In this rapidly urbanizing world, achieving SDG 11 - “Make cities
and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”- is imperative for fostering equitable development and sustainableurban futures. Considerable progress is reported in the Asia-Pacificregion on target 11.1.1 - Reducing the number of people living in slums andtarget 11.b – Adoption of both national and local DRR strategies.
SDG progress is however not on track for many goals, including for SDG 11 overall.
Even worse, there is strong regression on the climate targets.

2GOAL 6CLEAN WATER AND
SANITATION

2015

2022

Target 2030

GOAL 11SUSTAINABLE CITIES ANDCOMMUNITIES

2015

2022

Target 2030

GOAL 12RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION
AND PRODUCTION

2015

2022

Target 2030

GOAL 13
CLIMATEACTION

2015

2022

Target 2030

 Building places that we all call home (2023 edition)

I profoundly thank all our partners inAsia and the Pacific for their support toUN-Habitat teams in the region.
Our collaboration with government
agencies, local governments,
specialists and communities is focusedon planning and building green, resilientand sustainable places for all.

Maimunah Mohd Sharif,
Executive Director of UN-Habitat andUnder-Secretary-General of the United Nations

Championing local ownershipof the SDGs.
We have conducted city diagnostics
and have translated global andregional guidelines for local
governments in India, Lao PDR,
Philippines, and Nepal.

Supporting seamless recovery throughpeople-centered approaches towards
resilient communities.
We have supported 8 million people in 30 countries in theAsia-Pacific region with access to shelter and resilient
infrastructure, critical services, and livelihoods ensuring
tenure security across the urban-rural continuum usingarea-based people-centered approaches.

Accelerating net-zero andresilient urban development.
We have supported the development ofclimate change action plans in 100 cities
and provinces in the Asia-Pacific region
and for over 200 communities andinformal settlements.

Promoting green and resilient housingwith land tenure rights for all.
We have introduced innovative technologies suchas integrated land and climate tech in Nepal,
Afghanistan, Pakistan; green building technologies
in Sri Lanka and Cambodia; innovative land
administration in Nepal and Afghanistan.

Connecting innovators to cities andcommunities in development.
We have supported the governments of Lao PDR, Iran, Myanmar,
China, Cambodia, Malaysia, Fiji, Philippines, Solomon Islands,Viet Nam, and Nepal in piloting innovative technologies.

 Building places that we all call home (2023 edition)

3

Building better places
for all to livey

Clean Watery

City-Wide Sanitationy

No Littering, No Wastey

Safe Public Transporty

Land Rights

y

No EvictionyAffordable HousingyPublic Spaces For Ally

Sustainable Communities

2020 - 2023

34
$104 million
programmes

Mainstreaming ‘Leaving No One Behind’ seeks to strengthen
the inclusion of persons with disabilities and other marginalizedgroups in government policies and programmes at both nationaland subnational levels. UN-Habitat also collaborates with regional
partners in developing innovative platforms for knowledge
sharing on the issue.

Sharing prosperity
in cities and beyondyBetter Planned Cities
and RegionsyGood Urban Governancey

No CorruptionyImproved Connectivity andTransportyGood Places to Work, to Shop,to ProduceyFair Local Taxes and Subsidies

yWell Managed Public Expenditures

yLocal Innovation and Investmenty

New Technologies for BetterServices

2020 - 2023

23programmes
4$9 million

To promote youth and community innovation for cities in Vietnam bystimulating creativity, urban regeneration, and social changes, UN-Habitat
is partnering with other UN agencies and working closely with national
and local governments, engaging NGOs, and CSOs, placing youth andthe community at the heart of all processes to create long-term andtransformational impacts for cities in Vietnam. As a result, cities’ culturaland social assets will be maintained and leveraged, nurturing theircitizen’s sense of belonging, which eventually be translated into more
inclusive and sustainable planning for cities and regions.

 Building places that we all call home (2023 edition)

Strengthening climateaction and improving
urban environmentsyRenewable EnergyyEnergy EfficiencyyPlanning and Design forEmission ReductionyBiodiversity Protection,
Rehabilitation and Naturebased SolutionsyCircularity and Marine
Plastic Litter ReductionyClimate Change Adaptation
and Resilience of Cities andCommunities

2020 - 202326

programmes$71 million

Many climate change programming approaches now used across theAsia-Pacific region were pioneered by UN-Habitat Philippines. Thecountry programme supports cities and provinces responding toclimate threats, disasters, waste and plastic litter pollution, andpandemic impacts. UN-Habitat develops plans, mobilizes resources,and assists in implementation.

