Cities and the SDGs: Leaving No One Behind

Urbanization trends indicate that sustainable development challenges will be increasingly concentrated and particularly acute in cities and in areas where urbanization will be rapid. As humanity increasingly become urban, the achievement of out sustainable development goals will therefore depend on the kind cities we build. To achieve the world we want as envisioned in the 2030 Agenda, a world where no one is left behind, we need to ensure that our cities are built for all. While urbanization and cities present opportunities for enhancing the economic prospects of countries and improving the lives of many, rapid urbanization and rapidly expanding cities however also pose challenges particularly to lower-middle- income countries already grappling with economic, social and environmental concerns. More than two thirds of the world’s population live in cities in which income inequalities have increased since 1980. Exclusion, lack of access to basic services, unemployment and poverty are examples of the traditional development challenges that entail distinctive dimensions in the context of cities and rapid urbanization in developing countries. This session will explore various forms of and approaches to inclusion, economic empowerment, gender equality, access to services and new opportunities, and engagement and mobilization that respond to the imperative to leave to one behind. It will draw from efforts around the world and engage partners from across regions, practices and sectors, and support partners to explore potential synergies.