The Global Platform for the Right to the City hosted several events during HABITAT III – the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development – that took place in Quito, Ecuador, from 17 – 20 October 2016.
DIALOGUES: RIGHT TO THE CITY AND CITY FOR ALL
The Dialogues Session took place on October 18th at the Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana and provided a platform for the discussion of issues related to the “Right to the City and Cities for All” as incorporated in the New Urban Agenda. Moreover, one of the key goals of the session was to discuss post-Habitat III implementation of the New Urban Agenda, as well as follow up mechanisms, states’ commitments, the role of local governments, and how to foster citizen participation and shared responsibility for a sustainable and inclusive agenda.
"First of all we should celebrate the Right to the City in the New Urban Agenda! From now we should stop reviewing the text of the NUA and start the concrete implementation of the R2C. Use the indicadores and information we've been producing during all this process towards the NUA, and map who are the social organizations and institutions (at the global, national and local levels) committed to the Right to the City". Nelson Saule (Instituto Pólis)
"The right to the city was incorporated into the New Urban Agenda and this is very important. However, its definition as adopted by the agenda lacks a fundamental element: the city as a common good." Augusto Barrera (FLACSO)
"We can´t talk about housing if we don´t talk about the city. And the social production of habitat has been built mainly by women. There is an omission and expulsion of the invisible people, even within NGOs themselves and social movements. The cities are not seen and used in a single way. We won´t advance in the New Urban Agenda if we don´t face the huge gender inequality. Poverty is not only an economic issue: we also have poverty of rights". Ana Falú (National University of Cordoba, Argentina)Videos of the Dialogue Event:
Check Augusto Barrera’ speech (FLACSO) on this video.
Check Ana Falú’ speech (National University of Cordoba, Argentina) on this video.
Check Rosário Robles’ speech (Mexico) on this video.
Check Nelson Saule’ speech (Pólis Institute) on this video.
THE GLOBAL PLATFORM FOR THE RIGHT TO THE CITY
The Global Platform for the Right to the City (GPR2C) emerged from the initiative of several organizations working from around the world to mobilize national and local governments, and international and regional organizations for a new development paradigm aiming at more inclusive and democratic cities. The GPR2C advocates for the recognition and adoption of the Right to the City in the implementation of public policies; therefore it participated, through its members, in different forums and events related to the Habitat III process to promote the Right to the City and to advocate for its adoption as the cornerstone of the New Urban Agenda.
