Collaborating for Urban Change: Insights from WUF12 and Beyond

The World Urban Forum 12 (WUF 12) convened by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), held in Cairo, Egypt, from 4–8 November 2024, was a transformative milestone for Reall. Centred on the theme “It All Starts at Home: Local Actions for Sustainable Cities and Communities,” the forum underscored the pivotal role of housing in shaping inclusive, sustainable urban futures. 

For Reall, WUF 12 offered a dynamic platform to showcase our work advancing green, resilient, and affordable housing for underserved communities across Africa and Asia. The event facilitated collaboration with global stakeholders, provided fresh insights into addressing the global housing crisis, and amplified our advocacy for localised, impactful solutions. The forum’s conclusion with the adoption of the “Cairo Call to Action” further emphasised urgent priorities, including inclusive urban planning, local actor engagement, and unlocking critical financing for sustainable urbanisation. 

This article reflects on the key sessions, discussions, and takeaways from WUF 12, highlighting how Reall is contributing to building more equitable, resilient, and inclusive cities. 

Reall at WUF12  

Reall’s Presence at WUF 12 was highlighted by three impactful sessions where we shared insights, scalable strategies for advancing Gender sensitive Green Affordable Housing.  

Learning to Collaborate: Embracing the Role of International Donors and Investors in Delivering a Step-Change in the Supply and Demand of Gender-Sensitive Green Affordable Housing (GAH) 

Reall hosted a networking session, titled “Learning to Collaborate: Embracing the Role of International Donors and Investors in Delivering a Step-Change in the Supply and Demand of Gender-Sensitive Green Affordable Housing (GAH)”, on November 5th, spotlighted the transformative potential of collaboration in addressing global housing challenges. Moderated by Mewahib Mohamed, Reall’s Director of Programme and Business Development, the session brought together leading experts from diverse sectors to explore how partnerships, innovation, and community-driven solutions can shape the future of gender-sensitive green affordable housing. The discussion emphasised the importance of collective action, with a focus on aligning urban resilience, sustainability, and inclusivity within housing development goals. 

Highlights from our panelists:  

• Mia Callenberg, Environmental Specialist at the Global Environment Facility (GEF), stressed the need to empower cities to take a leading role in addressing local housing challenges. She underscored the importance of multilateral governance models that align national and local efforts, fostering effective and cohesive housing policies.  

• Julian Baskin, Principal Urban Advisor at Cities Alliance, highlighted the transformative potential of community-driven housing solutions. His insights emphasised the critical role of informal settlements and local contractors in improving housing quality and sustainability, advocating for inclusive approaches that prioritise grassroots participation. 

• Focusing on the green agenda, Cathy Lynch, Senior Urban Specialist at The World Bank, made a compelling case for integrating sustainable practices into housing. She argued that reframing green features as cost-saving investments, rather than additional expenses, can drive demand for energy-efficient homes and pave the way for a more sustainable housing future.

• From a resilience perspective, Dr. Folayinka Dania, Chief Resilience Officer at the Lagos State Resilience Office (LASRO), emphasised the need for cross-sectoral collaboration. She noted that no single institution can address the housing crisis alone and called for governments, developers, and communities to work together to create holistic, impactful solutions.

• Adding a financial lens to the discussion, Nyale Yanga, Chief Financial Officer at the Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company (KMRC), highlighted the importance of engaging local developers and communities. He stressed the necessity of scalable housing models tailored to the unique needs of different regions, ensuring relevance, inclusivity, and sustainability in housing interventions. 

The session underscored a clear consensus: building a sustainable future for housing requires collective action. Partnerships, innovative thinking, and community collaboration are essential to overcoming challenges, from informal settlements to green housing adoption. The session reaffirmed the importance of shared responsibility, where governments, financial institutions, and communities unite to make housing accessible, resilient, and sustainable for all. 

Inclusive Communities: Delivering Adequate Housing for All through Urban Regeneration. 

Highlights from UN-Habitat’s “Inclusive Communities: Delivering Adequate Housing for All through Urban Regeneration”, held on November 6th showcased transformative ideas for creating inclusive and accessible cities for all. Reall was honoured to join this impactful session, contributing its unique approach to housing transformation in emerging markets.

• Mewahib Mohamed, Reall’s Director of Programme and Business Development, presented Reall’s mission to improve the lives of underserved households in African and Asian cities. She outlined three core pillars guiding this mission: 

Demonstration: Proving the commercial viability of affordable housing through innovative, sustainable designs and partnerships with local developers. 

Evidence: Providing open-access data to influence market trends and attract investment in sustainable housing solutions. 

Advocacy: Working with governments and stakeholders to advance gender-sensitive, climate-resilient, and inclusive housing policies. 

• Ahmed Abdulaziz Al-Khayat, CEO of Bahrain’s Urban Planning and Development Authority, shared Bahrain’s forward-thinking plans to revitalise unplanned areas. By improving infrastructure and enhancing connectivity, these initiatives aim to boost community access and quality of life, creating more inclusive urban environments.

