World Urban Forum, Networking Event on “Addressing Internal Displacement in Devastated Cities: Should Housing and Service Provision Take Centre Stage?”
World Urban Forum 13 – Networking Event | 20 May 2026 | Baku
The event brought together local authorities, UN agencies, researchers and practitioners to examine how housing, basic services and urban recovery can contribute to durable solutions for internally displaced people (IDPs) in cities affected by conflict and disasters.
Speakers: Ms. Paula Gaviria Betancur, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons; Ms. Ugochi Daniels, Deputy Director General, Operations, IOM and Solutions Champion representative; Mr. Abdullah Anati, Executive Director, Association of Palestinian Local Authorities; Mr. Satar Abdulgani, Mayor, Municipal Council of Pemba, Mozambique; Ms. Valeriia Vershynina, Member, Global IDP Advisory Group and Executive Director, Stabilization Support Services; Mr. Filiep Decorte, Emergency Director, UN-Habitat; and Ms. Caitlin Sturridge, Senior Research Fellow, Humanitarian Policy Group, ODI Global (online). Moderator: Ms. Emilia Saiz Carrancedo, Secretary General, United Cities and Local Governments
Participants emphasized that adequate housing, secure tenure and access to essential services are fundamental to rebuilding lives, restoring dignity and enabling displaced people to fully participate in urban life. At the same time, housing and services alone cannot resolve displacement. Sustainable solutions require their integration into broader urban planning, governance, livelihoods and recovery processes.
Experiences from Palestinian municipalities, Pemba in Mozambique and other displacement-affected contexts highlighted the importance of inclusive, area-based approaches that address the needs of both displaced people and host communities. Participants stressed that IDPs should not only be consulted but actively involved in planning, prioritization and implementation as residents and partners in rebuilding their cities.
The discussion also highlighted persistent challenges, including fragmented planning, limited financing and weak coordination across levels of government and between humanitarian, development and peace actors. Participants called for stronger partnerships and displacement-sensitive urban recovery approaches that can “build back better” while preventing inequalities from becoming entrenched and supporting resilient, inclusive cities.
The event underscored the need to connect urban reconstruction with durable solutions to internal displacement, demonstrating how investments in housing and services can strengthen urban systems and create opportunities for all residents.
Organized by the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Global Solutions Hub on Internal Displacement and UN-Habitat.