UN-Habitat Arena - SDG 11 Progress Review and 50 Years of Urban Development (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.

Towards Inclusive, Resilient and Data-Driven Cities.

Over the past five decades, urbanization has fundamentally reshaped the global development landscape. Cities have become engines of economic growth, innovation, and cultural exchange, but also focal points of inequality, environmental stress, and vulnerability to climate risks. Since the Habitat I, II and III Conferences, the global community has progressively advanced a shared vision for sustainable urban development, culminating in the adoption of the New Urban Agenda and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with Sustainable Development Goal 11 at its core.

With less than five years remaining to 2030, the global review of SDG 11 at the 2026 High-Level Political Forum presents a critical opportunity to assess progress, identify persistent gaps, and define transformative pathways. Despite notable advances, SDG 11 remains off track. Challenges such as the global housing crisis, the expansion of informal settlements, limited access to basic services, and increasing exposure to climate hazards continue to undermine progress.

At the same time, the evolution of urban data systems, particularly the integration of geospatial data, Earth observation, and new analytical approaches, offers unprecedented opportunities to strengthen monitoring and inform policy action.

However, these opportunities also underscore the urgent need to strengthen the foundational elements of urban data ecosystems. Many countries continue to face systemic challenges related to data availability, quality, interoperability, and institutional coordination. Fragmented data systems limited subnational capacities, and insufficient integration of community-generated data often constrain the ability to capture the full complexity of urban dynamics. Addressing these gaps requires sustained investment in national statistical systems, stronger integration of statistical and geospatial frameworks, and enhanced collaboration across stakeholders at global, national, and local levels.

Looking ahead, accelerating progress on SDG 11 will depend on a more integrated and systemic approach that links data, policy, and implementation. This includes prioritizing inclusive and affordable housing, strengthening urban governance and planning systems, and leveraging innovation to support climate-resilient and risk-informed development. It also calls for reinforcing global partnerships and platforms that can facilitate knowledge exchange, scale good practices, and align efforts across sectors. In this context, positioning cities at the centre of sustainable development efforts will be critical to achieving broader progress across the 2030 Agenda.Objectives

The session aims to:Assess global and regional progress on SDG 11 since 2015, with a forward-looking perspective to 2030
Reflect on 50 years of urban development, identifying key trends, lessons learned, and structural transformations
Highlight the centrality of housing and informal settlements as cross-cutting drivers of urban sustainability
Identify data, policy, and financing gaps constraining progress
Promote integrated, multi-dimensional urban data systems to support evidence-based decision-making
Strengthen partnerships through the Global Urban Data Coalition as an enabler and forum to design data-related solutions that enhance global monitoring of SDGs and NUA.

3. Key themes to cover in the session

Review and sharing of urbanization trends: 50-year retrospective coverage

Growth of urban populations and spatial expansion
Shifts in economic structures and urban productivity
Persistent and emerging inequalities within cities
Evolution of global urban policy frameworks

SDG 11 progress and gapsStatus and trends across SDG 11 targets (housing, transport, planning, environment, public space, etc)
Assess and share regional disparities and intra-urban inequalities
Examine interlinkages with other SDGs (e.g., SDGs 1, 6, 7, 9, 13, 17)

Housing and informal settlements deep dive

Scale and dynamics of slums and informal settlements
Affordability, adequacy, and access to basic services
Policy responses and innovative approaches

Data and measurement systemsAdvances in methodologies, including the Degree of Urbanization, GEO tools
Integration of official statistics, Earth observation, and community-generated data
Challenges in producing timely, disaggregated, and city-level data

Pathways to 2030/2036 and beyond

Scaling integrated urban planning and governance
Leveraging digital transformation and AI responsibly
Strengthening financing and institutional capacity
Advancing inclusive and climate-resilient housing systems

4. Expected Outcomes

A strengthened SDG 11 Synthesis Report with clear policy messages and actionable recommendations
Consolidated global insights linking 50 years of urbanization with current SDG trajectories
Enhanced alignment across partners on data methodologies and reporting frameworks
Increased visibility and uptake of initiatives such as the Global Urban Data Coalition
Policy-relevant recommendations to inform the 2026 HLPF review
A shared understanding of global progress and gaps on SDG 11
Clear policy and investment priorities for the final five years to 2030
Strengthened partnerships across governments, cities, and data communities
Increased visibility of innovative data approaches and collaborative platforms

5. Target audience

National governments and statistical offices
City and local authorities
UN agencies and international organizations
Development banks and financing institutions
Academia, civil society, and private sector partners
Partners from the Global urban data coalition

6. proposed format and engagement

Duration: 90 minutes

Structure:Opening remarks (10 min) - Framing SDG 11 progress and 50-year perspective
High-level panel discussion (40 min) - Reflections from global leaders and experts
Interactive dialogue (30 min) - Audience engagement and interventions
Closing reflections (10 min) - Key takeaways and calls to action

7. Strategic Relevance to WUF

This session aligns with WUF's role as the premier global platform for dialogue on sustainable urbanization. It positions SDG 11 as a central entry point for accelerating the 2030 Agenda, while bridging long-term urban transformation with immediate, actionable solutions.

It will reinforces the shift from:Fragmented indicators to integrated urban data systems
Global reporting to Localized, policy-relevant insights

Monitoring progress to driving transformation

Ultimately, the session aims to ensure that urban data and policy systems are equipped not only to track progress, but to actively shape more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable cities.

Moderator: UN-Habitat

Speakers/Discussants:

UNESCO
UN Population Division
UNDRR
Representative from Cities
Representative from academia
Representative from SDI
OECD

Related Sites and Documents: World Urban Forum Website & Programme.

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