Roundtables - The Rights of Indigenous Peoples Roundtable (WUF13).
The thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 17 to 22 May 2026. The theme of WUF13 is: Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities.
How can housing solutions respect Indigenous rights, land, and cultural identity?"Indigenous peoples face significant barriers to their enjoyment of the right to housing compared with non-indigenous peoples. They are more likely to suffer inadequate housing and negative health outcomes as a result, they have disproportionately high rates of homelessness, and they are extremely vulnerable to forced evictions, land-grabbing and the effects of climate change. When they defend their rights, they are often the targets of extreme violence." (Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, 2019).
As highlighted above, Indigenous Peoples face persistent and systemic barriers to realizing their right to adequate housing. They experience disproportionately poor housing conditions, often linked to historical land dispossession, discrimination, and exclusion from decision-making processes. These challenges are evident across all countries, where Indigenous Peoples endure overcrowding, insecure tenure, and lack of access to basic services and where cities are rarely recognized as Indigenous Spaces.
Displacement remains a major concern impacting the right to adequate housing of Indigenous Peoples. From the non-recognition of Indigenous land rights to forced evictions and the destruction of Indigenous housing, to underlying discrimination and inequality, as well as militarization and conflict, Indigenous Peoples are facing ever increasing difficulties in accessing adequate housing.2
The urgency for dialogue and action is clear. Ensuring adequate housing for Indigenous Peoples requires a holistic approach that combines legal protections, culturally appropriate design, and inclusive governance. This roundtable discussion offers an opportunity to explore practical strategies for implementing these principles, fostering collaboration among national and local governments, Indigenous authorities and human rights defenders, civil society and development actors to advance housing rights as a cornerstone of equality and sustainable urban development.
Like all WUF13 stakeholder-led sessions, this roundtable is developed through a participatory process driven by indigenous peoples and stakeholders working towards the protection and realization of their rights, seeking to ensure representation and diversity.
Guiding questions
How are the national housing policies and urban development plans integrating Indigenous Peoples' collective rights, such as land tenure security and cultural adequacy, into their frameworks?
How can local governments create enabling conditions that allow Indigenous Peoples to access adequate housing in a way that respects cultural identity and land rights?
Indigenous human rights defenders are often at grave risk for their activism. What support is needed to enable them to continue their essential efforts?
Expected outcomes
How can local governments create enabling conditions that allow Indigenous Peoples to access adequate housing in a way that respects cultural identity and land rights?
Indigenous human rights defenders are often at grave risk for their activism. What support is needed to enable them to continue their essential efforts?
Expected outcomes
Recommendations and best practices: identify recommendations for urban policymakers, urban professionals and advocates for adequate housing in all of its ramifications.
Contribution to the Baku Call to Action: inform the WUF13 outcome document and ensure that it adequately addresses the rights of Indigenous Peoples in their diversity in urban settings.
Community of practice: contribute to establishing an ongoing community of practice on the rights of Indigenous Peoples in their diversity in cities, supporting continued exchange beyond WUF13 through cross-actor dialogue, shared objectives and opportunities for collaboration.ObjectivesPractical impact solutions for adequate housing for Indigenous Peoples in their diversity: highlight practical solutions developed by Indigenous Leaders, grounded in lessons learnt, with methodologies and tools that can be adapted to different contexts.
Expanded disaggregated data and knowledge base: help participants prioritize the rights of Indigenous Peoples in housing approaches within national urban agendas, climate resilience strategies and related frameworks while promoting a human rights-based approach to data.
Networking opportunities: participants will have the opportunity to connect with Indigenous rights defenders, housing leaders and activists, as well as local and national governments and other participants that champion the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Contribution to the Baku Call to Action: inform the WUF13 outcome document and ensure that it adequately addresses the rights of Indigenous Peoples in their diversity in urban settings.
Community of practice: contribute to establishing an ongoing community of practice on the rights of Indigenous Peoples in their diversity in cities, supporting continued exchange beyond WUF13 through cross-actor dialogue, shared objectives and opportunities for collaboration.ObjectivesPractical impact solutions for adequate housing for Indigenous Peoples in their diversity: highlight practical solutions developed by Indigenous Leaders, grounded in lessons learnt, with methodologies and tools that can be adapted to different contexts.
Expanded disaggregated data and knowledge base: help participants prioritize the rights of Indigenous Peoples in housing approaches within national urban agendas, climate resilience strategies and related frameworks while promoting a human rights-based approach to data.
Networking opportunities: participants will have the opportunity to connect with Indigenous rights defenders, housing leaders and activists, as well as local and national governments and other participants that champion the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
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