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UN chief calls for good plan for urban expansion with focus on access to adequate living space

Xinhua, October 3, 2016 Adjust font size:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday called on UN member states to make good plans for the urban expansion by putting adequate housing at the center of their urban policy at a time when approximately a quarter of these urban dwellers live in slums or informal settlements.

The UN chief, in his message to mark World Habitat Day, said, "The unplanned rapid expansion of towns and cities means an increasing number of poor and vulnerable people are living in precarious conditions, without adequate living space or access to basic services, such as water, sanitation, electricity and health care."

"They are often isolated from opportunities for decent work and vulnerable to forced evictions and homelessness," Ban said.

"Providing access to adequate housing for all is high among the priorities of the New Urban Agenda," which governments are expected to adopt at the UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), to be held later this month in Quito, Ecuador.

The Habitat conference, held every 20 years, is designed to reflect on the state of human settlements and on what the towns and cities of the future should look like.

With the world embarking this year on implementing the historic 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, achieving its 17 goals will depend, in large part, on whether cities and human settlements are made inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, he said.

"On this World Habitat Day, I urge national and local governments, city planners and communities everywhere to keep housing at the center," Ban said, echoing the theme of this year's World Day -- "Guaranteeing dignity and opportunity for all depends on people having access to affordable and adequate housing."

The United Nations has designated the first Monday of October of every year as World Habitat Day. The purpose of World Habitat Day is to reflect on the state of our towns and cities, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter.

It is also intended to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns. Endit