麻豆APP

Partner-led Event at the World Urban Forum 13

19 May 2026 | 2:00 PM–3:30 PM (Baku, Azerbaijan) | Room E

Organized by the UN Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS), UN-Habitat, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG); Co-sponsored by Permanent Missions of Japan to the 麻豆APP

Urbanization drives growth and connectivity but, when poorly managed, it deepens poverty, inequality, exclusion, and insecurity. More than 1.6 billion people worldwide lack access to adequate housing, an urgent condition that undermines stability, well-being, and social cohesion. As cities expand and competition for land intensifies, inadequate housing exacerbates displacement, violence, and multidimensional vulnerabilities, making the housing crisis a central challenge of human security and sustainable development.

The Housing and Human Security for All model, presented during the Solutions Session at the Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD), offers a transformative framework for addressing these interconnected risks. Grounded in UN?Habitat’s Housing for All approach and the human security framework, the model reframes housing as a social institution that shapes relationships, opportunities, and long?term resilience. By revealing how inequalities in access, quality, and location reflect broader structural disparities, the model guides inclusive, anticipatory, and people?centered solutions that strengthen urban resilience and reduce vulnerabilities before crises emerge.

Building on the WSSD discussions, this Voices from Cities session at WUF13 will highlight how municipalities across diverse contexts are translating human security principles into integrated housing strategies. By centering the voices of local governments and practitioners, the session will demonstrate how housing, linked with services, public space, mobility, livelihoods, and community engagement, serves as a foundation for dignity, safety, and more inclusive urban development.

Welcome and Opening Remarks by Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, Board Member of the Advisory Board on Human Security

5-minute video on Housing and Human Security for All

Panel Discussion: How cities are applying human security principles to create integrated, people?centered housing solutions

Cross?regional reflections on integrated approaches, risk reduction, community engagement, and enabling governance conditions

1. Housing and Human Security for All model by Dr. Alexandra Abello Colak, London School of Economics and Political Science
2. Housing and HS from the UCLG member city (TBC)
3. Medellín, Colombia Social Urbanism Model by Mr. Santiago Uribe, Executive Director, Medellín Resilience Office Corporation
4. Peoples Processes and Appraisals towards Adequate Housing and Human Security in Durban, South Africa by Dr. Roshini Bob, Senior Executive, Directorate of Safety, eThekwini Municipality, Durban, South Africa
5. Housing and Violence Prevention Interventions in Canada by Dr. Felix Munger, Wilfrid Laurier University and former Executive Director, Canadian Centre for Safer Communities

Reflections: Representative from the UCLG or the UCLG Member City (TBC)

Closing Remarks by the Representative from the PM of Canada, Colombia, or South Africa (TBC)

The UN Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS), in partnership with UN-Habitat and other partners, promotes the application of a human security lens to housing and urban development, encouraging a shift beyond housing provision alone to creating conditions in which individuals and communities can live free from fear, want, and indignity. At the city level, this approach recognizes housing as a foundation for safety, dignity, livelihoods, and participation in urban life, and underscore the value of integrated, people-centered solutions.

Across regions, cities have shown how housing?led approaches aligned with human security principles can address interconnected challenges, such as inequality, violence, and social exclusion. Medellín’s Social Urbanism model demonstrates how inclusive urban design and participatory planning can improve safety and social cohesion in marginalized neighborhoods. Durban’s experience highlights the role of participatory assessments and human?security?informed monitoring in guiding housing, land?use, and safety strategies while strengthening trust in local governance. Toronto’s approach illustrates how linking community housing with social services and violence?prevention efforts contributes to safer neighborhoods and improved well?being.

Together, these city experiences underscore how local leadership, community engagement, and cross?sectoral coordination can translate human security principles into effective housing and urban policies, advancing inclusive, safe, and resilient urban development.