From favelas to informal settlements, new UN report points to housing solutions that work

Key points

• A major new UN report says such efforts are more than isolated successes.
• With the right tools, it argues, easing the global housing crisis – impacting billions – may be within reach.
• Released by UN-Habitat and launched on Tuesday at the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13), in Baku, Azerbaijan, the report also points to a broader role for the UN system in helping countries move beyond short-term fixes towards long-term housing solutions rooted in human rights, climate resilience and community participation.
• Tweet URL Held every two years, the forum brings together policymakers, practitioners and community leaders, offering a space to connect local experience with global decision-making – from slum upgrading and affordable housing finance to climate adaptation and post-conflict reconstruction.
• The World Cities Report 2026: The Global Housing Crisis – Pathways to Action paints a stark picture.