Disrupting inequality in cities: integrated approaches to equitable development

The world is rapidly urbanizing. By 2050, over half of the Earth’s population will live in urban environments – a first for mankind. And while cities can – and should – spur solutions for many of humanity’s most pressing challenges, they can also breed inequality. Building off of the visions of the SDGs and COP21 Agreement, the New Urban Agenda is poised to set a paradigm shift in motion – one that moves the world toward truly equitable development that respects people’s rights. The world is waiting to have a global framework in place that will ground the aspirations of the SDGs and COP21 in concrete principles and recommendations for action. And yet, after Quito is when the real work will begin. We believe that combatting spatial inequality in urbanization and urban settings will require robust multi-sectoral approaches and learning from colleagues from across the globe. The systems that produce and perpetuate inequality – unequal access to rights and government, a failure to provide and protect public goods, the unfair rules of the economy, land speculation and concentration of property – all play out in cities and are all deeply intertwined. What’s more, they are becoming increasingly global as markets, political realities and migration patterns all bleed over country boundaries. Cross-sector collaboration will be key to combatting inequality around the world. This event will focus on strengthening integrated approaches to disrupting spatial inequality in cities. We will bring together experts from diverse backgrounds and geographies who each tackle urban inequality. The discussion will highlight best practices, lessons learned, and challenges to tackling spatial inequality across a range of global contexts to explore what we share in common and what we can learn from each other to achieve our common goals.