21 January 2016: The UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) held an expert meeting to help develop a programme on sustainable construction and decent jobs for women’s empowerment. Experts discussed ways to mainstream gender equality in sustainable construction and urbanization, agreed to develop indicators to monitor progress, and identified possible partners and funders for the programme.

The first Expert Group Meeting for Women in Sustainable Housing: Empowerment through decent jobs and sustainable construction programme (WISH) convened from 7-8 December 2015, at UN-HABITAT headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. Representatives from government, international organizations, financial institutions, the private sector and civil society evaluated and refined a roadmap for implementing the WISH programme. They also amended WISH’s mission statement to include language on tackling “inadequate recognition, engagement and opportunities for decent work for women in the housing construction sector.”

The next meeting on the WISH will take place in Indonesia in July 2016, during the third meeting of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom 3) for the Third UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), as part of the discussion on the development of the expected New Urban Agenda. [UN-HABITAT Press Release] [Habitat III Prep Process]