• Alessandra d’Avila Vieira, Director at Brazil’s Ministry of Cities, spoke about Brazil’s ambitious strategy to tackle its 7-million-unit housing deficit. She emphasised the importance of partnerships with social movements, enabling community-led regeneration efforts that place residents at the heart of the process. 

• José Luis Martínez-Almeida Navasqüés, Mayor of Madrid, shared insights into the city’s efforts to deliver affordable housing solutions, particularly for young people. He discussed measures to slow gentrification and preserve the vibrancy of local communities, fostering inclusivity and sustainability. 

• Thipparat Noppaladarom, former Director of Thailand’s Community Organisation Development Institute, showcased the success of community-driven initiatives, where local leadership, combined with government support, fosters long-term sustainable housing projects. 

• Cathy Lynch of The World Bank discussed a dual approach to upgrading informal settlements and implementing large-scale redevelopment projects. Examples from Buenos Aires to Barcelona illustrated how underserved neighbourhoods can be integrated into thriving urban environments. 

The session powerfully underscored the transformative potential of partnerships and community-driven innovation in creating cities that are inclusive, accessible, and sustainable. By fostering cross-sector collaboration and harnessing diverse expertise, we are collectively advancing toward a future where affordable housing is not just an aspiration but a tangible reality for all. 

Building The Data Infrastructure to Support Investment in Affordable Housing Across Africa. 

On 8 November, the session “Building the Data Infrastructure to Support Investment in Affordable Housing Across Africa,” hosted by the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa (CAHF) highlighted the critical need for reliable data to catalyse the development of affordable housing. Reall’s Programme Lead for Green Affordable Housing, Joy Wachira, joined as a speaker, sharing insights into overcoming data-related challenges and fostering collaboration to strengthen housing ecosystems.

Panellists, including Claudio Acioly (CAHF Board Member), Noll Tufani (VP of Programs, Build Change), and Tapiwa Maruza (Namibia Housing Action Group), contributed to a rich discussion on the importance of making high-quality, accessible data publicly available to support informed decision-making by governments, developers, and investors. CAHF’s innovative tools, such as the Housing Finance Yearbook and the Open Access Initiative, were highlighted as key enablers for addressing gaps in market data and unlocking housing investments. 

Kecia Rust, Executive Director of CAHF, emphasised the urgency of addressing gaps in data integrity, standardisation, and disclosure, which continue to hinder progress in scaling affordable housing solutions. Inconsistent classifications, substandard building practices, and limited transparency were identified as key barriers to accurate assessment and delivery. 

The session proposed actionable recommendations: 

• Community Engagement: Train and empower communities to prioritise data transparency and accountability. 

• Policy Advocacy: Strengthen regulations to enforce robust data standards and transparency measures. 

• Standardising Metrics: Develop consistent methods for data collection and classification to ensure reliability across the sector. 

The discussion reinforced the vital role of data in driving innovation, shaping effective policies, and attracting investments. A reliable data infrastructure is essential for fostering a sustainable and inclusive housing ecosystem across Africa, enabling stakeholders to scale impactful solutions and address the continent’s housing challenges more effectively. 

Gender at WUF12 

The World Urban Forum (WUF) highlighted one crucial, recurrent theme: we are not progressing fast enough to achieve gender equity in our cities. Despite the production of frameworks, toolkits, and research produced over the past decade, like UN Habitat’s Her City and Reall’s Gender Toolkit, there remains a gap between theory and the transformative action needed to make our urban spaces equitable and inclusive for all. 

The forum underscored the importance of centring gender within the broader context of intersectional identity. Without prioritising the voices of diverse, often marginalised populations, urban planning risks ignoring, and even reinforcing, the barriers that many communities face. 

The Androcentric City: Reimagining Urban Spaces with Feminist Urbanism 

During the “Women’s Assembly,” Professor Ana Falú challenged attendees to confront the deeply ingrained androcentric vision embedded within our cities. This model of urban life centres on a universalised figure—young, masculine, white, able-bodied, productive, and heterosexual. This figure becomes the default around which cities are designed, and as Professor Falú stressed, it leaves entire demographics out of the equation, often at their expense. 

A key part of Feminist Urbanism, she argued, is reorienting cities to serve not only the traditionally prioritised populations but also women, children, elderly individuals, people with disabilities, and minority communities. One concrete example she provided was housing: to be a space where individuals and families can truly prosper, housing needs to be more than just shelter. It must be deeply integrated with access to essential services, safe public spaces, transportation, and community networks. Without these, housing fails in its fundamental purpose, reinforcing isolation and insecurity rather than fostering growth and wellbeing. 

Feminist Cities: Building Innovation Through Inclusivity 

In the “Feminist Cities” session, speakers discussed how rethinking urban spaces through a feminist lens can foster innovation. ‘Real cities are shaped by real people’ with varied experiences and needs, and by centring urban development on this diversity, we can create cities that are more adaptive, responsive, and resilient. 

