The inception, advocacy and impact of the Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing (2015–2025)

Research paper (UN ref. ECE/HBP/2025/Inf.2) was commissioned by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Geneva and prepared by Prof. Brian Evans of the Glasgow Urban Laboratory of the Glasgow School of Art, the Geneva UN Charter Centre of Excellence, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The paper provided a significant evidence statement of research and impact to support an international expert seminar (online- 25 March 2025) organised by the Secretariat to the Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe in collaboration with “Craft”, the Department of Architecture and Urban Studies, Politecnico di Milano and two Geneva UN Charter Centres of Excellence for Sustainable Housing hosted by University of Geneva and Glasgow Urban Laboratory of the Glasgow School of Art. The seminar output produced a paper (UN ref. ECE/HBP/2025/3) on housing affordability and sustainability for a ministerial meeting as part of the 86th Session of the Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management, Geneva 8-10 October 2025. Paper (UN ref. ECE/HBP/2025/Inf.2) sets out a chronological review of the Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing (the Charter) with an accompanying analytical and summative commentary. The paper covers the period from 2005 to 2025 in three parts describing three phases of work. (i) the intense interest in and need for housing policy and practice across the territory of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE – the Commission). This widespread interest generated support for the creation of a shared policy and an impetus for its intent. (ii) the implementation and delivery of that intent through a programme of advocacy over a 10-year period from 2015 to 2025. (iii) the impact and international reach of the Charter in terms of its mission within the ECE and throughout its member States and concludes with insights and conclusions that are both retrospective and prospective. The Geneva UN Charter on Social Housing has had a significant impact on the approach to sustainable housing throughout the 56 member states of the territory of the United Nation Economic Commission for Europe. The Charter is a clear and concise document with a core mission to provide shelter for people, that is affordable, sustainable and secure. It has had the support of successive Ministers from Member States, Executive Secretaries and numerous professional bodies dedicated to improvement of the lived quality of people’s lives and the quality of their homes. The Charter remains a current and valued reference document within the discussion of sustainability and affordability of housing purpose and legacy internationally. Paper (UN ref. ECE/HBP/2025/3) was adopted by ministers at the meeting of 8th October 2025.