BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 18. Housing policy must
go beyond the market, Executive Director of the United Nations
Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Anacláudia Rossbach said
at the opening of the Mexico City pavilion within the framework of
the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Trend reports.
She emphasized the necessity of rethinking approaches to housing
policy and urban development.
According to her, the current phase requires a transition from
market-driven logic to a model of cities oriented toward citizens'
rights and social inclusiveness.
"The moment for change has come, where housing must function not
only within the market but also in the interest of cities that
respect their citizens, are inclusive, sustainable, and respect the
rights of their residents. This is the change," Rossbach noted.
The UN official also stressed the importance of the values of
cooperation and international coalition work within the UN
framework.
"We need the spirit of nations, the spirit of collectivity, the
ability to build coalitions and understand that the problem we face
today affects us all — in the Global South and the Global North,
all over the world. We will only be able to cope when we can put
all the pieces of this single puzzle together," Rossbach added.
