A call to stop the global housing: World Urban Forum, why it matters?

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At least 3 billion people do not have adequate homes, and over 1 billion are living in slums and informal settlements, according to UN-Habitat, which is calling for action in the midst of a “global crisis” in housing.

Most of those suffering reside in Asia and Africa, and the agency is urging decision-makers to recognise that without intervention as many as 3 billion could end up living in slum conditions by 2050 – a threefold jump.

To bring discussions and debates to the fore, more than 28,000 people are expected to gather in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku for the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), the United Nations’ leading global conference on sustainable urbanisation, to take place between 17 and 22 May.

The event, held every two years and organised by UN-Habitat, is now arguably one of the world’s most significant platforms for discussing the future of cities, housing and urban resilience. The theme this year is “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities.”

Anna Soave, Head of UN-Habitat’s Country Office in Azerbaijan, said that as WUF13 prepares itself to welcome delegates from all over the world, “the housing question is increasingly understood as inseparable from the future of our cities, climate resilience, social-economic prosperity and quality of life.”

She noted that WUF13 matters because it offers a platform “where governments, mayors, urban planners, academia, businesses, civil society and communities can discuss and exchange practical solutions on how to build safer, more resilient and more inclusive cities.”

The scale of this crisis is increasingly viewed as an economic, political and environmental one, not only a humanitarian predicament.

Soave explained that the benefits for the host country lie in representing “far more than an international event.”

“It places the country at the centre of the global urban agenda at a time of rapid urban transformation and major investment in infrastructure, housing, connectivity, post-conflict reconstruction and territorial development,” Soave said.

Why housing has become a global issue

The world reached a turning point in 2009, when urban dwellers made up the majority of the global population.

As a consequence, cities have been facing mounting pressure to better accommodate population growth, migration, climate change and rising living costs.

UN-Habitat has estimated that one in five households globally now spends more than 40% of its income on housing, while housing costs have quadrupled since 2010.

Its figures show that more than 300 million people are homeless worldwide, and over 100 million people are currently displaced by conflict, instability and climate-related crises.

In addition to the reasons mentioned, the COVID-19 pandemic has added to that pressure, reshaping national thinking around housing policy and once again joining the dots between public health, economic resilience and housing.

The UN has responded to these challenges by placing housing and urban development at the centre-stage of its sustainable development agenda – Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 focuses on making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Why Baku?

Azerbaijan has made significant efforts to promote urban redevelopment and infrastructure modernisation as a long-term strategy.

Hosting WUF13 represents an opportunity for it to engage and position itself within the broader international housing conversation on reconstruction, urban development and redevelopment and sustainability in the sector.

“Baku is a fitting host for WUF13, a city that embodies the opportunities and challenges faced by urban professionals around the world, such as rapid modernisation alongside heritage preservation, and innovation alongside cultural continuity,” said Dr Thomas Kovári, founding partner at the Swiss architecture and urban design company SA partners.

“What makes Azerbaijan particularly compelling is the wealth of experience it has to share. In the Karabakh region, for example, the country is developing genuine expertise in ‘building back better’ by combining sustainability, affordable housing and smart city principles in one of the world’s most ambitious reconstruction projects,” he added.

Kovári said the reconstruction efforts would be discussed during a dedicated WUF13 side event focused on post-conflict urban transformation and sustainable rebuilding models.

Speaking about the experience that Azerbaijan has gained in managing complex international operations and being chosen to host WUF13, CEO of the WUF13 Azerbaijan Operations Company Adil Mammadov said “it shows the level of trust placed in Azerbaijan by international partners such as UN-Habitat and highlights the country’s growing role as a regional hub for large-scale global gatherings.”

“In other words, WUF13 brings legacy for future global-scale events that will take place in the country”, Mammadov added.

Solutions-based discussions

This year’s WUF is expected to focus on solutions through practical policy discussions on social housing, land rights, finance, and informal settlements. As cities continue to grow, urban policy is increasingly linked to wider debates around inequality, migration, governance and climate adaptation.

UN-Habitat said more than 41 million people have moved out of slum-like conditions through its programmes between 2020 and 2025, while millions more have gained access to clean water, safe public spaces and secure land tenure rights.

The organisation advocates what it describes as a “twin-track” approach: upgrading existing informal settlements while simultaneously expanding the supply of affordable housing.

Other priorities expected to dominate discussions in Baku include climate resilience, flood protection, digital urban planning, public transport integration and financing models for low-income households.

For many attending WUF13, the challenge facing governments is no longer simply how to build more homes, but how to create cities capable of remaining stable, inclusive and resilient in an era of mounting global pressure.

From Nairobi to Baku

Established by the UN General Assembly in 2001, alongside the creation of UN-Habitat, the World Urban Forum resides in a different city every two years.

The first forum took place in Nairobi in 2002 with around 1,200 participants.

Previous host cities have included Barcelona, Vancouver, Rio de Janeiro, Abu Dhabi, Katowice and Cairo.

Analysts say the focus on housing in 2026 reflects a growing recognition that access to affordable, safe housing is becoming central to long-term economic stability and social cohesion.

WUF13 in Baku is expected to become the largest edition of the forum to date.