Summary of key challenges facing cities

globally
Urban population growth:

 Rapid urbanization, especially in Africa and Asia, with 2.2 billion new
urban residents by 2050.
 Most growth in small cities with less than 1 million people.

Income and poverty:

 One-third of urban residents are poor, concentrated in developing

countries.
 Inequality between regions is high, with North America having 16 times
higher income than Sub-Saharan Africa.
 Over 600 million people remain in extreme poverty globally.
 Informal workers lack income security and social protection.

Health:

 Mental illness rising sharply in cities, with limited access to treatment.

 Urban slums have higher disease burdens and lower access to
healthcare.
 Clear urban health divides exist, with the urban poor faring worse.

Education:

 COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted education, widening

inequalities.
 Digital divides worsen educational disparities, especially for girls and
rural populations.

Digitalisation:

 2.7 billion people remain offline, with significant regional and urban-
rural gaps.
 Gender gap exists, with fewer women having internet access.

Mobility:

 Only 37% of urban areas have public transport, leaving many without
convenient options.
 Sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest public transport access.

Housing and infrastructure:

 1.6 billion people live in inadequate housing, with 1 billion in slums.

 Massive inadequacies in housing and critical infrastructure, especially
in developing regions.
Public spaces:

 Unequal access to open public spaces for urban residents worldwide.

 Eastern and Southeastern Asia has the lowest access.

Planning and design capacity:

 Severe shortage of urban planning professionals in rapidly urbanising

regions.
 Most professionals concentrated in large cities, leaving smaller cities
with major gaps.

Overall:

 Cities face numerous challenges related to poverty, inequality, health,

education, infrastructure, and public spaces.
 Rapid urbanization in developing regions requires increased
investment and planning capacity.
 UN-Habitat plays a role in supporting sustainable urban development.