Declaration of the First Global Stakeholder Forum of the First UN Habitat Assembly

The Global Stakeholders Forum gathered a
diverse group of more than 200 participants from different regions working on
sustainable development areas and capabilities. The gathering had the goal
ofrecalling the historic and
indispensable role of partners in sustainable human settlement development

since 1976, marking the need forstrong stakeholder engagement in the
implementation of the New Urban Agenda,towards achieving the SDGs and in
the implementation of other global agendas.

Building from the Assembly’s general theme(“Innovation for Better Quality
of Life in Cities and Communities”) the Stakeholder Forum participantscommit
to innovative and more effective cooperation in delivering sustainable
urbanization and development, reaffirming their historic commitment toeradicating all forms of inequality and
barriers to equitable governance and development in human settlements
, as
practiced especially against women, female-headed households, youth, children
and other marginalized groups.

Following, we
summarize some of the main points of the document, of which you can read the
full version here.

Approach

  • Recognition of the State’s
    obligations to respect, protect and fulfil all human rights, in
    particular, the full and progressive realization of thehuman right to adequate housing and
    habitat-related human rights.
  • Commitment to work with
    Member States, UN-Habitat and other agencies and subnational governments
    to establish, operationalize and sustain stakeholder engagement to channel the diverse and many voices
    to the UN-Habitat Assembly and other UN-Habitat bodies.

Agreements

  • The Stakeholder Engagement
    Policy being developed by UN Habitat and Member States should
    reflectthe universal values
    of equity, openness, equal partnerships, subsidiarity, gender equality,
    human rights, accountability and transparency
  • Engage in collaborative
    action to implement the NUA, achieve the SDGs, and fulfil other global
    agreements related to habitat.
  • Endorsement of the
    co-creation of policies, programmes, frameworks, monitoring-and-evaluation
    efforts related to the global agreements.

Commitments

  • Being pro-active in seeking
    and imparting information, and using technology, innovative finance, and
    other opportunities to use established and new channels of participation.
  • Sharing deliberations equitably, transparently
    and effectively.
  • Contribute evidence-informed
    and practical guidance for policy and implementation.

Expectations

  • The realization of cities
    for all, referring to the equal use of cities and human settlements
    seeking to promote inclusivity and ensure that all inhabitants of present
    and future generations without discrimination of any kind.
  • Cities that are habitable,
    safe, healthy, accessible, affordable, resilient cities and human
    settlements that foster prosperity and quality of life for all, a vision
    that, referred to as “the right to
    the city”, is progressively being enshrined by national and local
    governments in their legislation, political declarations, and charters.
  • Adequate support from Member
    States and other parties for meaningful stakeholder partnership within UN
    Habitat

Steps Forward

  • Reformulate stakeholder
    roles and responsibilities underpinned by innovative approaches, inclusive
    practices and reciprocity among parties
  • Build on successful, inclusive and diverse
    platforms, networks and movements at global, regional, national, and
    especially at the local level.
  • Engage effectively in the
    programs and outcomes of the UN Habitat Assembly aligned with the UN
    Habitat Strategic Plan 2020–2025.
  • Welcome the new Stakeholder
    Advisory Group Enterprise (SAGE) to advise the UN Habitat Executive
    Director on strengthening partnerships for sustainable urban development.
  • Strengthen and develop the Stakeholder Forum
    to implement the principles and commitments of this declaration leading up
    to WUF 2020.

The Global
Stakeholder Forum was part of the activities being carried out by HIC-HLRN
during and before the Habitat Assembly in order to pushfor more clarity
and guidance for a rational and consultative approach to stakeholder engagement
concerning UN-Habitat decisions and the implementation of global agendas. You
can read more about it here.

Photo credit: HLRN