India has been elected to the Executive Board of first United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) Assembly.
Key Highlights
- The India’s election was made at the ongoing Plenary Session of Assembly which is being held at the headquarters of UN-Habitat in Nairobi, Kenya.
- Schedule: The first session of the UN-Habitat Assembly will be held from 27 May 2019 till 31 May 2019.
- Task Undertaken: During the first session, Assembly will establish UN-Habitat’s Executive Board and elect its members. It will review and approve the UN-Habitat Strategic Plan 2020-2025 and will also review Progress in implementation of New Urban Agenda.
- Theme: The special theme for the first UN-Habitat Assembly is- ‘Innovation for Better Quality of Life in Cities and Communities’.
- Significance: The election of India in Executive Board indicates that country’s global clout continues to grow significantly.
About UN–Habitat
- It is the United Nations agency for human settlements and sustainable urban development. It was established in 1978 and is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.
- The establishment of UN-Habitat was an outcome of First United Nation (UN) Conference on Human Settlements and Sustainable Urban Development held in 1976 in Vancouver (Canada).
- Objective: To promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns & cities with aim of providing adequate shelter for all.
- Parent Organization: UN-Habitat reports to the UN General Assembly (UNGA). It is also a member of United Nations Development Group (UNDG).
- The UN-Habitat derives its mandate from the Habitat Agenda.
About UN Habitat Agenda
- It was adopted in 1996 by the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) in Istanbul in Turkey.
- The Habitat Agenda has twin goals of-
- Adequate shelter for all.
- Development of sustainable human settlements in today’s urbanizing world.