Urban October—promoting a better urban future

Glimmer recognises and supports the United Nations International observances.

These dates are opportunities to raise awareness about issues of concern in our world, and to actively strive to finding solutions.

This month is Urban October—”31 days of promoting a better urban future”.

Urban October was established to educate and engage the international community to create a more sustainable urban future. It is a chance to consider the problems that exist in our cities and towns, and to work towards harnessing the potential that urban environments offer.

This aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11—“to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”.

This October, national and local governments, universities, NGOs, and communities are all encouraged to participate in activities, events, and discussions around sustainable urbanisation.

Urban October was launched on Monday with World Habitat Day.

World Habitat Day (Oct 3) is a day to recognise the basic human right for everyone to have satisfactory shelter, and to work towards challenging the inequalities that prevent the vulnerable from accessing this right.

This year’s theme for Habitat Day is “Mind the Gap. Leave No One and Place Behind”.

Increasing inequality continues to be a significant issue in our urban societies. The ongoing effects of the pandemic, climate change and persistent conflicts have a greater impact on the vulnerable, thus intensifying these inequalities.

In addition, these crises have resulted in an increase in the number of people now in poverty. The UN-Habitat’s World Cities Report, put the number between 143 and 163 million in 2021.

Our cities and local governments have a vital role in combating this rising level of poverty in urban areas—to ensure appropriate and efficient responses to emergencies and disasters, and to actively prepare for potential crises in the future.

Prioritising the Sustainable Development Goals in urban planning will result in cities that are more inclusive, equal and resilient.

We can all be part of the conversation to make our cities and towns more sustainable.

Sources:

Concept note for WHD 2022. https://urbanoctober.unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/urban-october-concept-note-2022.pdf

UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal11

UN Habitat for a better Urban Future. https://urbanoctober.unhabitat.org/