UN-Habitat Annual Report 2020 Annual Report Annual Annual Report 2020 2020 HS Number: HS/004/21E UNITED NATIONS HUMAN SETTLEMENTS PROGRAMME P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi 00100, Kenya [email protected] unhabitat.org Copyright © United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) 2021 All rights reserved. United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) P.O. Box 30030 00100 Nairobi GPO Kenya HS Number: HS/004/21E Disclaimer The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries regarding its economic system or degree of development. Excerpts may be reproduced without authorization, on condition that the source is indicated. Views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, the United Nations and its Member States. Annual Report www.unhabitat.org 2020 For any comments, corrections and suggestions please write to [email protected] Cover Photo A student wearing a homemade mask for COVID-19 protection. © Shutterstock/Yaw Niel Concept Design and Layout: Fredrick Maitaria, UN-Habitat Fredrick Maitaria, Concept Design and Layout: CONTENTS FOREWORD UN-Habitat’s Annual Report 2020 is Since the United Nations Habitat a chronicle of our time. A year after Assembly adopted this Strategic the declaration of a global pandemic, Plan in May 2019, we have been able we reflect on the challenges and to strengthen our role as a global changes that have occurred so catalyst for sustainable urbanization, quickly in the world’s cities and in all a convener of excellence and our human settlements. demonstrate technical leadership in our normative work. We have created While we have seen inequalities a specialized unit on innovation and deepen and widen in some cases, reinforced our approach to strategic we have also seen innovative and partnerships to leverage global inclusive approaches to solutions and action. We have adapted to the world recovery in others. Circumstances of 2020 and managed fiscal austerity forced us to understand change while also providing support to the and adjust to it. This report reflects most marginalized communities the achievements as well as the facing COVID-19. lessons we take forward in support of sustainable urbanization. This Annual Report is testimony to the energy that UN-Habitat has At UN-Habitat, we know that data, deployed to protect the People and knowledge, ideas, good practices the Planet, enhance urban Prosperity and innovative solutions are our best and, as a result, preserve Peace. tools to understand and anticipate the Ground in Partnership, UN-Habitat’s challenges of sustainable urbanization Strategic Plan is fully contributing in a rapidly changing world. to these “5 Ps” that shape the Foreword v Sustainable Development Goals and 2020 was the first year of our global progress to Agenda 2030. 2020 Achievements vi Strategic Plan 2020–2023 and the UN-Habitat’s Portfolio at a Glance viii first year of our new organizational I am pleased to share this Annual structure. I am pleased to report Report with you, highlighting UN- 1. Introduction 1 that both have been tested and Habitat’s work and achievements found to be robust and flexible in the through a turbulent and challenging 2. Working Today for a Better Urban Future 11 face of the global pandemic and its year. We have focused our efforts consequences. We have responded on ensuring that cities and all Domain of Change 1: Reduced spatial inequality and poverty in to change with professionalism, human settlements stay on the communities across the urban-rural continuum 14 commitment and a clear sense of sustainable development trajectory, Domain of Change 2: Enhanced shared prosperity of cities and regions 28 urgency. We have held ourselves to equipped with normative guidance our guiding principles of competency, and operational support to build a Domain of Change 3: Strengthened climate action and improved urban accountability, transparency, greener, more inclusive, more just environment 44 efficiency and effectiveness, and and sustainable future for all. Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif Domain of Change 4: Effective urban crisis prevention and response 58 achieved strong results with a view to United Nations Under-Secretary-General leaving no one and no place behind. and Executive Director 3. UN-Habitat’s Catalytic Role 71 4. 