UN-Habitat is a United Nations network organization focused on sustainable urban development and human settlements worldwide.
UN-Habitat is a network organization within the United Nations system that focuses on sustainable urban development and human settlements. Its primary goal is to promote transformative change in cities and human settlements through knowledge, policy advice, technical assistance, and normative work. The organization aims to address the challenges of rapid urbanization, which is projected to increase to two-thirds of the world's population by 2050, and to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. UN-Habitat's strategic plan for 2020-2023 is centered around four domains of change: reducing spatial inequality and poverty, enhancing shared prosperity, strengthening climate action, and effective urban crisis prevention and response. These goals align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11, which focuses on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The organization works in over 90 countries and has a three-tier governance structure consisting of the UN-Habitat Assembly, the Executive Board, and the Committee of Permanent Representatives. UN-Habitat also engages in multi-stakeholder partnerships, supports local action, and mainstreams the urban dimensions of the SDGs through national urban policies. Overall, UN-Habitat plays a crucial role in promoting sustainable urbanization and addressing the challenges associated with rapid urban growth, with the ultimate goal of achieving a better quality of life for all in an urbanizing world.