17–22 May 2026, Baku, Azerbaijan
As in previous editions, HIC and its Members will be in attendance to advocate for the recognition, fulfilment and protection of Habitat Related Human Rights, both in the Agenda of UN-Habitat and of national and local governments present.
It is also an opportunity for strengthening ties and collaboration between organizations working on similar issues.
What is the WUF?
Organized by UN-Habitat, the World Urban Forum (WUF) is the premier global conference on sustainable urbanization. The WUF was established in 2001 as to raising awareness of sustainable urbanization and promote collaboration and cooperation between different stakeholders and constituencies.
Why is HIC attending?
Over the years, WUF has demonstrated to be a strategic space for coordination and discussion of strategies both between HIC members, friends and allies, but also other stakeholders such as UN Agencies, governments, academia and others.
Our demands at WUF
1) Denouncing the current situation of mounting displacement and evictions, both due to conflict and process of financialization of housing;
2) Discussing effective mechanisms to prevent and curb arbitrary forced evictions;
3) Promoting community-led practices for land and housing, particularly through the Social Production of Habitat;
4) Pushing for structural models and mechanisms for substantive collaboration with civil society organizations
HIC will be attending WUF13 with a delegation including HIC Representatives to the Board, HIC President and Vice-President as well as the HIC Regional Offices and General Secretariat focused both on promoting exchange and coordination among its members and allies, as well as to influence debate and discussions being held in the forum at large, particularly regarding the upcoming UN-Habitat Strategic plan.
Below, you can find the full programme of HIC activities being led by HIC and its Members, as to shine a light on such priorities:
> Our Coalition Programme at WUF
> HIC Member Gathering
Saturday 16 May
HIC Member Gathering
- 14:00 – 17:30
Venue: Arena Hotel, Haydar Aliyev avenue 115, AZ1029 Baku, Azerbaijan
Agenda: Strategic exchange and discussion on HIC’s 50th anniversary and WUF 13
> Highlights on the HIC Agenda at WUF 13
Sunday 17 May
11:15 - 12:15 Commemorating Habitat I: Legacy and Inspiration for Today
13:00 - 17:00 HIC at Grassroots and Civil Society Assembly
13:00 - 17:00 Women’s Assembly
Women’s Assembly – Special session Room B
Monday 18 May
10:30 - 11:30 HIC hosts opening of the Habitat Village: Expectations for WUF 13
Tuesday 19 May
09:30 - 11:00 HIC at Dialogue 1: The Global Housing Crisis - What’s the Plan?
12:00 - 13:30 HIC networking event: Energy justice and a just urban transition for/in informal settlements
18:00 - 19:00 HIC @ 50 Birthday Party
Wednesday 20 May
09:30 - 11:00 HIC at Dialogue 2: Transforming Informal Settlements and Slums for Housing the World
12:00 - 13:30 HIC networking event: Prioritising forced evictions on the agenda: getting serious about prevention and remed
15:30 - 16:30 HIC Coordination toward the World Social Forum
16:30 - 17:30 HIC hosts discussion: Preparing for the Grassroots and CSO Roundtable
Thursday 21 May
12:00 - 13:30 HIC at stakeholder consultation: Priorities for the new UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing
15:30 -17:30 HIC at Grassroots and Civil Society Organisations Roundtable
> HIC Member Events at WUF 13
Sunday 17 May
13:45 - 14:45 The Foundation for Prosperity: Secure Housing as a Catalyst for Economic Growth and Social Inclusion
by Rooftops Canada, DW Angola, Mazingira Institute (Kenya), SERI (South Africa), SSA (Uganda)
Tuesday 19 May
09:30 Rethinking the “Good City” in Contexts of Displacement
13:40 - 14:10 Building on what People Build: Material Realities and Local Knowledge for Upgrading Informal Settlements
By Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS, Netherlands)
- 16:30 – 17:30
The Built Environment at Work: A general discussion and a book presentation about
livelihoods and the city
by Edmundo Werna (HIC Friend at London South Bank University)
16:30 - 17:30 - The Built Environment at Work: A general discussion and a book presentation about livelihoods and the city
Wednesday 20 May
13:00 Special Session: Housing at the Centre of Global Coalitions
Instituto Polis (Brazil) and Global Platform for the Right to the City will be a panellist
14:00 - 15:30 Financing Housing Justice - Approaches to advance anti-discriminatory, democratic, sustainable and caring housing futures
14:00 - 15:30 No good housing without good transportation: urban mobility and the housing crisis, by Instituto Polis (Brazil) and Global Platform for the Right to the City
14:00 - 15:30 Local Materials to House the World through eco-friendly, low-carbon construction
14:00 - 15:30 HIC Speaking at "Adequate, Sustainable, Resilient Informal Settlements & Urban Peripheries Against Environmental Racism”
16:00 - 17:30 Financing Housing in a Shifting Funding Environment - From ODA to Philanthropy and Local Funding Mechanisms by Rooftops Canada
16:00 - 17:30 What are we doing with the New Urban Agenda based on the Right to the City and Adequate Housing to address the climate emergency?
