Housing 4 All - Green, Resilient, Inclusive and Affordable

The theme of the Twelfth World Urban Forum is “it all starts at home”. The concept of “home” extends beyond the physical structures that shelter us; it encompasses the cultural, social, economic, and environmental dimensions that define our communities. The Asian Development Bank (ADB), Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) are partnering to deliver an event that addresses the most pressing challenge of “home” in the context of accessibility, affordability, inclusiveness, climate change and livable cities, emphasizing the importance of localized adaptation, mitigation and resilience in ensuring that urban areas, neighborhoods and communities can thrive in a future with unprecedented climatic and socio-economic conditions. This event aims to promote adequate housing as a key driver for inclusive economic growth, and a key enabler of other development dimensions, such as living standards, health, and education. The session will offer a collaborative platform for discussing innovative solutions to green, resilient, inclusive and affordable housing challenges. This event will discuss on access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services, and upgrading informal settlements.

Target audience: This event is an opportunity to harness action among governments, institutions, CSOs, NGOs, citizens, and the private sector to identify areas for collaboration for building inclusive, age-friendly, accessible, affordable and green housing for all, that furthers the progression of participating nations towards Net Zero and localizes the SDGs.

Impact stories:
Representatives of the above stakeholders will share impact stories, benefits and challenges from implemented projects. Professionals will share technical aspects of projects from various countries, highlighting innovations in design, materials and technologies, discussing the projects’ sustainable integration to the urban fabric, examining differential approaches according to targeted populations, and sharing on financial schemes, among other aspects of sustainable, inclusive urban housing and gender-sensitive public spaces with universal accessibility for older persons and persons with disabilities.
National programs and replication: Representatives of national government will summarize how policies and strategies were adopted, mainstreaming an inclusive housing for all approach. ADB, IADB, HFHI and development partners will share experience from project and program implementation from Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Subsaharan Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and North Africa on support on policies, institutional responsibilities and finance offering a matrix of solutions applicable for innovation and replication. The presenters will share impact stories and solutions that have enabled inclusive, affordable, green and resilient housing across various geographies.