2020 Financial Performance 79 Contents iv UN-HABITAT ANNUAL REPORT 2020 UN-HABITAT ANNUAL REPORT 2020 v 2020 Achievements Responding to the Setting the global Reaching those most in need Establishing new partnerships COVID-19 pandemic discourse on sustainable and funding urban development We provided support to We rolled out UN-Habitat’s 36 national governments and UN-Habitat’s total income in 2020 was immediate response plan more than 20 cities, benefitting more USD 193.7 million, The City Prosperity Initiative covering 75 projects than 300,000 people representing 76.6 per cent of its target. was used to guide decision-making by improving living conditions in in 37 countries in around by informal settlements. with USD 32 million raised and 50 cities establishing linkages between data, Since January 2020, we have signed reprogrammed to support the most knowledge and policy actions. agreements with : marginalized most quickly. We supported the local 191 partners implementation of the SDGs Governments (51), United Nations entities (18), Local Governments (26) and Civil through 30 sustainable, integrated We collected data on 77 indicators Society Organizations (96). UN-Habitat worked with key agencies and inclusive urban projects, and local governments to bring from 1,500 urban areas achieving scaled transformative in 132 countries with the Global Urban learning and recommendations change in 19 cities. Projects financed by theAdaptation Indicators Database. forward in the United Nations Fund totalled over USD 49 million, Secretary-General’s Policy Brief: supporting the community-level adaptation of COVID-19 in an Urban World. We prepared a Global Monitoring 96 cities used participatory planning infrastructure to climatic changes in south- Framework as a universal urban methodologies and collected spatial data to eastern Africa, Cambodia, Jordan, Lebanon, monitoring system. increase social cohesion between migrant, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Pakistan Working with CitiIQ, we created displaced and host communities under several and Vietnam, significantly increasing the a global database on city preparedness and pandemic responses regional and country teams. portfolio to benefit 14 countries. We launched the Urban Agenda involving 1,700 cities Platform to support monitoring of across all regional groups. progress to achieve the New Urban The HerCity platform provided a digital toolbox Agenda and urban related SDGs. to create more inclusive, equal and sustainable cities and promote participation of girls Throughout the year we provided support and young women in urban planning using to 6.8 million people in innovative digital technologies in 17 cities. 37 countries and 262 cities to adapt to the global health crisis and resulting social-economic fallouts by implementing Key publications 71 projects with more than 250 partners. World Cities Report 2020 Catalogue United Nations System- The New 2020: The Value of Services. wide Guidelines on Urban Agenda We worked with partners to ensure that of Sustainable Safer Cities and Human Illustrated. social cohesion and community Urbanization. Settlements. resilience are a pillar of the United Nations framework for the immediate socio-economic response to COVID-19. vi UN-HABITAT ANNUAL REPORT 2020 UN-HABITAT ANNUAL REPORT 2020 vii UN-Habitat’s Portfolio at a Glance UN-Habitat Global Presence UN-Habitat Global Presence NORTH ASIA AMERICA EUROPE Atlantic Ocean Pacific Ocean AFRICA SOUTH AMERICA Indian Ocean AUSTRALIA Brazil – Rio de Janeiro Ghana – Accra Pakistan – Islamabad Belgium – Brussels Egypt – Cairo Guinea – Conakry State of Palestine – Gaza Russian Federation – Moscow Japan – Fukuoka Guinea-Bissau – Bissau Philippines – Manila Spain – Madrid Foundation Special Purpose (Earmarked/Technical Cooperation) Kenya – Nairobi India – New Delhi Rwanda – Kigali Switzerland – Geneva Afghanistan – Kabul Islamic Republic of Iran – Sao Tomé and Principe Thailand – Bangkok Bolivia – La Paz Tehran – Sao Tomé United States of America Regional Office Iraq – Baghdad Saudi Arabia – Riyadh – New York Brazil – Rio de Janeiro Project Office 72 Burkina Faso – Ouagadougou Kosovo – Pristina Solomon Islands – Honiara Germany – Bonn 6 Regional Office for Asia Spain – Barcelona Liaison/Representation Office and the Pacific (ROAP) Cambodia – Phnom Penh Lao People's Democratic Somalia – Mogadishu 3 Republic – Vientiane Bahrain – Manama 126,909,403 Cameroon – Yaounde South Sudan – Juba Global Programme Office 42 Lebanon – Beirut Sri Lanka – Colombo Egypt – Cairo Regional Office for Cape Verde – Praia Country Office 228,928,252 Libya – Tripoli Jordan – Amman 220,972,310 Arab States (ROAS) China – Beijing Sudan – Khartoum 20 20 51,481,033 43,720,000 18 40,206,633 Administrative Office 35,885,794 Madagascar – Antananarivo 10* Colombia – Bogota Syrian Arab Republic – Kuwait – Kuwait 14,300,000 Mongolia – Ulaanbaatar Damascus Regional Office for Comoros – Moroni Mexico – Mexico City