by Global Platform for the Right to the City
Thursday 21 May
14:00 - 15:30 Community-led housing and land management: sharing experiences from Angola, Brazil, Canada and Uganda
14:00 – 15:30 Community-led housing and land management: sharing experiences from Angola, Brazil, Canada and Uganda
by Development Workshop (Angola)
16:00 - 17:30 Rethinking the Future of Housing: Favelas as a Sustainable Model
Friday 22 May
10-11:30 SDG Solutions Born in Informal Settlements
16:00 - 17:30 Rethinking the Future of Housing: Favelas as a Sustainable Model
> HIC Members’ Events at Habitat Village
The Habitat Village is a collaborative initiative involving a unique consortium of partners, spanning civil society organizations, academic institutions, and grassroots movements, committed to advancing just, equitable, and sustainable cities.
HIC is coordinating the Habitat Village this year!
Location: Habitat Village Stand, Civil Society Cluster at Urban Expo, stand no. 12-12
Monday 18 May
- 11:30 – 12:30 – Solutions to the Global Housing Crisis: Lessons from 40 years of the World Habitat Awards by World Habitat (UK)
- 14:00 – 15:00 – Scalable Solutions for Securing Women’s Land and Housing Rights by Rooftops Canada, DW Angola, Mazingira Institute (Kenya), SERI (South Africa), SSA (Uganda)
- 15:30 – 16:30 – The potential of Community Land Trusts in ensuring land rights in informal settlements by Catalytic Communities (Brazil)
- 16:30 – 17:30 – Climate justice and the right to the city: advancing community-led and participatory approaches by Instituto Polis (Brazil) and Global Platform for the Right to the City
Tuesday 19 May
- 09:30-10:30 – Reviewing youth leadership in informal settlements: Strategies from young urban groups across Africa and Asia by IIED (UK)
- 10:30 – 11:30 – Community-led finance approaches to housing justice – by IIED (UK) and Urbamonde (Switzerland and France)
- 14:00 – 15:00 – The Necessary Dialogue about the WUF 13 Declaration and the the NUA Political Declaration – by Instituto Polis (Brazil) and Global Platform for the Right to the City
- 15:30 – 16:30 – Inclusive Recovery from Crises and Disasters by Development Planning Unit (UCL, UK)
Wednesday 20 May
- 14:00 – 15:00 – Youth action in the Digital City: A dialogue By Development Planning Unit (UCL, UK) and Kota Kita (Indonesia)
Thursday 20 May
- 09:30 – 10:30 – Reflections on Co-Produced Housing in Europe – By Development Planning Unit (UCL, UK), Global Platform for the Right to the City, HIC General Secretariat
- 10:30 – 11:30 – The challenge of heart in informal settlements and presenting results of an idea/solution competition By Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS, Netherlands)
- 14:30 – 15:30 – Closing reflections on community-led housing at WUF 13 – Facilitated by World Habitat (UK)
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