UN-Habitat Governing Council

Submission Deadline:29th April 2016

The World Habitat Awards recognise innovative, sustainable and scalable solutions to key housing challenges facing communities around the world. The World Habitat Awards were established in 1985 by the Building and Social Housing Foundation as part of its contribution to the United Nations International Year of Shelter for the Homeless.

Two awards are given annually to projects that provide practical and innovative solutions to current housing needs and problems. Every year an award of £10,000 is presented to each of the two winners at the World Urban Forum (even years) and UN-Habitat Governing Council (odd years).

Housing projects and approaches are sought that

demonstrate practical, innovative and sustainable solutions to current housing issues faced by countries all around the world
can be transferred or adapted for use as appropriate
are already being implemented or are completed ie not at design stage or very early stages of development
view the term habitat from a broad perspective and bring other benefits as well, such as energy or water saving, income generation, social inclusion, community and individual empowerment, health benefits, capacity building or education.

Who can enter

Any individual, organisation or government who has an innovative and practical solution to housing needs and problems from any country of the world.
More than one entry can be made by the same individual or organisation.
Entries should relate to housing projects and processes that are either completed or in progress. Those that are at design stage only or in the very early stages of development cannot be considered.
Previous entrants can re-submit in subsequent years providing that the project has been further developed in the intervening time period.

Prize:

As well as international recognition, awards of £10,000 will be made to each of the two winning projects. Trophies will also be presented to the winning projects, and travel and accommodation costs will be met for one representative of each winning project to attend the awards ceremony.

Timeline:

For the World Habitat Awards 2016/17 cycle:

29th April 2016 – Final deadline for receipt of submissions

June 2016 – Notification of shortlisted projects

1st August 2016 – Deadline for further information from shortlisted projects

August 2016 to January 2017 – Evaluation of shortlisted projects

February 2017 – Announcement of the winners of the World Habitat Awards 2016/17

April 2017 – Presentation of the Awards at the UN-Habitat Governing Council

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the 2016/2017 World Habitat Awards

Application Deadline: August 31st 2015

The UN-Habitat Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award has been established as a result of a partnership between UN-Habitat, the International Ecological Safety Collaborative Organization (IESCO) together with CDB Orient that aims to reward young inventors, innovators and entrepreneurs.

Young inventors and entrepreneurs are important catalysts for promoting sustainable cities and developing highly skilled talents needed for future urban development. The Award stems from an agreement signed between UN-Habitat and IESCO in April 2013 during the twenty fourth session of the UN-Habitat Governing Council, to launch the “Urban Youth Empowerment and Ecological Safety project”.

The project aims to address issues of youth unemployment, poverty, and ecological safety through the development of models and policies that will lead to the meaningful engagement of young people in the development of a number of cities in Africa and Asia.

UN-Habitat Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award is designed to recognize and celebrate young men and women throughout the world who have developed innovative programmes, practices, activities and solutions to the social, economic, political and environmental challenges facing human kind today.

Eligibility Requirements

The Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award is open to all Young women and men between 15 and 32 years from developing countries and run a youth led for – profit and or nonprofit organization, or a business or entity that aims to improve youth livelihoods and better serve their communities with accomplishment in any of the above Award Categories
Youth from other countries will also qualify to get recognition by way of citations.
Institutions and individuals that promote and catalyze innovation and entrepreneurship will also be recognized and cited

Award:

The winners are awarded a monetary prize: The total amount of the prize pool is USD 200,000 distributed among five categories. The Award will consist of

A cash grant of $ 20,000 for the winner (Up to 2 winners for each category)
The prize also consists of a trophy and;
A certificate jointly issued by UN-Habitat and IESCO and CDB Orient
An Innovator of the Biennium and an Entrepreneur of the biennium will also be named from among the winners.

2016/2017 World Habitat Awards for Innovative solutions to key Housing Challenges around the world

2015 UN-Habitat Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award for Entrepreneurs ($USD200,000 Cash Grant)