A/RES/68/239
Implementation of the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II)
and strengthening of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)
engines of economic growth which, if well planned and developed, including
through integrated planning and management approaches, can promote
economically, socially and environmentally sustainable societies,
Recognizing that, while significant progress has been made in implementing
the Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements 4 and the Habitat Agenda, 5
challenges remain, such as, inter alia, the rapid urbanization process in large parts of
the developing world, the continuing increase in the number of urban slum dwellers
in the world, the negative impact of environmental degradation on human
settlements, including climate change, desertification and loss of biodiversity, and
the increasing vulnerability of urban settlements to natural and human-made
disasters,
Reiterating its support for the World Urban Forum as the foremost global
arena for interaction among policymakers, local government leaders,
non-governmental stakeholders and expert practitioners in the field of human
settlements, and expressing its appreciation to the Government of Colombia and the
city of Medellin for offering to host the seventh session of the Forum from 5 to
11 April 2014,
Recalling paragraph 14 of resolution 67/216, in which the General Assembly
requested the Secretary-General of the conference to prepare, using the expertise of
the United Nations system, a proposal, for consideration by the Governing Council
of UN-Habitat at its twenty-fourth session, on how best to provide inputs for and
support to the preparatory process of the conference in the most inclusive, efficient,
effective and improved manner, and to proceed accordingly,
Taking note of the report of the Governing Council of UN-Habitat on its
twenty-fourth session, held from 15 to 19 April 2013, 6 and its resolutions contained
therein, in particular resolutions 24/1 on World Cities Day, 24/4 on gender equality
and women’s empowerment to contribute to sustainable urban development, 24/5 on
pursuing sustainable development through national urban policies, 24/7, entitled
“Making slums history: a worldwide challenge”, 24/10 on urbanization and
sustainable urban development in the post-2015 development agenda, and 24/14 on
inputs for and support to the preparatory process of the United Nations conference
on housing and sustainable urban development (Habitat III), all of 19 April 2013,
Recalling its resolution 67/148 of 20 December 2012, in which it called upon
the United Nations system, including the funds, programmes and specialized
agencies, to increase efforts to fully mainstream a gender perspective into all issues
under their consideration and within their mandates, as well as all United Nations
summits, conferences and special sessions and their follow-up processes,
Reaffirming Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67 of 25 July 1980
on international years and anniversaries and General Assembly resolutions 53/199
of 15 December 1998 and 61/185 of 20 December 2006 on the proclamation of
international years,
Emphasizing the importance of the wide participation of all relevant
stakeholders, including local authorities, in the promotion of sustainable
urbanization and settlements,
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4
Report of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), Istanbul, 3–14 June 1996
(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.97.IV.6), chap. I, resolution 1, annex I.
5
Ibid., annex II.
6
Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-eighth Session, Supplement No. 8 (A/68/8).
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