9th International and Comparative Urban Law Conference
Accra, Ghana | 17-21st May 2023
UN-Habitat, through the Policy, Legislation and Governance Section, was invited to participate in the 9th International and Comparative Urban Law Conference (ICULC). This is an annual initiative from one of the Section’s key partners, the Urban Law Center at Fordham Law School, to convene legal scholars to explore the intersection of urban law and urbanism around urban governance and innovation; sustainability and ecosystems; public health and housing; the scope and structure of local governance; and the role of law in urban policy areas.
The objective of PLGS participation was to present the work of PLGS on effective legislation and scrutiny as well as the findings of the project on Urban Law for Resilient and Low Carbon Urban Development. It was also an opportunity to discuss future collaboration with key partners (Fordham University (USA), University of North-West (South Africa), University of Witwatersrand, South Africa) and to establish new partnerships.
The event was hosted at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration campus (GIMPA) in Accra, Ghana from Thursday, May 18th to Saturday, May 20th, 2023.
Presentations on the effectiveness of laws based on the Guidelines for the Scrutiny of the Quality of Urban Legislation: A Manual for Parliamentarians.
Highlights
1️⃣ Dynamic Forum: Around 50 participants gathered to explore diverse perspectives on the intersection of cities and law, fostering international, comparative, and interdisciplinary discussions.
2️⃣ Unprecedented Collaboration: The event was organized in coordination with the Association of Urban Legal Scholars (AULS) and marked the launch of an Africa-focused regional affiliate, emphasizing emerging urban legal issues in Africa.
3️⃣ Key Presentations: Highlights on the growing role of cities as global actors, advocating for their involvement in international agendas such as climate change and migration issues was made. Presentation on the Right-to-Housing Index, a tool for understanding and assessing adequate housing rights in cities, was also made.
Outcomes & Next Steps:
1️⃣ Urban Law Days: Agreement to hold three Urban Law Days in 2023, including events at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (UK), Fordham Law School, and a joint initiative with University of Witwatersrand and University of Stellenbosch.
2️⃣ Potential Partnerships: UN-Habitat exploring collaborations with esteemed professionals, such as Mr. Michel Vols, Prof. Helmut Aust, Ms. Anel du Plessis, and Mr. Christian Iaione, to pilot the Right-to-Housing Index, conduct normative research on cities in international law and SDG localization, and promote citizen-led energy infrastructure.
3️⃣ Advancing Sustainable Development: Building on the conference’s momentum, UN-Habitat continues to advocate for SDG localization through initiatives like Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) and the ‘Housing at the Centre’ framework, prioritizing holistic housing development and human rights within urban sustainable development.
