UN-Habitat’s mandate has undergone significant evolution since its establishment. It has shifted from a programmatic focus on human settlements in vulnerable contexts to a wider, more strategic focus that works on the various challenges associated with rapid and often uncontrolled urban growth and on the critical factors affecting planning for sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11). In 2002, General Assembly (GA) resolution A/56/202 transformed Habitat from a ‘Centre’ to a distinct, direct subsidiary organ of the UN GA and a comprehensive technical programme of the UN Secretariat known as UN-Habitat with its own Governing Council with the stated mandate of “supporting the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, including support to shelter, related infrastructure development programmes, and housing and finance institutions and mechanisms, particularly in developing countries”.
Three major UN Conferences on cities have strongly influenced the evolution of UN-Habitat into its current form. The development of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) - a multistakeholder set of commitments for sustainable urbanisation - identifies UN-Habitat as the focal point for all urbanisation and human settlement matters within the UN System, including the implementation, follow-up and review of the NUA. This role of UN-Habitat underpins a range of strategic initiatives that it is now leading, such as: a custodian agency for SDG 11 implementation and reporting; leading of the UN System-wide Strategy for Sustainable Urban Development endorsed by the UN System Chief Executives Board in May 2019; playing a key role in the Local2030 coalition for SDG localisation with city and local authorities, as well as a wide range of programmatic initiatives.