This session highlighted that feminist urban planning isn’t about privileging one group over another; it’s about designing inclusive cities that benefit everyone. When cities are developed with the input of women and other marginalised groups, they become environments where people feel safe, supported, and empowered. By prioritising inclusivity, cities can foster both social and economic vitality, nurturing the growth of all its residents. 

Empathy in Motion: The Importance of Accessible and Human-Centred Cities 

“Empathy in Motion” tackled the often-overlooked connection between empathy and accessibility in urban design. A genuinely inclusive city, panellists argued, is one that embraces empathy as a guiding principle. Accessibility isn’t merely about physical infrastructure but includes an empathetic understanding of diverse needs: visual and physical accessibility. 

Lack of mobility, they pointed out, severs the bridge to independence. For many, this means not only restricted physical access but also isolation from opportunities for social and economic participation. Investing in accessible design, panellists urged, is an investment in human connection itself. From wheelchair-friendly streets to visually intuitive signage and affordable public transportation, empathetic design has the power to turn alienating cityscapes into inclusive environments where people of all backgrounds can feel empowered and free. 

From Theory to Action: Building Gender-Inclusive Cities 

Throughout WUF12, a clear message emerged: achieving gender equity in urban spaces requires more than theoretical frameworks. It requires actionable policies, commitment from local governments, and collaboration across sectors. The question isn’t just about what a gender-inclusive city looks like, but how we bring it into reality.  

Key Highlight: Launch of the World Cities Report 

The launch of the World Cities Report 2024 by UN-Habitat was a significant highlight of the forum, presenting a strategic roadmap for sustainable urban development with housing as a central focus. This comprehensive report analyses the current and projected climate impacts across diverse regions and cities, highlighting the unique vulnerabilities faced by urban populations. It delves into how factors such as poverty, inequality, ethnicity, gender, disability, and other social characteristics exacerbate these challenges, offering insights into creating resilient and inclusive urban futures. 

During the closing press conference, Anacláudia Rossbach, the Executive Director of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), emphasized the urgent need to tackle the global housing crisis. She highlighted the importance of securing financing to improve urban planning, optimise land use, and promote sustainability. She also stressed the value of leveraging existing best practices to accelerate progress and underscored the transformative potential of partnerships in achieving these objectives. 

Reall’s Green Affordable Housing Finance (GAHF) initiative closely aligns with these priorities, particularly in housing finance. By advancing innovative financial mechanisms to support gender sensitive, green affordable housing solutions, the initiative demonstrates how the enabling environment and guarantee facility can drive a step change in the housing space. Its emphasis on integrating dual mainstreaming of gender and climate with affordability reflects a practical application of the principles Rossbach outlined, showcasing the tangible impact of combining resources, knowledge-sharing, and collaborative action to effectively address housing challenges. 

The Way Forward 

The discussions and insights gained at WUF12 provide a clear path forward for addressing the global housing crisis. Key takeaways from the Business and Foundations Assembly, the Business and Foundations Roundtable, and the Civil Society Roundtable highlighted several crucial factors that will shape future housing strategies. 

A primary takeaway was the critical importance of localisation, solutions must be adapted to local contexts, with active community engagement ensuring cultural relevance, economic sustainability, and inclusive governance. The Civil Society Roundtable further stressed the need for localised implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), enhanced urban sustainability collaborations, and the development of innovative partnerships. 

Another key theme was climate resilience, with a strong emphasis on climate-smart housing as an essential priority. This directly aligns with Reall’s mission to advance green, sustainable housing solutions, and supports Reall’s ongoing commitment to building resilient and affordable homes. The discussions also reinforced the importance of partnerships as critical drivers of change. Cross-sector collaboration will be essential for achieving sustainable urban futures, leveraging diverse expertise to maximise impact. 

Furthermore, data-driven advocacy was recognised as a powerful tool for shaping policy and influencing investment decisions. The emphasis on reliable data mirrors Reall’s commitment to utilising robust data and evidence to inform its strategies, advocate for open access, and position itself as a leader in thought leadership on housing and urbanisation. 

Moving forward, Reall will continue to build on these insights, prioritising localisation, climate resilience, and data-driven decision-making. Deepening collaboration across sectors and stakeholders will be crucial to accelerating progress towards sustainable, inclusive urban futures, ensuring that Reall’s work contributes meaningfully to global efforts to solve the housing crisis.

Reall’s engagement at WUF12 reaffirmed the urgency of this mission, showcasing the organisation’s pivotal role in driving transformative change. The connections forged, insights gained, and opportunities identified in Cairo will inform our strategies as we work to shape a future where housing is not just a structure but a foundation for dignity, security, and opportunity.

Article co-written by Jayamali Kankanige, Dr. Hannah Jayne Robinson and Nidhi Agarwal (Reall).