2.6. A Call to Action for Cities

COVID-19 has unlocked a huge potential for transformative change in cities: the pandemic has been a major disruption in how people live, work and travel in cities. For the first time in history, the world experienced lockdowns at a global scale. As a result, cities have responded in innovative ways to mitigate the impacts and provide for the different needs of vulnerable groups. A review of responses suggests new templates for collective action and delivery of social and public goods in cities. Some of the promising trends include:

ƒ National and local governments expanded their social protection function. Special assistance for the elderly with medical needs, repurposing of urban spaces and buildings to shelter the homeless and those unable to safely isolate at home, food relief for the poor, water and sanitation facilities for slums, temporary bans on eviction of tenants who are no longer able to pay rent and various other forms of financial assistance for people losing their jobs due to restrictions on movement have been documented.

ƒ Communities and businesses realized the importance of the spirit of solidarity.

Digital cash transfers from global citizens to slums of African cities and to households unable to pay rent in US cities is but one example of extension of community support through a peer-to-peer model. While faithbased organizations have played this role historically, new business models that leverage empathy are emerging. With lower trust in institutions, social enterprises can play a role in channelling finance to those in need. The role of communities was particularly effective in limiting the spread of the virus through information and awareness campaigns and supporting testing and tracking.

ƒ Responses are showing ability and agility for fast-tracked problem solving. A precedent has been set for quick solutions to some of the most long-standing human rights violations. In slums, where the right to water and sanitation has been neglected for decades, states have provided decentralized solutions like handwashing stations overnight. With urban spaces and buildings being repurposed as temporary shelters, there is clear evidence that global homelessness can finally be seriously addressed and ended. The crisis has proven that when there is enough political will and flexibility, change can happen.

The actions taken for socially, spatially and economically disadvantaged groups in an emergency period has set new precedents. Many of the measures implemented as an emergency response for public health hold great promise for being scaled up or continued to address the human right to an adequate standard of living for the longer term. This should focus on reaching those who are the most deprived and underserved. Although COVID-19 is forcing action, many of the measures seem to be temporary and need to be transformed into longer-term commitments to maintain social protection of the weakest while also building urban resilience to future pandemics and other crises. This requires strengthening public investment in health care, housing and infrastructure. Box 2.14 provides an analysis of responses in 56 cities across these different sectors, suggesting a significant level of investment in resilience and recovery efforts in cities, regardless of their levels of GDP. COVID-19 has unlocked a huge potential for transformative change in cities: the pandemic has been a major disruption in how people live, work and travel in cities

The actions taken for socially, spatially and economically disadvantaged groups in an emergency period has set new precedents

Locally produced handwashing stations installed to prevent COVID-19 spread © UN-Habitat