PASAY CITY— The Philippine Representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) Ambassador Belinda M. Ante moderated the Session 1 of the AICHR Forum on SDG 11: Make Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient, and Sustainable in the Post- Pandemic held on 31 March 2022 via videoconference. She highlighted the role of SDG 11 in making cities resilient and inclusive in order to fully uphold the rights of vulnerable groups post COVID-19 pandemic.
“This can be done by improving urban planning and management in participatory and inclusive ways, ensuring that no one is left behind. As our region moves toward recovering and rebuilding, we hope we can use this session as a platform of opportunity to share practical ways, guided by the targets of the SDG 11,” emphasized Ambassador Ante.
During the forum, she also stressed how people in vulnerable situations are exposed to further risks, as challenges such as unplanned urban sprawl and inadequate infrastructure, are further aggravated by the ongoing global health crisis. As an example, she cited how those in informal settlements face difficulties in adhering to health protocols such as social distancing.
Participants and speakers of the session also highlighted the need to utilize a human rights-based approach, with special attention to vulnerable groups such as children, women, and persons with disabilities, as a way forward towards making ASEAN cities inclusive and participatory.
The Forum, organized by AICHR Indonesia, serves as a platform for AICHR to discuss the use of Sustainable Development Goal 11 framework to guide cities in the recovery phase from the pandemic.
Source: Republic of Philippines Department Of Foreign Affairs