UNECE housing and land management unit publishes newsletter

Dear colleagues,

I am glad to share with you the Newsletter of the UNECE Housing and Land Management Unit of the Forests, Land and Housing Division. I am certain that everyone is looking forward to the day when our lives could go back to normal, where normal is bound to be “new normal”. What will be the “new normal” for our life in cities? What will be the major challenges in the post-COVID-19 era?

According to the UN Secretary-General’s Shared Responsibility, Global Solidarity report, the economic consequences of the pandemic are expected to affect, first of all, vulnerable groups, including women, youth, and those living and working in the informal sector; and the recovery of the world economy is not expected in the best case earlier than 2021. The report calls for concerted actions to help the recovery process and to “build back better”. For cities and human settlements this means to help to rebuild them in a way that they are more resilient to different disasters, have more affordable and healthier homes, less homelessness and less inequalities.

Responding to this call for actions by the UN Secretary General, the UNECE Housing and Land Management Unit has adjusted its activities to support the post-pandemic recovery.

This issue of our newsletter presents the work of the Housing and Land Management Unit for 2020. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been also updates to our meetings and events, which you will find in this newsletter.

I trust that you will find the newsletter interesting, useful and informative.

Sincerely,

Paola Deda, Director,
UNECE Forests, Land and Housing Division