Addressing Urban Health Challenges in a Changing World
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Description
Addressing Urban Health Challenges in a Changing World: Guiding the UN-Habitat-WHO partnership priorities
| In 2025, 55% of the world’s population will live in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to increase to 68% by 2050. This shift highlights the importance of shaping urban environments that promote health and well-being. Rapid urban growth is also resulting in a global housing crisis with severe public health consequences. An estimated 2.8 billion people worldwide are affected by different forms of housing inadequacy, and this is expected to worsen with population growth, increasing urbanization and economic pressures. Moreover, 1.1 billion people live in informal settlements and slums, and over 300 million people are homeless. |
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Date: 7 May 2025
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Urbanization has the potential to improve public health by enhancing access to essential services, promoting healthier lifestyles, and driving infrastructure and healthcare innovations. Well-planned urban development can provide clean water, sanitation, healthcare, education, and green spaces, leading to better health outcomes. It can also foster social cohesion, economic growth, and health-promoting policies. However, realizing these benefits requires sustainable and inclusive urban planning that prioritizes both physical and mental health.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights indicates that adequate housing is more than just shelter; it’s a pivotal determinant of health and a fundamental human right essential for preserving individual dignity and promoting social equity. Adequate housing plays a crucial role in advancing SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
To drive forward collaborative action on urban development and public health, UN-Habitat and WHO are partnering to address these issues.
UN-Habitat is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote adequate shelter for all and is a focal point for sustainable urbanization and human settlements. The Strategic Plan of UN-Habitat for 2026-2029 will introduce a focus on adequate housing, land and basic services for all, which has the potential to recognize health as both a fundamental service and a key development outcome. Meanwhile, it provides a strong framework for expanding the definition of urban health to reflect its complexity, emphasizing its social, physical, environmental, and governance dimensions.
WHO as the United Nations agency for health and the directing and coordinating authority on international health, provides leadership on global health matters, shapes the health research agenda, sets health norms and standards, articulates evidence-based policy options, provides technical support to countries, and monitors and assesses health trends. Over the last few decades, WHO has strengthened its efforts to address urban health and established partnerships and networks of cities to allow sharing of experiences in improving health and promoting well-being in urban areas. WHO’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work, A Global Health Strategy for 2025–2028: advancing equity and resilience in a turbulent world highlights the importance of urban health.
This Geneva Urban Debate will bring together public health and urban development experts and practitioners to explore emerging health determinants in urban development, discuss updates to existing tools and guidance, and to further shared goals and objectives while accelerating joint action by the two agencies to improve urban health.
Agenda
13:00-13:15 – Welcome remarks
- Dr. Graham Alabaster, Head of Geneva Office, UN-Habitat
- Dr. Nathalie Roebbel, Unit Head Urban Health, WHO
- Ms. Anh Thu Duong, Co-director, Global Cities Hub, Geneva
13:15-13:45 – Session 1 – Strengthening Public Health in Urban Settings: Building on UN-Habitat & WHO Partnership
This session will discuss the progress of the collaboration between UN-Habitat and WHO to enhance public health in urban settings. The discussion will highlight key achievements, challenges, and practical strategies to foster healthier cities and communities.
Framing presentation:
- Dr. Graham Alabaster, Head of Geneva Office, UN-Habitat
- Dr. Nathalie Roebbel, Unit Head Urban Health, WHO
General discussion with participants:
Moderated by Dr. Nick Banatvala, Head of Secretariat, UN Inter-Agency Task Force on NCDs
13:45-15:15 – Session 2 – Identifying the Missing Dimensions of Urban Health in relation to urban development, with emphasis on housing
This session will explore the thematic gaps in existing tools and interventions related to urban development and health, with a focus on how these gaps contribute to disparities in health outcomes. It will also examine the underlying drivers of these disparities – such as migration, displacement, climate change, and conflict – and their resulting impacts, including mental health issues, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and the spread of vector-borne diseases, among others. Emphasis will be put on housing as key determinant of health and its strong link to urban sustainability goals.
Framing presentation:
- Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen, IS Global
Speakers:
- TBC
General discussion with participants:
Moderated by Dr. Andras Szorenyi, Senior Policy Advisor, Global Cities Hub
15:15-15:30 – Next steps and closing remarks
- Dr. Graham Alabaster, Head of Geneva Office, UN-Habitat
- Dr. Nathalie Roebbel, Unit Head Urban Health, WHO
Registration
Please register here for the event.