UN‐Habitat partners with the Government of India (GOI) and the UN Agencies in the GOI‐UN Sustainable Development Framework (UN-SDF)

UN-Habitat jointly signed the GOI-UN Sustainable Development Framework (SDF) for 2018-2022 as part of UNinIndia with NITI Aayog at an official signing ceremony in New Delhi on 28 September 2018. The SDF was signed by the CEO, NITI Aayog, GOI, Mr. Amitabh Kant and the then United Nations Resident Coordinator (UNRC) in India, Mr. Yuri Afanasiev, in the presence of the Vice Chairperson, NITI Aayog, Dr. Rajiv Kumar. The GOI-UN SDF outlines the development cooperation strategy between the GOI and the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), in support of the achievement of India’s key national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDF outlines the work of UN agencies in India, to support seven key focus areas:

 

1. Poverty and Urbanization;

2. Health, water, and sanitation;

3. Education;

4. Nutrition and food security;

5. Climate change, clean energy, & disaster resilience;

6. Skilling, entrepreneurship, & job creation;

7. Gender equality and youth development.

UN-Habitat is co-convener for Focus Area 1 on Poverty and Urbanization with UNDP, which is being implemented as UN Flagship Program – Affordable, sustainable housing for the poor, recognized as among the key drivers of better livability and livelihood outcomes. The GOl-UNSDF period is from 2018-2022 which is a particularly crucial phase in India's development story, with 2022 set to mark 75 years since Indian Independence. Prime Minister Modi has given a call for building a New India by 2022. Successfully, implementing the GOI-UN SDF for 2018-2022 will significantly contribute to this goal as well as focus on an overarching principle of the SDGs to leave no one behind, echoing the GOI’s message of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ (development for all). The programmatic work outlined in the GOI-UN SDF targets the seven low-income states (Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, MP, Odisha, Rajasthan, UP), the North-East region, and the aspirational districts identified by the NITI Aayog. Therefore, UN-Habitat work in India is focusing on improving the lives of the most marginalized, poor, and vulnerable communities and people in the country, especially women and girls.