BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 17. Housing remains one
of the key factors determining whether urbanization helps reduce
inequality or deepens social exclusion, Executive Director of
UN-Habitat Anaclaudia Rossbach said during the panel session
“Housing for Urban Prosperity and Opportunities for All” within
WUF13, Trend
reports.
According to her, housing is not limited to “a roof and four
walls,” but directly affects access to employment, education,
healthcare, safety, and social inclusion.
“When housing systems fail to provide adequate options, poverty
and exclusion become harder to overcome, and inequalities become
more deeply entrenched across generations,” Rossbach said.
She noted that nearly three billion people worldwide continue to
face inadequate housing conditions, including more than one billion
people living in informal settlements and over 300 million
experiencing homelessness.
Rossbach stressed that cities are increasingly facing pressure
from climate change, displacement, rising land prices, and widening
inequality, which requires stronger public leadership, long-term
planning, and effective regulation in the housing sector.
“The New Urban Agenda recognized ten years ago that land and
housing cannot be treated only as commodities. They have a social
and ecological function and must serve the broader public good,”
she said.
The head of UN-Habitat emphasized that achieving inclusive,
resilient, and low-emission cities requires strengthening housing
systems through expanded social housing, upgrading informal
settlements, improving access to land and basic services, and
mobilizing sustainable financing.
She also highlighted the importance of supporting local
governments and aligning housing policies with existing practices
such as incremental housing, self-construction, rental housing, and
community-led upgrading initiatives.
