With reference to the role of UN-Habitat in the United Nations programme working towards a better urban future, which of the statements is/are correct?
- 1.UN-Habitat has been mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities to provide adequate shelter for all.
- 2.Its partners are either governments or local urban authorities only.
- 3.UN-Habitat contributes to the overall objective of the United Nations system to reduce poverty and to promote access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only
UN-Habitat, the UN Human Settlements Programme, is mandated by the General Assembly to promote sustainable towns and cities and works to reduce poverty and improve access to water and sanitation, so statements 1 and 3 hold. Statement 2 fails because its partners are not only governments and city authorities.
- ✓ 1. UN-Habitat is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities; the aim it has long stated is adequate shelter for all.
- ✗ 2. UN-Habitat works with a wide range of partners: political actors, civil society, professional organisations, the private sector, universities and foundations, apart from national and local governments.
- ✓ 3. UN-Habitat promotes urbanisation as a force for reducing inequality, discrimination and poverty, and its work on urban planning and waste management supports access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene.
Remember · UN-Habitat (Nairobi) is the UN's human settlements programme. It has a General Assembly mandate for sustainable cities and works with governments, civil society and business alike.
Sources
- UN-Habitat: About Us ↗ · reference work “The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. … UN-Habitat promotes urbanization as a positive transformative force for people and communities, reducing inequality, discrimination and poverty.”
- UN-Habitat: Partnerships at UN-Habitat ↗ · reference work “UN-Habitat strives to establish and strengthen strategic relationships with a diverse range of partners at national, regional and international level, including political actors, civil society, professional organizations, and the private sector”
- UN-Habitat: Partners (Overview) ↗ · reference work “For over forty years, UN-Habitat has served as the global leader in promoting socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements and adequate shelter for all.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·