18/05/2026

"Colonial Injustice and Housing Shortage" and " Global South Youth Platform: The Role of Youth in Decolonizing Urbanization"

Baku Initiative Group will host the events “Colonial Injustice and Housing Shortage“ and "Global South Youth Platform: The Role of Youth in Decolonizing Urbanization" within UN World Urban Forum (WUF13)

Within the framework of the 13th Session of the United Nations World Urban Forum (WUF13), to be held in our capital city, Baku, the Baku Initiative Group will organize an international conference on 20 May 2026 entitled “The Role of Youth in Decolonizing Urbanization.” The conference will be remembered as the first international event of the Global South Youth Platform, established at the initiative of BIG by young people representing various countries around the world.

For the first time, the United Nations Youth Office will also be represented at the conference by its delegates. The event will bring together members of the Global South Youth Platform representing current and former colonies, including young researchers, specialists in international law, healthcare professionals, representatives of pro-independence political parties and organizations, leaders of youth organizations, and university students. In total, representatives from 22 countries will take part in the conference.

The event will discuss the establishment of stronger and more coordinated mechanisms of action among young people from different regions against the continuing effects of colonialism and neocolonialism, the networking of the Global South Youth Platform, and the transformation of international solidarity into practical and effective platforms. Participants will also exchange views on strengthening youth organization at a higher level, placing systemic discrimination and rights violations faced by minorities at the center of the international agenda, and advancing concrete, results-oriented international initiatives to address these challenges.

In territories under colonial and neocolonial administration, urbanization processes are accompanied by serious structural problems, social inequality, and infrastructure deficits. In Kanaky (New Caledonia), the migration policy pursued by France has altered the demographic balance, placing the Indigenous Kanak population in a minority position and resulting in their displacement from urban centers to the peripheries. At the same time, the economic advantage enjoyed by the population of European origin settled on the island has further deepened socio-economic inequalities. In Bonaire, the continuing effects of Dutch colonial policy, combined with growing pressure from tourism and foreign investment, have led to a sharp increase in housing market prices. This process has severely limited local people’s access to affordable living conditions and further deepened social inequality. In Mayotte, Cyclone Chido destroyed more than 90 percent of infrastructure and left more than 100,000 people homeless and forcibly displaced. Against the backdrop of a large-scale humanitarian disaster, the delayed and insufficient response of the French authorities further aggravated the scale of the crisis.

Note: On 19 May at 11:00, within the framework of WUF13, the Baku Initiative Group (BIG) will organize an event at Pavilion A39 dedicated to the theme “Injustices Created by Colonial Administration and the Housing Crisis.” During the event, participants will discuss the socio-economic consequences of colonial and neocolonial administration, the structural inequalities arising in urbanization processes, current challenges in housing provision, and the impact of these issues on local populations.

Venue and time of the conference: 20 May 2026, 09:00. Badamdar Hotel & Residence 1C Mikayil Mushfig Street, Yasamal District, AZ1004, Baku.

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