On 20 May 2026, ENoLL Director Martina Desole takes the stage at the United Nations World Urban Forum 13 (WUF13)in Baku, Azerbaijan. She will deliver a keynote at a high-level session organised by the G100 Smart and Sustainable Cities Wing, exploring how women-led innovation can drive more inclusive and resilient urban futures.
The session is titled “Housing in an Interconnected World: Women Leading Inclusive and Resilient Urban Futures”. It brings together policymakers, urban innovators, and community leaders. Together, they will explore how women-led approaches are reshaping housing systems in the face of climate risk, growing inequality, and accelerating urban change.
Nearly 3 billion people currently face some form of housing inadequacy. More than 1.1 billion live in informal settlements or slums. In addition, over 300 million experience homelessness. These are not abstract statistics. Instead, they are the backdrop against which cities and communities are being called to build responses that are grounded, participatory, and resilient.
WUF13 runs from 17 to 22 May 2026 in Baku. It is one of the most significant global gatherings on urban policy. Furthermore, it takes place at the midpoint of the New Urban Agenda. Its theme, “Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities”, places housing at the centre of discussions on inclusion, climate adaptation, and sustainable urban development.
Martina Desole joins a distinguished panel that includes G100 Smart and Sustainable Cities Wing Global Chair Zeynep Bodur Okyay. The panel also features urban experts and practitioners from Spain, India, Thailand, Nepal, and Peru. Together, they will examine how housing systems can withstand climate shocks while remaining affordable and socially inclusive. The discussion will also focus on how women-led initiatives protect the most vulnerable groups. These include children, youth, older persons, migrants, and people with disabilities.
ENoLL brings to this conversation years of experience in community-rooted innovation, co-design, and real-world experimentation. As a result, Living Labs are well placed to help translate global commitments into local impact. This session is an opportunity to make that case on one of the world’s most prominent urban policy stages.
Date: 20 May 2026, 2:00–3:30 pm
Venue: Multipurpose Room 14, WUF13, Baku, Azerbaijan
Format: Keynote interventions, moderated panel discussion, and audience Q&A
If you are attending WUF13, we would love to connect. Full event details are available at wuf.unhabitat.org/wuf13.
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