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

Biodiversity Day: Protecting humanity’s ‘life-support system’ | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
The theme of the International Day for Biological Diversity, observed on Monday, centres on moving from talk to action: build back biodiversity.

Advocating for sustainable water ‘gamechangers’, Kőrösi goes West | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
The water challenges confronting the western United States as a result of climate change and declining water supply, are similar to those of other countries, and if the international community takes urgent action on the outcomes of the recent UN Water Conference,...

Plenty abuzz on World Bee Day | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
Beekeepers around the world earn their livelihoods from the golden honey their bees produce, but they also play a critical role in pollinating 87 of 115 leading food crops worldwide. World Bee Day, observed on Saturday, is abuzz with promoting their sustainable...

Trafficking in the Sahel: Guns, gas, and gold | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
Chili peppers, fake medicine, fuel, gold, guns, humans, and more are being trafficked via millennia-old trade routes crisscrossing the Sahel, and the UN and partners are trying out new, collaborative ways to thwart those attempting the illegal practice, a growing...

First Person: Rising from disaster | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
Disasters can reverse hard-won development gains by decades and leave the most vulnerable populations more exposed to deadly risks. As nations gathered this week to take stock of how the world is better preparing for disasters in line with the Sendai Framework, Raul...

‘Weak and insufficient’ progress made towards disaster risk reduction | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
Global progress towards disaster risk management has been weak and insufficient, putting at risk the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told the General Assembly on Thursday.

Guterres calls for end to digital divide, stressing ‘tremendous opportunities’ ahead | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
The digital revolution offers “tremendous opportunities” to fast track sustainable development, but Least Developed Countries need much more help getting online if they’re to benefit too.

New UN ‘roadmap’ shows how to drastically slash plastic pollution | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
Plastic pollution could be slashed by 80 per cent by 2040 if countries and companies use existing technologies to make significant policy shifts and market adjustments, according to a new UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report released on Tuesday.

Untested AI-based tools could harm patients, WHO warns | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
As excitement builds throughout health and information systems worldwide over the rich potential benefits of new tools generated by artificial intelligence (AI), the UN health agency on Tuesday called for action to ensure that patients are properly protected.

Post-pandemic world economy still feeling COVID-19’s sting | UN News – Global perspective Human stories
Prospects for a robust global economic recovery remain dim as the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic carry on, according to the UN’s latest World Economic Situation and Prospects report, released on Tuesday.