What Happens If We Save SDG 11.3.2? A Future Where Cities Work for People
Imagine a world where cities truly belong to the people who live in them, where urban expansion is guided by data, not guesswork, and where every citizen, from a street vendor in Nairobi to a student in São Paulo, has a voice in shaping their city’s future. This is the world we move toward if we save SDG 11.3.2, the global indicator that measures the extent to which urban planning includes public participation.
For too long, urban development has often been a top-down process, with major decisions made behind closed doors. But SDG 11.3.2 challenges that approach. It pushes cities to recognize that people, especially youth, marginalized groups, and local communities and encourages them that they must be active co-creators of their urban spaces. If we save this indicator and ensure its widespread adoption, we unlock a future where participation is the foundation of urban planning, not just an afterthought!
The Impact on Cities
With SDG 11.3.2 guiding urban development, cities will see smarter, more inclusive growth. Instead of making decisions in isolation, governments and planners will engage communities in shaping their environments. This means fewer top-down policies that fail to meet real needs and more urban plans that reflect the voices of those who will be most affected by them. Cities will no longer grow chaotically but will evolve thoughtfully, with input from their residents.
The Impact on Citizens
When citizens are at the heart of urban planning, they gain a sense of ownership over their environment. Civic participation will strengthen trust between governments and communities, leading to better policies, more transparent decision-making, and increased accountability. In practical terms, this means safer neighborhoods, stronger local economies, and cities designed for people rather than just cars and corporations.
Imagine a world where young people can propose solutions to housing shortages, where informal workers can contribute to economic strategies, or where citizens can track the progress of their city's development goals in real time. This is what happens when SDG 11.3.2 is upheld and strengthened.
The Alternative? A Dangerous Blind Spot
If we fail to save this indicator, we risk flying blind into an urban future shaped by unchecked expansion, social exclusion, and declining trust in institutions. Without the data and accountability mechanisms SDG 11.3.2 provides, civic participation in urban planning could fade into the background, leaving millions of people unheard and underserved.
Saving SDG 11.3.2 is a fight for the future of cities. It is about ensuring that urbanization works for everyone, not just for those in power. We need to protect the fundamental principle that cities should be built for and by the people who call them home.