Sub-national urban policies

Sub-National Urban Policies: A Guide

“The Guide is critical to expand knowledge and engagement with a better understanding of what subnational policies are, who benefits from them and the problems they intend to solve, as well as the importance of citizen participation, local democracy, and, ultimately, decentralization.”

“We feel that the Guide can be an important instrument on multilevel governance, and set a framework for self-evaluation and monitoring where we are. It can be a very useful tool for policy makers and planners to establish a different relation with their government. The Guide in this sense goes beyond arguing on the importance of the NUA, it helps to address enabling and hampering factors that lie in the governance systems.”

"Thank you for highlighting such an important tool to support governments in their policies. We hope that this Guide will be an easy tool, useful for all sister regions of the world, in this common goal of combating poverty and reducing inequalities.”

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Background

The mandate that arises from the #CitiesAreListening experiences is to transcend from social distance to a world driven by communities. As a step to deliver this mandate, UN-Habitat, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), with the support of the Andalusian Agency of International Cooperation for Development (AACID), have developed a guiding document on Sub-National Urban Policy: A Guide as an instrument to support urban management for governments and stakeholders.

The aim of this guide is to expand the knowledge and engagement of local regional and national government and their partners and communities. It provides a better understanding of these instruments, including what Subnational Urban Policies (SNUPs) are, what they are for, who benefits from them.

Additionally, the Guide highlights existing problems and challenges for the implementation of the global sustainable goals and the new urban agenda that are to be solved with an improved division of tasks between governments and more, in particular fiscal decentralization: and finally indicates methodological and practical steps to formulate, implement and develop Subnational Urban Policies.

The Guide will contribute to the work of the constituency in ensuring a territorial approach to the achievement of the SDGs and New Urban Agenda.

169

targets characterized by the 17 SDGs cannot be achieved without the involvement or coordination of local and regional governments

60%

of the world’s urban population live in metropolises with more than 300,000 inhabitants

Challenges

In order to overcome challenges derived from the pandemic, it is needed to put into practice a bottom-up approach of improved service delivery, since the close relation to citizens and territories allows more precise and consulted priorities for achieving inclusive and safe cities.
Local bodies need the support of national actors and can benefit from flexible planning and policy tools that are adaptable to every context and territory in order to respond to the demands of each community on behalf of the government.
For urban development to adopt a solidarity-driven perspective, policies and actions must be aligned at all levels, as well urban-rural linkages to change the perspective of power in an increasingly interconnected territory
Need to develop solid mechanisms for multilevel governance that allow for balanced development and policymaking that reflects the challenges and needs at all levels.

Learn more about the challenges being faced by cities and regions

Responses

Subnational policies appear to be the only way to achieve harmonised measures. The Marmara region in Turkey constitutes an inspiring example of a territory that coped with a high influx of migrants by adopting a strategic framework that coordinated national and local concerns.
Cabo Verde, for its part, developed plans for Nationally Determined Contributions, as well as national planning of territorial ordinances, consulting extensively on the need and suggestions of local government leaders to gather in the communities.
On the other side of the ocean, Cuenca in Ecuador showcased the local innovation of a city government when they adopted a strategy to enhance urban active mobility with an experience that inspires national change and regulation.

Learn more about other responses and initiatives in terms of Migration:

Towards the Pact

The Guide is a powerful tool for reaching the goals of the NUA by easing its incorporation into territorial planning.
The Guide will lead to further collaboration between national and subnational authorities.
Sub-national urban policies are a key instrument of multi-level governance that can contribute to balanced development within territories.

Resources

For further information on the topic of Public Service Delivery and its impact on cities and regions, please refer to the related resources included below.