Only one week after its release, the joint Declaration regarding the World Urban Forum in Medellin (WUF – 5 to 11 April, 2014), elaborated by the Committee on Social Inclusion, the Habitat International Coalition, the Forum of Peripheral Local Authorities (FALP) and Mercociudades, has already received the support of four Brazilian organizations:
- Brazilian Association of Municipalities (ABM): The oldest municipal entity of Brazil which aims to improve the conditions of life in the cities and enhance the management capacity of the municipalities. Check their note of support (portuguese)
- National Forum for urban reform (FNRU): plural articulation of Brazilian organizations (popular movements, trade unions, NGOs and academia) fighting for fair, democratic, inclusive and sustainable cities.
- Polis - Institute for studies, training and advice on social policies: national NGO that works on issues related to the promotion of public policies and local development.
- Brazilian Institute of Urban Law (IBDU): National Association formed by professionals, researchers and students specialized in urban legal issues.
The declaration, of which the full content can be read here, expresses the critics and suggestions from several networks of local governments and civil society organizations on the political approach of the WUF 7 proposed by UN-HABITAT.
In this sense, the document defends that development does not mean equity and social and spatial justice (#growthISNOTequity) and that it is urgent to apply a human rights approach to urban policies and habitat. It also proposes as axes of the new agenda of Habitat III the concepts of "cities for life" and "right to the city".