Harnessing the power of urban data to build sustainable cities for all.

 

Today, UN-Habitat joins the global community in celebrating World Statistics Day, an occasion that highlights the central role of data and statistics in shaping a sustainable urban future.

As the world becomes increasingly urbanized, quality statistics are essential to understanding the complex dynamics of cities — from housing affordability and access to services, to resilience, climate risk, and the wellbeing of communities in every settlement. Today, we know that over 2.8 billion people live in inadequate housing, including severe forms of deprivation such as life in slums and informal settlements.

Reliable, timely, and disaggregated urban data provide the evidence base that policymakers, mayors, and communities need to make informed decisions and measure progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda (NUA).

UN-Habitat has long been at the forefront of advancing global standards for urban statistics. Through initiatives such as the Global Urban Monitoring Framework (UMF), urban observatories, the global urban indicators programme, the Quality-of-Life Index (QoL), the degree of urbanization initiative, and more recently the Housing Statistics Indicators Programme and the Global Urban Data Coalition, we continue to work with countries and cities to harmonize definitions, strengthen data systems, and promote comparable and actionable metrics.

These frameworks are not only tools for measurement — they are catalysts for transformation. By integrating geospatial analytics, Earth observation data, and citizen-generated information, we are helping governments close data gaps and track progress in real time.

This year’s theme, “Driving Change with Quality Statistics and Data for Everyone,” reminds us that data must serve people. When grounded in transparency, participation, and inclusivity, statistics can empower communities, reveal inequalities, and inspire solutions that leave no one and no place behind.

UN-Habitat is proud to celebrate the dedication of statisticians, data scientists, local enumerators, and all those who work tirelessly to turn urban numbers into knowledge and knowledge into action.

As we move toward the World Urban Forum 2026 and the next UN Statistical Commission cycle, UN-Habitat reaffirms its commitment to strengthening global coordination of urban data through the establishment of the Global Urban Data Coalition. This effort will support national statistical systems, local observatories, and innovation networks to scale urban data production and analysis.

Together, we can ensure that data drive positive change and help improve the quality of life in every city and community worldwide.

Happy World Statistics Day 2025!



Tags: Kenya, UNHABITAT