Better crisis prevention
and responseyResilient CommunitiesySocial IntegrationyRefugees and HostCommunitiesyInclusion of MigrantsyHelping Return and Rebuildingy

Recovery after Disastersy

Reconstructiony

Building StandardsyUpgrading Building SkillsyImproved Infrastructure2020 - 2023

30

programmes$141 million

UN-Habitat has been supporting cities, human settlements, andcommunities to be more resilient to disaster. UN-Habitat initiatedthe construction of disaster resilient school infrastructure andconducted disaster resilience training in Pakistan.

 Building places that we all call home (2023 edition)

5

The Earth’s surface temperature
continues to rise due tohuman-caused greenhousegas emissions leading to more
extreme weather.

+1.1°C

75%

Cities are responsiblefor 75% of the region’s
total emissions, and theircontributions to global urban
emissions have grown from
46% to 54% in the past 15years (2000-2015).

To set robust net-zeroemissions targets. To commit
to urban and community
resilience. We count on cities
to act as leaders of climateaction.
Maimunah Mohd Sharif, 		
Executive Director of UN-Habitat andUnder-Secretary-General of the United Nations

UN-Habitat and Fukuoka partners – government, universities and the private sector –collaborate on innovative, smart, practical, sustainable, and nature-based technologies and solutions.

FUKUOKA METHOD
Affordable Climate-Safe
Waste Disposal

6 Building places that we all call home (2023 edition)

TAMETOTTO
Affordable Underground
Water StorageUN-Habitat country office location
Countries with ongoing Adaptation Fund project(s)UN-Habitat Mongolia
UN-Habitat ROAP
UN-Habitat Afghanistan
UN-Habitat Iran

UN-Habitat China

Japan

UN-Habitat Nepal

BhutanUN-Habitat Pakistan
UN-Habitat Myanmar

Bangladesh

UN-Habitat India

UN-Habitat Lao PDR

UN-Habitat Bangkok
UN-Habitat Sri Lanka
Maldives

UN-Habitat Viet Nam
UN-Habitat Philippines

UN-Habitat Cambodia
Malaysia
Papua New Guinea

Indonesia

Solomon Islands
Fiji

The purpose of UN-Habitat’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific is to support cities andcommunities in need and collaborate with governments and partners seeking change and innovation,
spearheaded by our programmes at any time throughout the region.

Philippines$18m

Lao PDR$14m

Pakistan$11m

Myanmar
$28m

Iran
$8m

China
$7m
Sri Lanka$16m

Viet Nam$11m

Malaysia
$10m

Fiji
$5m

Cambodia
$8m

Mon
MON
$5m

NEP

Sol
$4m

IND
THA

UN-Habitat Afghanistan has continued to operate under the UN’s Transitional Engagement Framework(2022-2023), delivering humanitarian actions, contributing to social cohesion and human security and preserving
community-level systems essential to meeting basic human needs. It is continuing with a current portfolio of USD
15 million (2022-2023)

 Building places that we all call home (2023 edition)

7

UN-Habitat Afghanistan
Supporting
Reintegration
Safe andSecure
Infrastructure

Enabling Housing,
Land, and Property
Rights in Crisis
Context

Clean GreenCities

City for All

The UN-Habitat Shelter project has provided
us windows and doors before the last wintercame. Before that we were facing problems
during the winters from snow and raining andduring the summers from hot weather as well.
Gulab Khan,
Resident in Dag-e Tarakhail, Afghanistan

Area BasedApproach toDevelopment

Afghanistan is again facing crisis and uncertainty.
UN-Habitat Afghanistan is rebuilding its country
programme to reach out to the poorest, relying on awide network of community-managed councils which
UN-Habitat has supported for more than 25 years, withthe support of the Government of Japan, the World Bank,
the European Union, USAID and other partners.

UN-Habitat Lao PDR
Supporting Climate Change
Policies and Plans

Enhancing Climate andDisaster Resilience

Urban Ecosystem-based Adaptation
Shelter Recovery andRehabilitation

UN-Habitat in Lao PDR has a long tradition in delivering waterand sanitation initiatives upon which the climate resilient
infrastructure programme was built. Comprehensive provinceand district-level urban and climate change planning, as wellas land administration and disaster risk reduction projects,
address the country’s diverse challenges and needs. With thehelp of many partners, projects support actions on climate anddisaster resilience and on recovery and rehabilitation.

