The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the UN agency responsible for human settlements, mandated to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities, with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all.

UN-Habitat contributes to the overall objective of the United Nations to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development, working with governments and local authorities and a wide cross-section of international and local stakeholders. Accordingly, UN-Habitat is actively engaged in:

• Urban Legislation, Land and Governance
• Urban Planning and Design
• Urban Economy
• Urban Basic Services
• Housing and Slum Upgrading
• Risk Reduction and Rehabilitation
• Research and Capacity Development

In Sri Lanka, cooperation between the Government and UN-Habitat has a long history, dating back to 1978, with UN-Habitat providing assistance to a range of national programmes and city-based projects.

UN-Habitat assists Sri Lanka to improve human settlements through programmes on low income settlements upgrading, climate change and disaster risk reduction, water and sanitation and urban planning. UN-Habitat is presently assisting families to rebuild over 31,000 homes and essential community infrastructure in post conflict regions.

Click to view the UN-Habitat Sri Lanka Profile (PDF).