The Rapidly-Evolving Impact of COVID-19
Evaluating the unique challenges and needs in affordable housing during uncertain times
UN-Habitat COVID-19 Readiness and Responsiveness Tracker
In association with CitiQ, the UN-Habitat has launched a new data platform to provide information from cities around the world to help develop response strategies and protect the population.
How can we address housing insecurity during the pandemic? – The Urban Institute Podcast
In the first of a series of podcasts on how the pandemic will affect vulnerable populations, host Justin Milner speaks with Mary Cunningham, vice president of the Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center and researcher Samantha Batko about how the pandemic impacts those experiencing homelessness, those on the edge of becoming homeless and what policymakers can do to help.
The Latest COVID-19 Updates From our Partners

Ukraine among new members elected to UN Economic and Social Council | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
The General Assembly on Wednesday elected a new slate of members to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the principal body responsible for coordinating the Organization’s work on sustainable development and economic issues.

UN searches for solutions to global housing crisis | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
The UN’s urban development agency estimates that an astonishing 2.8 billion people worldwide lack access to adequate housing, secure land, and basic water and sanitation services – that’s around 40 per cent of the global population.

Champions for Change: World football teams up with UN development goals | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
Football unites fans worldwide – but on Wednesday it matched the sport’s global reach with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the lead-up to World Football Day, marked on 25 May.

Over 60 per cent of the Arab world still outside the banking system | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
Between 2016 and 2024, the number of Egyptians with a bank account – which experts say is essential for financial inclusion - tripled, from 17.1 million to over 51 million.

Afghanistan’s socioeconomic crisis deepens amid crackdown on women’s rights | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
In Afghanistan, 75 per cent of the population struggles to meet their daily needs; with female-headed households, rural communities and internally displaced persons being most affected, the UN development agency (UNDP) has noted in a new report.

UN warns of $4 trillion shortfall threatening global development goals | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
Facing a staggering $4 trillion annual financing gap for development and mounting trade wars, top UN officials on Monday called for urgent action to rescue the Sustainable Development Goals and revive international cooperation.

Climate change: How mountain communities are scaling new heights | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
Low-lying islands aren’t the only ones at risk from our warming planet, as mountain communities are now finding.

Trust collapsing as job fears surge worldwide, warns UN | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
Billions of people around the world are living in fear of job loss or struggling to find work, as economic instability, conflict, and climate shocks combine to erode global security, a new UN report has warned.

AI lightens the workload – but risks remain, labour agency warns | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
Artificial intelligence, robotics, and digitalization are rapidly reshaping how we work – but they’re a source of unexpected risks too.

Largely eradicated diseases at risk of returning due to budget cuts | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
Vaccines have saved around 150 million lives over the past 50 years, but that progress is now under threat.