Quito Declaration on Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements for All

Heads of State, Government Ministers and High Representatives adopted a New Urban Agenda -- the Quito Declaration on Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements for All (Quito Declaration) -- at the end of the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) held in Quito, Ecuador from 17 to 20 October 2016. Sub-national and local governments, parliamentarians, civil society, indigenous peoples and local communities, the private sector, professionals and practitioners, the scientific and academic community, and other relevant stakeholders also participated in the meeting, which was held against the backdrop that by 2050 “the world urban population is expected to nearly double, making urbanization one of the 21st century’s most transformative trends.” (paras 1-2)

Among the areas specified on which they commit to take action are health and well-being, including sexual and reproductive health, and also the demographic dividend.

Health and well-being

The New Urban Agenda will help to improve human health and well-being (para 5) and there is a specific mention of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the follow up to the follow up to the conference as one of the outcomes that they take into account, together with the “milestone achievements in the course of the year 2015”. (Para 6)

Cities and human settlements should provide access to health, as well as to areas such as nutrition and education, and universal access to safe and affordable drinking water and sanitation, which also have an impact on health. (para 13(b))

The New Urban Agenda should be guided by interlinked principles such as Leave no one behind by ending poverty and “by ensuring... nutrition, health and well-being, including by ending the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria…” (para 14(b)) In addition, integrated age and gender-sensitive responsive housing policies, and approaches across all sectors including education, healthcare, and social integration should be promoted. (para 32)

Equitable and affordable access to health care, family planning and sexual and reproductive health

There should be equitable and affordable access to sustainable basic physical and social infrastructures for all, without discrimination, including for health care and family planning as well as safe drinking water and sanitation and safe nutritious and adequate food. (para 34) In addition safe, inclusive, accessible green and quality public spaces, including multi-functional areas should be promoted for human health and well-being as well as other benefits. (para 37) Cities and human settlements should also have “a safe healthy, inclusive, and secure environment” for all those who live, work and participate in urban life… (para 39)

In committing to new and renewable sources of energy among other advantages the reduction on public health costs of inefficient mobility, congestion, air pollution, urban heat island effect, and noise is cited. (para 54) Healthy societies will be fostered through access to adequate and quality public services, using air quality guidelines, eg those of WHO, “social infrastructure and facilities, such as health-care services, including universal access to sexual and reproductive heath-care services to reduce newborn child and maternal mortality.” (para 55)

Public spaces, renewable energy, urban transport and health

Creation, provision, and maintaining networks of open, safe, inclusive, accessible, green and quality public spaces will improve nutrition and physical and mental health in addition to a number of other benefits. (paras 67 & 100) At the same time encouraging national, sub-national, and local governments to develop sustainable, renewable, and affordable energy will also improve public health. (para 75) Health is included in the goals and sectoral policies for which coherence will be ensured; integrated housing approaches that include strong links with health; and the development of adequate and enforceable regulations in the housing sector. (paras 88, 108 & 111) They will also take measures to evaluate the benefits of urban and metropolitan transport schemes, including on public health. (para 115)

In the development and expansion of financing instruments to include improvement of transport and mobility infrastructure and systems, improvement in health and quality of life should also be taken into account. (para 118) Furthermore, promoting adequate investment in water, sanitation and related systems should focus on improving “safety against water-related disasters, health, and ensure universal access to safe and affordable drinking water for all; as well as access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all; and end open defecation, with special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.”  (para 119) Food policies will also be coordinated with other key policies, including health. (para 123) 

In addition to taking measures to improve road safely and integrate it into sustainable mobility and transport infrastructure planning and design, they will work to “adopt, implement, and enforce policies and measures to actively protect and promote pedestrian safety and cycle mobility, with a view to broader health outcomes, particularly the prevention of injuries and non-communicable diseases…” (para 113)

Demographic dividend

There is a commitment to harness the urban demographic dividend, where applicable. Access for youth to “education, skills development, and employment to achieve increased productivity and shared responsibility in cities and human settlements.” The Agenda recognizes that girls and boys and young women and young men as “key agents of change for creating a better future” and that they can become good advocates for themselves and their communities when they are empowered. (para 61)