WUF13 hosts panel on housing and ending poverty

On the first day of the Thirteenth Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), thematic panels were organized on the topic "Adequate Housing for All," Report informss.

The first panel was organized on the topic "Housing for Social Inclusion and Ending Poverty."

At the opening of the panel segment moderated by Nadia Gyane, Deputy National Coordinator of WUF13 Gulshan Rzayeva, Somalia's Minister of Public Works, Reconstruction and Housing Ayub Ismail Yusuf, and Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Anacláudia Rossbach delivered speeches.

The speakers highlighted in their remarks that the development of cities plays a crucial role in social integration, protection of human dignity, and poverty reduction. It was noted that against the backdrop of increasing urbanization, migration, and climate change, multilateral cooperation and inclusive policies are of particular importance, which in turn increases the significance of the New Urban Agenda.

It was highlighted in the speeches that Azerbaijan and Somalia are co-chairs of the UN-Habitat Intergovernmental Expert Working Group on "Adequate Housing for All" for 2025–2026.

During the panel discussion, Morocco's Minister of Urban Planning, Housing and Urban Policy Adib Ben-Brahim, Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction Say Sam Al, Türkiye's Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Ömer Bulut, and Mayor of Mexico City Karla Brugada spoke about national experiences in ensuring social inclusion. It was stated that housing should be considered as a human right, and its fundamental role in dignity, equality, and social mobility should remain at the center of attention. This approach will help eliminate social inequality in society, improve access to housing for vulnerable groups, and enhance the importance of policies and actions in the fight against poverty.

On the first day of the session, panels on the topics "Housing for Urban Prosperity and Opportunities for All" and "Housing for Environmentally Sustainable and Resilient Urban Development" were also planned to be held.