BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 18. Housing policy must go beyond the market, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Anacláudia Rossbach said at the opening of the Mexico City pavilion within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Trend reports.
She emphasized the necessity of rethinking approaches to housing policy and urban development.
According to her, the current phase requires a transition from market-driven logic to a model of cities oriented toward citizens' rights and social inclusiveness.
"The moment for change has come, where housing must function not only within the market but also in the interest of cities that respect their citizens, are inclusive, sustainable, and respect the rights of their residents. This is the change," Rossbach noted.
The UN official also stressed the importance of the values of cooperation and international coalition work within the UN framework.
"We need the spirit of nations, the spirit of collectivity, the ability to build coalitions and understand that the problem we face today affects us all — in the Global South and the Global North, all over the world. We will only be able to cope when we can put all the pieces of this single puzzle together," Rossbach added.
