The UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award was created by the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) in 1989 to encourage and recognize the countries, governments, organizations, and individuals who have made great contributions to the development of housing.[1] It is the most prestigious human settlements award in the world by the United Nations, given by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), and has recognized 192 initiatives since its launch in 1989.
The aim of the award is to honour and acknowledge initiatives which have made outstanding contributions in the field of human settlements, provision of housing, highlighting the plight of people living in poverty or who have been displaced, developing, and improving human settlements and the quality of urban life to leave no one behind echoing the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 with emphasis on Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
The award, a plaque engraved with the name of the winner, is handed over at the Global Observance of the World Habitat Day, the day the United Nations has set aside to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to reflect on the state of our cities and towns and to shape the future. World Habitat Day was established in 1985 by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 40/202 and was first celebrated in 1986.[2]
Eligibility
Individuals, organizations, the private sector, government, non-governmental, bilateral and multi-lateral aid agencies dealing with sustainable projects which have had great impact in society, and any Habitat Agenda partner who has improved the lives of people can be nominated for the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour.
Evaluation criteria
A Committee comprising from UN-Habitat experts and senior management makes the initial assessment of the nominations and submissions of the candidates and verify that the submission conforms to the standards outlined in the guidelines. After strict reviewing and screening materials of all the candidates, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme chooses the winners. In the past, every year the number of awards by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme depends, generally below ten. Since 2018 only five winners, ideally from each Region of the world, are selected. Past winners are outstanding in the international, regional or national level of human living and have extensive influences. On every World Habitat Day, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme will hold the award ceremony in a prior selected city.
Winners
Each year, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme receives a large number of projects nominated by governments after selection. Recommended candidates can be government organizations or agencies, individuals, or projects, and initiatives can address any aspects of human settlements, such as housing, infrastructure, urban renewal, sustainable human settlements development, or post-disaster reconstruction.[3]
2023
Awards were given to the following:[4]
Winner
Awarded For
Country
Fundación Pro Empleo Productivo A.C.
"For developing training programmes that promote job creation and improve economic productivity in cities"
Mexico
Dubai Municipality
"For establishing and implementing the Fat, Oil and Grease Waste Recycling Programme (FOG) to deal with waste material from the hospitality industry"
United Arab Emirates
FICA (Fundo Imobiliário Comunitário para Alaguel)
"For its action devoted to fighting housing speculation and gentrification in central areas of three major cities in Brazil"
Brazil
Assembleia de Moradores
"For creating city wide social, economic and environmental development solutions for all residents through facilitating relations between the City of Braga, the municipal housing company and the social housing beneficiaries of the City of Braga"
Portugal
EcoVironment
"For tackling the critical issue of plastic pollution and its detrimental impact on the urban environment"
Sierra Leone
2022
Awards were given to the following:[5]
Winner
Awarded For
Country
The 15'min City global initiative
"For offering a compelling model of sustainable urban development"
Global
Mr. Stanley Anigbogu
"For pioneering simple technology to recycle waste and create energy for marginalized communities"
Nigeria
Ms. Dipti Mahapatro, Bhubaneswar
"For leadership in transforming a mass rapid transit system to make it inclusive and accessible"
India
Programa Parceria, Recife
"For efforts in reducing disaster risks, enhancing resilience and improving infrastructure in favelas"
Brazil
URBAN Intergroup of the European Parliament
"For enabling legislation, policies, and finance for sustainable urban development"
"Implementing people-centred and inclusive city regeneration and development initiatives prioritizing low income residents to ensure they are not left behind"
Presented Posthumously in Memory of Dr. Mona A. Serageldin (1938 – 2018), Vice President: Institute for International Urban Development (I2UD) (2005 – 2018)
"Promoting practical research-based approaches to address a broad spectrum of development challenges in a wide range of settings"
The Special Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance (FEICOM)
"Assisting municipalities in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including efforts on clean water, access to education and health facilities"
"10 years charismatic leadership and courageous promotion of ethical governance in a city stressed by socio-economic, political and service delivery problems"
^"UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award – UN-Habitat". unhabitat.org. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
^"United Nations General Assembly Resolution 40/202". www.undocs.org/. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
^"UN-Habitat launches the 2013 Scroll of Honour Awards". UCLG - United Cities and Local Governments. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
^"2023 UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award Winners Announced". unhabitat.org.
^"2022 UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award Winners Announced". unhabitat.org.
^"2021 UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award Winners Announced". unhabitat.org.
^"2020 UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award Winners Announced". unhabitat.org. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
^"2018 Scroll of Honour Winners". unhabitat.org. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
^"2013 Scroll of Honour Winners". Mirror.unhabitat.org. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
^"2012 Scroll of honour winners". Mirror.unhabitat.org. Retrieved 2018-07-20.
^"UN-HABITAT announces the 2011 Scroll of Honor Award Winners - United Nations Information Centre in Cairo". United Nations Information Centre in Cairo. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
^"Habitat Scroll of Honour Award winners announced for 2009 | Cities Alliance". www.citiesalliance.org. 2011-08-09. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
External links
World Habitat Day
2009 Scroll of Honour Award Winners
2010 UN-HABITAT Scroll of Honour Award Winners
2018 UN-HABITAT Scroll of Honour Award Winners
2018 UN-HABITAT Scroll of Honour Award Winner Video