UN-Habitat Chief Calls For Preventing Another Generation's Birth In Slums

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 21. The birth of another generation in slums must be prevented, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) Anacláudia Rossbach said at a roundtable event titled "Children and Youth" within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Trend reports.

'We cannot and mustn't allow another generation to be born in slums," the executive director explained.

She noted that this is one of the key challenges facing people as we embark on UN-Habitat's new strategic plan for 2026–2029, review the achievements of the New Urban Agenda over the past 10 years, and assess how children and young people are being left behind.

“A child living in a slum needs to go to school every day, but there is no school nearby, or the school is too far away, and there is no transportation. The child comes home from school and has to do homework, but there is no safe and appropriate environment because the living conditions are very difficult. It rains, and the house is flooded, the electricity is cut off. Or, as happened during COVID, a new pandemic occurs, and that child does not have access to the internet or digital resources, so they cannot attend classes,” Rossbach said.

According to the executive director, during my missions, I have seen that it is not just men who are living on the streets anymore.

"More and more women, children, and entire families are living on the streets. They have almost no chance. How often do children living in informal settlements or on the streets get sick? Do they have access to a clinic, health service or more specialized medical care nearby? Often not. How can that child continue their education in such conditions?

Also, think of a young person who has just entered university or started a new job. He's looking for a place to live in a new city and realizes that he cannot pay the rent, and buying an apartment is generally impossible. As a result, he can neither start a job nor continue his education.

I just want us to see the lives of these people, to understand what they feel and to feel how urgent and vital the issues we are discussing here are," she emphasized.

Rossbach pointed out that WUF13 can help to raise these goals to a higher level.

Today marks the fifth day of WUF13 in Baku.

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