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About UN-HABITAT - Overview
 UN-HABITAT Technical
Co-operation 2000 - 2002
 Executive Director's Message
 Biography of the Executive Director
 Speeches by the Executive Director
 Combining Normative & Operational Activities
 Partners
 Local Authorities
 NGOs & Civil Society Partners
 Monitoring & Assessment
 Work With Us



About UN-HABITAT

Mission Statement

The mission of UN-HABITAT is to promote sustainable urbanization through policy formulation, institutional reform, capacity-building, technical cooperation and advocacy, and to monitor and improve the state of human settlements worldwide.

Objectives

The objective of UN-HABITAT is to support Governments and other partners of the Programme
  1. to improve the shelter conditions of the world's poor
  2. in the adoption of operationally effective governance
  3. to promote international cooperation in shelter and sustainable human settlements development

Strategy

UN-HABITATs Strategy for Sustainable Urbanization:

Preventive Strategies:

  • slow down the pace of rural-urban migration
  • Strengthen local authorities outside rapidly growing cities
  • Enhance rural livelihood and security

Adaptive Strategies and Interventions:

  • fight poverty but not the poor
  • fighting squatting, and not squatters
    • Decent housing
    • Water and sanitation
    • Disaster preparedness & prevention
    • Community-led safer cities initiatives
    • Improved infrastructure
    • Attracting investment
    • Sound urban policies
    • Promoting inclusion, gender awareness and participatory decisionmaking
    • Building local capacities.

Mandate and Background

UN-HABITAT, formerly known as UNCHS (Habitat), was established in October 1978 as the lead agency within the United Nations system for coordinating activities in the field of human settlements. It is the focal point for the implementation of the Habitat Agenda the global plan of action adopted by the international community at the Habitat II Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, in June 1996. Its activities contribute to the overall objective of the United Nations system to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development within the context and the challenges of a rapidly urbanizing world.

UN-HABITAT, a historic change
Resolution A/56/206 adopted by the General Assembly on Tuesday, 26 February 2002


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