutions. 🔗 Apply here

To build true homes, we must weave the narrative of the community into the buildings. - Preserve the intangible: sounds, smells & stories. - Celebrate the local: local materials, local artisans & local history. - Invite the community: let them co-create the murals, the gardens, the festivals.

🌍 Is your city leading the way in sustainable urban development? Now’s your chance to gain global recognition through the #ShanghaiAward (4th cycle), a global initiative led by UN-Habitat and Chinese partners. 🔗 Apply now at www.shanghaiaward.org 📅 Deadline: 12 June 2026

Designing cities for women = better cities for all. Wider pavements, safer streets, accessible transport benefit everyone. Yet women still face greater risks and barriers in cities. Inclusive planning means safer, fairer, more resilient cities for all. Featuring urbanist & architect Safaa Charafi

On #ZeroWasteDay, Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, emphasizes that zero waste is not an isolated goal, but part of how we plan and manage cities. When cities put people at the center — prioritizing safe homes, and basic services — waste can be significantly reduced.

A true home is not measured in square metres. But in connection. A building without a community is just a shell. To build a home, we must stop building just units. We must build the nervous system of the neighbourhood: the paths, the parks, the lights, and the meeting points.

This #WorldWaterDay, observed under the theme “Water and Gender,” UN-Habitat highlights how access to water and sanitation depends on secure land and housing, while women face persistent inequalities. Learn more about how UN-Habitat turns this knowledge into action: unhabitat.org/world-water-...

Water and sanitation are not only a matter of infrastructure — they are also a matter of equality, dignity and rights. This year, World Water Day focuses on water and gender, highlighting how unequal access to housing, land and basic services leaves many without clean water and sanitation. For wom

Home should be a sanctuary: a safe place to grow, learn, and breathe clean air. Yet, 1 billion live in slums, often in flood zones or heat traps. Climate change worsens this, displacing millions into precarious housing where safety is a luxury, not a guarantee. #ClimateJustice #HousingRights