More than 600 participants from over 500 organisations joined the Global Stakeholder Forum on May 22 and 23, 2025, hosted online by UN-Habitat ahead of the resumed second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly.
The Forum provided a platform for inclusive dialogue, helping shape priorities for the Assembly and align the outcomes of the World Urban Forum with intergovernmental processes. Participants took part in high-level plenaries, policy dialogues, and thematic breakout sessions on topics including housing, land, climate resilience, and urban finance.
The Forum also gathered coordinated input into the UN-Habitat Strategic Plan 2026–2029 and UN-Habitat’s draft Stakeholder Engagement Policy.
“The success of the Strategic Plan depends on co-ownership, with inclusive coalitions rooted in trust and action,” said Analia Pastran, Founder of Smartly Social Enterprise on the SDGs.
Forum highlights
Discussions centred on three priorities: stakeholder input to the Strategic Plan 2026–2029 – particularly on housing, land, and basic services; the establishment of a Stakeholder Engagement Policy to ensure diverse representation in UN-Habitat processes; and mobilising contributions for the midterm review of the New Urban Agenda and global SDG 11 reporting.
Participants also called attention to youth inclusion, gender equity, data systems, local capacity building, and community-level action to localise the SDGs.
“We need synergy, dialogue, and joint decision making at all levels… an action-oriented platform that operates as an interactive think tank,” said Razapur Varsi, a stakeholder in attendance.
Key outcomes and messages
Stakeholders stressed the urgency of adopting an inclusive Stakeholder Engagement Policy and providing more support for grassroots groups – especially those led by women and youth. Based on Forum input, a draft Stakeholder Declaration is being finalised and will be presented to the Open-Ended Committee of Permanent Representatives and the resumed United Nations Habitat Assembly.
“In rural areas, local governments are unaware of the SDGs and unresponsive to our outreach… national governments must actively support and fund local-level implementation,” said Mihai Cenis from Asociatia Azi Elevi.
Participants highlighted the importance of community-generated data, digital tools, and multilevel partnerships to boost accountability and support implementation of UN-Habitat’s strategic plan and the New Urban Agenda. They also called for increased capacity-building, funding for local actors, land governance reform, gender-responsive urban planning, and stronger integration of climate resilience and slum upgrading in national policies.
Next steps
To sustain momentum, participants proposed several follow-up actions: developing a stakeholder engagement roadmap toward WUF13, improving participation in SDG and New Urban Agenda reporting, and contributing to the 2026 midterm review of the New Urban Agenda.
They also recommended launching a global campaign to showcase good housing practices at WUF13, encouraging Member States to adopt a robust Stakeholder Engagement Policy, and ensuring inclusive, gender-balanced representation across all stakeholder platforms.