Accelerating transformative actions in informal settlements and slums in African, Caribbean and Pacific States (oacps)

The event is directly targeted to review progress made towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, with particular focus on SDG Target 11.1 “by 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services, and upgrade slums” in African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries.

People living in cities in ACP countries are experiencing highest levels of deprivations lacking access to adequate housing with secure tenure, water, sanitation, decent housing and living in overcrowding. They similarly lack access to socio-economic development opportunities, social protection, resilience to climate, crisis, and disaster, as well as spaces to practice cultural diversity, enjoy freedom and wellbeing, and targeted responses to needs of particularly vulnerable groups, like young women and children.

The UN-Habitat Assembly endorsed two resolutions in 2023, Resolution “2/2 Accelerating the transformation of informal settlements and slums by 2030” and Resolution “2/7 Adequate Housing for All”. The Resolution 2/2 was designed towards creating new momentum and guidance with the 10 key actions of how to scale and rapidly deliver the implementation of the SDGs and New Urban Agenda in informal settlements and slums. By developing integrated frameworks and solutions, one single action driven by multi-level governance frameworks, empowering communities and inclusive approaches can have multiple impacts.

The OACPS and UN-Habitat have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to address these challenges. A new partnership initiative has been launched based on the more than a decade of partnership in the framework of the Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme, initiated by the OACPS, financed by the EC and implemented by UN-Habitat. The programme ended in October 2022, and concluded with the call for action in the launch of the Global Action Plan: Accelerating for Transforming Informal Settlements and Slums by 2030” (GAP). The launch was hosted by the Government of South Africa as well as in collaboration with key actors guided by the development of a Global Publication bringing lessons learnt and way forward for slum transformation.

The event will look at trends, current actions, gaps, and accelerators towards empowering, integrating and delivering inclusion for people living in informal settlements and slums. It will elaborate on what actions are of highest priority to inform the implementation of the Resolution on Slum Transformation. It will look at ways of the joint ambition to empower, integrate and deliver full inclusion for people currently living in informal settlements and slums. It will equally look at what actions can be taken to accommodate urbanization trends and urban growth more sustainably and adequately by providing alternative solutions to the formation of slums and informal settlements with multiple deprivations.