From crisis to home, sharing knowledge from cities to improve shelter and settlements response

Shelter Projects is a global, inter-agency, open-access publication that captures and disseminates knowledge on shelter and settlements (S&S) programming in humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding contexts. With crises increasingly occurring in urban areas, it is crucial for projects in these contexts to receive more attention and for their knowledge to be widely shared. The Shelter Projects library, available at www.shelterprojects.org, features over 300 case studies documenting S&S assistance approaches in post-disaster and conflict contexts. These cases highlight good practices, challenges, and reflections on optimizing resources to safeguard health, security, and dignity, while supporting sustainable recovery and durable solutions.
Shelter Projects promotes the use of this knowledge to improve programming, conduct research, and enhance S&S sector approaches. It also advocates for sustainable, impactful projects at scale in urban contexts, bridging humanitarian and development programs. The World Urban Forum (WUF) provides a valuable platform for exchanging knowledge represented by Shelter Projects. With a significant online presence and long-standing reputation, Shelter Projects is a unique learning tool. Promoting it at WUF12 can maximize the value of 15 years of experiences and engage new stakeholders in the use and the further development of this open resource.
The first part of the event will feature panel presentations by organizations working in urban areas that have contributed to and learned from Shelter Projects, followed by a Q&A session. The focus will be on further engagement opportunities and using lessons to inform better programming.
The second part of the event will focus on one of the case studies included in the upcoming 10th edition of the publication, on ‘Challenges and Opportunities of Urban Displacement in Somalia’. Somalia faces significant internal displacement, with 3.8 million people displaced, representing 20% of the population. Around 90% of these individuals seek refuge in urban centers, which are development anchors amidst conflict and climate-induced shocks. Displaced populations often live in informal settlements with limited access to basic services and vulnerable infrastructure.
The event will celebrate the resilience of displaced Somalis, focusing on the perspectives of youth and women in cities like Baidoa and Mogadishu. Local leadership is crucial, with the municipalities addressing land tenure insecurity and forced evictions through proactive planning and community engagement.
The facilitated discussion will bring expertise in urban development to foster dialogue and innovative solutions. The event will also aim to catalyze collaborative efforts for inclusive, displacement-sensitive urbanization in Somalia, promoting sustainable development that leaves no one behind.