BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 17. The opening session
of the Grassroots and Civil Society Organizations Assembly is being
held within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban
Forum (WUF13), Trend
reports.
The assembly aims to serve as a vital platform for solidarity,
the formulation of strategic blueprints, and the coordination of
joint actions capable of delivering real, measurable impacts at the
local level.
A primary objective of the assembly is to engineer concrete
solutions and actionable policy proposals that elevate the role of
grassroots initiatives in promoting the right to adequate housing.
These proposals will be officially submitted to the upcoming
"Grassroots and Civil Society Roundtable" during WUF13.
The roundtable will facilitate a high-level exchange of ideas
among national governments, local authorities, and other key
stakeholders, focusing on the implementation of the New Urban
Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and
territory-specific local commitments.
Grounded in a spirit of collective solidarity, the assembly
builds on the collaborative networks established between grassroots
groups and civil society organizations both leading up to and
during the Baku forum.
Participants are being actively encouraged to map out concrete
cooperation opportunities during and beyond WUF13, with a clear
focus on reinforcing global action to secure equitable access to
housing, land rights, and basic public services for all.
Furthermore, the assembly provides a critical framework for
debating the political and economic dimensions of housing policies,
public participation, and community livelihoods. The overarching
goal is to ensure that grassroots solutions are not viewed merely
as temporary fixes for systemic inequalities, but rather as primary
drivers of structural changes rooted in fundamental human rights,
equitable resource distribution, and human dignity.
Will be updated
