Baku: Housing is a human right, and ensuring it is a democratic responsibility of states, Rohey Malick Lowe, Mayor of Banjul, capital of Gambia and President of the Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA Africa), said at the closing ceremony of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) held in Baku, APA reports.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, ensuring decent housing is impossible without quality public services. Rohey Malick Lowe emphasized the importance of recognizing housing as a fundamental human right and called for a collective responsibility in ensuring this right is upheld.

Rohey Malick Lowe noted that structural barriers hindering development must be removed in order to achieve the targets set by Sustainable Development Goal 11 and the New Urban Agenda. She highlighted that issues such as inequality, poverty, and the commercialization of housing impede the sustainable development of cities.

The REFELA Africa president stressed that local and regional authorities are not only implementers of decisions, but also political actors participating in shaping global commitments. She underlined that this responsibility goes beyond policy-making and is crucial for maintaining trust, democracy, and the future of multilateral cooperation.