The Global Urban Observatory Network (GUO-Net) is a worldwide information and capacity-building network established by the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-HABITAT) to help implement the New Urban Agenda at the national and local levels. The GUO-NET consists of national and city-level institutions that function as National and Local Urban Observatories.

UNI, Habitat’s Partnership with Universities Worldwide is UN-Habitat’s partnership with universities worldwide. With a global geographical coverage, the network was introduced as a means of promoting cooperation between UN-Habitat and institutions of higher education, as well as facilitating exchange and cooperation among universities globally. The network is focused on collaborative research, partnerships and knowledge sharing. As such UNI promotes partnerships between universities and cities actively engaged in problem solving, thus closing the gap between academia and practice, and encouraging collaborative learning.

Habitat Professional Forum is a voluntary affiliation of international and regional associations of Human Settlements Professionals, involved in sustainable urban development. It aims to foster cooperation and partnership between the Human Settlements Professionals and UN-HABITAT through dialogue and partnerships. It also provides leading-edge information and expertise that contribute to the implementation of the Habitat Agenda and sustainable urban development.

Global Water Operations Partnerships is the organization set up by UN-Habitat through the Water Trust Fund to promote and support Water Operators’ Partnerships (WOPs) world-wide. GWOPA aims to contribute to meeting national and global water and sanitation commitments, including those relating to the Sustainable Development Goals and the Human Right to Water.

Global Network of Urban Planning and Design Labs proposes and implements urban planning projects from neighbourhood to city-wide scale worldwide. The LAB was created as a response to the growing demand from local, regional and national governments for assistance in sustainable urban planning.

Global Network for Sustainable Housing is an international partnership linking practitioners, academics and organizations that are leading the policy development, research and design for environmentally, economically, socially and culturally sustainable housing. With a global geographical coverage, the network aims to promote projects that demonstrate the capacity to enhance sustainable urban development and economic growth, increase employment opportunities, improve quality of life and contribute to poverty alleviation.

Global Network on Safer Cities is an initiative of UN-Habitat, with the goal of equipping local authorities and urban stakeholders to deliver urban safety. Launched in September 2012 at the Sixth session of the World Urban Forum in Naples, Italy, the GNSC is envisioned to serve as the foremost international platform for cities and urban stakeholders endeavouring to prevent crime and improve urban safety.

The principal organizations which support development of national urban policies are UN-Habitat, Cities Alliance and OECD. In each country a committee comprising diverse partners is established to develop a national policy. Once completed quite often the committee/taskforce is disbanded.

Global Network on Energy was established by UN-Habitat to encourage and support the design and implementation of energy-access programmes and projects for the urban poor worldwide. With a focus on urban energy, GENUS aims to promote collaboration among the public and private sectors, CSO’s and global agencies, working in the urban energy sector.

GLTN is an alliance of international and regional partners,whose focus is to contribute to poverty alleviation efforts, through increased access to land and security of tenure for all. In addition, it aims to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda, through land reform for all people, especially women, youth, and vulnerable groups. GLTN is a multi-stakeholder issue-based network with diverse partners including Member States, UN agencies, civil society, professional groups, academia, grassroots and informal sector organizations.

Global Housing Strategy Platform is a collaborative global movement towards adequate housing
for all and improving housing and living conditions of slum dwellers. The GHS was initiated by the GC
Resolution 23/16 with a major focus on human settlements specifically slum dwellers. GHS aims to
assist member states in working towards the realization of the right to adequate housing. Furthermore; it
aims to enable member States to develop national housing strategies.

Cities and Climate Change Initiative – seeks to enhance the preparedness and mitigation activities of cities in developing countries. It emphasizes good governance, responsibility, leadership, and practical initiatives for local governments, communities, and citizens. Its areas of focus are medium-sized cities in developing and least developed countries and emphasizes good governance and practical initiatives for the municipalities and their citizens.

Global Alliance of Cities in Crisis – is a multi-disciplinary, collaborative community of practitioners focused to prevent, prepare for and effectively respond to humanitarian crises in urban settings. It was established to bring together the different actors who can help to improve crisis preparedness and response in cities. It promotes a vision of inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and towns in which urban communities, their leaders and members have the power, capacities and resources to address the risks and reality of humanitarian crises, to mitigate crisis impacts on the most vulnerable, including the displaced, and to enable affected people to determine, with dignity, the course of their lives and their futures