8

 Building places that we all call home (2023 edition)

SaferCities

I learnt about the issue of climate change.
Aside from that, we also got to visit the site,or the target village of the project in order toacquire knowledge of what we will do in casethere is a flood.
Vanhkham Sengsavang,
Participant of Climate Change Induced Flooding
Training

UN-Habitat Myanmar
Myanmar Climate
Change Alliance

Building
ResilienceagainstCOVID-19
through WASH
andWasteManagement

During this year’s storm, the mangrove protected
us from the wind and rain […] As the mangrovesdevelop, the marine resources and environment
will improve. Furthermore, as marine resources
are developed, the income and livelihoods of thecommunity will also improve.
U Win Naing,
Township Coordinator in Labutta

Solid Waste
Management

UN-Habitat has a long track record of supporting
Myanmar’s people with slum upgrading and water andsanitation assistance. In recent years, UN-Habitat had
expanded its assistance in areas ranging from urbanizationand housing policy to climate action, disaster risk
reduction and more. In times of need, UN-Habitat delivers
humanitarian assistance and recovery support, working
with the most vulnerable communities and settlements.

UN-Habitat Pacific Island Countries
Increasing Resilienceof Vulnerable Informal
SettlementsEnhancing Urban
Resilience to Climate
Change Impacts andNatural Disasters

The Pacific region is particularly prone to the impactsof climate change and other natural disasters suchas volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and earthquakes.
Climate and disaster resilient informal settlements
are at the core of UN-Habitat’s work. Interventions
include the provision of water and sanitation, support
to community agriculture and community evacuationand health centers.

These are simple technology to protect people andhouses from flooding and landslides. Using nothing butsimple nature-based solutions.
Yuyun Qomariyah,Local Team Leader for the Nature-based Solution for
Enhanced Climate Resilience Project in Honiara Building places that we all call home (2023 edition)

9UN-Habitat Pakistan
Safe Drinking Water
Disaster Resilient
SchoolInfrastructure

Climate Adaptive
Infrastructure

We have an acute water shortage in the summer
season. With the support of UN-Habitat, after theinstallation of a rain water harvesting unit, now weare also saving drinking water.
Abdul Aziz Khan,
Resident of Azeemabad, Pakistan

To guide the growth of Pakistan’s cities and harness
urbanization as a driver of development, UN-Habitat Pakistan
and partners like the Japan International Cooperation Agency,
Adaptation Fund, ECHO and Asian Development Bank are
implementing projects to strengthen environmental and social
resilience and support the development of the country’s cities
into liveable, prosperous places.

UN-Habitat Philippines
Post-conflict Resettlementand Livelihood Support

Marine Plastic
Litter Reduction

HousingSolutionfor Coastal
Communities

Climate Resiliencethrough Urban Planningand Design
DRR andClimate
ChangeSustainable
GrowthThe Philippines is rapidly urbanizing, and faces amultitude of social and environmental challenges,
compounded by earthquakes, typhoons, and climatechange. UN-Habitat supports partners in the Philippines
by working on technical capacity and policy development,
building the capacity of municipalities, and piloting
innovative approaches with communities and experts.

Through the UN-Habitat project, we were able toconduct consultations with various sectors, where
we saw the connection of various aspects of ourgovernment and our stakeholders so we can havesound programs and activities integrating climate
resiliency into our everyday lives.

Jeanette Cruz,Assistant Director, Department of Human Settlements andUrban Development

10 Building places that we all call home (2023 edition)

UN-Habitat Sri Lanka
Housing for Vulnerable
Communities
Strengthening
Socioeconomic
Resilience ofCommunities
Affected byCOVID-19

Because of the masonry training I followed throughUN-Habitat, I am able to make use of my skills for myhouse building and the village. We have been able to get
involved in work that is traditionally done by men. WhenI finish my housework, I supervise the construction of
the new pre-school in the village.

Sri Lanka faces challenges such as inadequate
housing and limited access to basic services, inequal
development, and climate change and disaster risk
vulnerability. UN-Habitat has been providing assistanceto a range of programmes that empower marginalized
and underserved populations, such as the plantation
workers in the Central and Uva Provinces.

Chandrika Mylvaganampuram,Beneficiary

UN-Habitat Viet Nam
Resilient, Inclusive andSustainable Eco-human
Settlement Development

Institutional
Strengthening andCapacity Building for
Urban Development

Youth and Community
Innovation

Over the last 20 years, Viet Nam’s annual growth rate has stabilized
at 6-7%. Such rapid growth comes with multiple trade-offs,
including marginalization, inadequate access to basic services,and environmental costs. These are compounded by the impact ofclimate change, due to its particular geographical location with lowlying deltas and an extensive coastline. To foster sustainable urban
development, UN-Habitat is supporting the Government of Viet
Nam and cities and communities through policy advocacy, capacity
building, technical assistance, and the piloting of small-scale hardinterventions in the fields of urban management, regeneration andplanning, climate change adaptation and mitigation, migration,
youth development, and creative industries capacity building.

