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 gaps Status 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 systems Advances 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