UN-Habitat is making strong contributions
to urban development, urban
management, housing, environment,
climate action, and more. Projects suchas Tam Thanh mural village and Phung
Hung mural street brought positivechange.
Dr. Pham Van Bo,
Vice President of Academy of Managers
for Construction and Cities, Ministry ofConstruction, Viet Nam

 Building places that we all call home (2023 edition)

11

UN-Habitat engages in urban intergovernmental dialogues to advanceinclusive and effective multilateralism for furthering gains in key priority areasof sustainable development.

Asian-Pacific City Summit (APCS) - Asia-Pacific Urban Forum (APUF) - AsiaPacific Forum for Sustainable Development (APFSD) - G7 Sustainable Urban
Development Ministers’ Meeting - G20 Development Minister Meeting - G20
Platform on SDG Localization and Intermediary Cities - Ministerial Meeting on
Urbanization and Climate Change (COP) - United Nations Habitat Assembly(UNHA) - U20 Mayoral Summit - World Urban Forum (WUF)

12

 Building places that we all call home (2023 edition)

I am Ingrid Macabare, a proud Filipino woman
leader for a cleaner and greener Ormoc City
today and tomorrow.
As a child, I dreamt of becoming a woman who will achieve morethan what other people expect of her. Being a public health nurse
is truly fulfilling. However, I’ve always felt a tiny gap and thought,“I can do more than this.” That was until I was assigned to theEnvironment and Natural Resources Office.
In my role as Solid Waste Management (SWM) Head, I was able topromote community and public health through the improvement ofenvironmental health. I am proud that through teamwork, respect,and collective decision, we developed the Ormoc City 10-year SWM
Plan. Garbage collection and landfill operations were improved,and barangays (villages) were empowered to build their own SWM
plans. We implemented City Solid Waste Management Policies
and Ordinances, including, just recently, the regulation of single-use
plastics.
I am able to lead our team who reach out to communities andteach them proper solid waste management, 4Rs, and strategies
for waste diversion. We’ve also started collaborating with other city
offices and agencies to implement barangay initiatives and projects
that address SWM problems and concerns.

For and with women, children, youth and elderly
and persons with disabilities
UN-Habitat is currently supporting newpolicies addressing the needs of persons
with disabilities in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka
and Afghanistan. In Surabaya, Indonesia,
UN-Habitat supported the local government
to improve the Earthquake Preparedness
Strategy of the city, engaging persons withdisabilities for the assessment and theformulation of improved response protocols.

To rebuild public spaces in Nepal after the 2015 earthquake,
UN-Habitat sought the transfer of knowledge from local elders
to community youth
14 Building places that we all call home (2023 edition)

Rights-based andparticipatory development
Protecting the most marginal, poorest and vulnerable people and communities remains pivotal
in Asia and the Pacific.
This protection may be against eviction and forced displacement, or protecting land claims and tenurerights and the right to dignified housing. UN-Habitat supports people living in slums and informal
settlements, and people displaced or affected by conflicts or disasters.
UN-Habitat engages people, communities and local governments and works for policy change andmore capacity so that national and local governments can shape places that you can call home.

Our house was extremely hot and inconvenient to stay in and we needed to use a
fan all the time. We couldn’t afford food because I was pregnant, and my husband
couldn’t earn any. It was so miserable that we had to stay in the house and couldn’t
go anywhere to earn a living. With solar energy, we do not need to worry like before
because we can turn on the lights despite a power outage with minimum expenditurecompared to before. When we need to visit a toilet at night, we always use solar lights.
Previously, our family used many fans in the places where I slept and where my kids
and nephews slept. However, it changed after receiving the solar light from UNHabitat. I use a solar fan during the day and another electricity fan at night.

Jonh Chanthy,
Resident of Sihanoukville, Cambodia

 Building places that we all call home (2023 edition)15

© ACROS Fukuoka
HS/033/23E

Photo credits, captions, and data sources : see online reports

Download English
2023 Version

United Nations Human Settlements Programme
Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific - Fukuoka
1-1-1 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka 810-0001 JAPAN

Download Japanese
2022 Version

Tel: +81-92-724-7121, Fax: + 81-92-724-7124
habitat.fukuoka@un.org
https://fukuoka.unhabitat.org

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