Diwan Al Omran
Diwan Al Omran is pleased to announce its participation in the activities of the Habitat International Coalition (HIC) for Urban October and World Habitat Day.
World Habitat Day is an international event celebrated annually by the United Nations on the first Monday of October. It aims to draw attention to the importance of realizing the right to adequate housing as a fundamental human right and to highlight the reality of human settlements, including cities around the world, and the crises and challenges they face. This day represents a call to action and collective action for more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable human settlements, ensuring a decent life for all, especially in light of growing challenges such as rapid urbanization, development projects based on forced evictions of local communities, and waves of mass displacement resulting from wars and conflicts, or the effects of climate change.
This year, Diwan Al Omran is participating with the Habitat International Coalition (HIC) in the activities of October dedicated to celebrating World Habitat Day. Diwan Al Omran`s participation comes as an institution working to develop urban thought and practice through research, projects, and programs, and in an effort to support the human right to more inclusive and sustainable cities in the Arab world. This participation represents a step toward unifying international and local efforts to promote the right to adequate habitat for all, ensure security of tenure in all its forms, and criminalize forced eviction policies.
Hence, in accordance with the theme of World Habitat Day chosen by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (“UN-Habitat”) this year, we seek to “respond to urban crises” by doing our part to address them, including the man-made crises that continue to affect many of our citizens.
Diwan Al Omran works on studying and analyzing urban development processes from an integrated perspective that takes into account social, economic, and environmental dimensions, with the aim of achieving sustainable and equitable urban growth. The Diwan’s vision is rooted in the understanding that the urban realm is not merely a physical space, but a dynamic system that reflects the social, economic, and political interactions within communities. Accordingly, the Diwan develops policies and strategies that promote sound urban governance, safeguard individuals’ rights to adequate housing, equitable development, and social inclusion, while protecting the urban fabric from unplanned or ill-considered interventions.
In this context, the Diwan seeks to influence decision makers and public policy to ensure that urban development decisions are:
Rights-conscious, formulated in line with the principles of justice and sustainability, and grounded in respect for fundamental rights and freedoms that must not be infringed. This includes taking all necessary measures to guarantee them, encompassing the right to adequate housing, the preservation of urban heritage, and the maintenance of ecological balance.
Inclusive of all members of society without discrimination, responding to the needs of marginalized groups and vulnerable minorities, and ensuring protection against forced eviction and social exclusion, while adopting participatory approaches in planning and implementing urban projects.
Accountable to society, through adherence to relevant international treaties and domestic laws, ensuring transparency and access to data and information, and strengthening the role of civil society in monitoring urban development policies.
Diwan Al Omran aims to rethink urbanization pathways through a holistic lens, balancing economic growth, the preservation of social fabric, environmental protection, and the safeguarding of residents’ rights in the city. This approach is anchored in achieving sustainable urban development that considers both environmental and social dimensions, ensuring that urban growth does not come at the expense of local communities or fragile ecosystems.
In this vein, the Diwan works to advance policies that respect the right to the city, including ensuring adequate housing, providing basic services, enabling access to public spaces, and preventing practices that lead to forced eviction or social exclusion. It also supports the adoption of urban practices that preserve natural resources, reduce environmental footprints, and employ flexible solutions capable of adapting to climate change.
Through this approach, Diwan Al Omran contributes to building balanced urban environments that achieve social justice, ensure the participation of residents in shaping the future of their cities, and safeguard natural resources for future generations.
Diwan Al Omran’s core values are:
Protecting citizens
Transparency
Accountability
Justice
Human Rights
Diwan Al Omran’s transparency and accountability initiatives seek to:
Ensure access to and freedom of information
Improve decision-making processes
Empower public oversight
Promote equitable development policies
Empower stakeholders
Its areas of work include:
Monitoring and documenting forced evictions
Providing geographic and administrative context for violations
Analyzing urban issues
Expanding public engagement
Diwan Alomran has developed tools to achieve these goals, including:
Forced Eviction Observatory
News
Analysis
Multimedia
Campaigns and advocacy
Mailing List
Visit the Diwan Al Omran website
See also Forced Eviction as an Instrument for the Restructuring of the Egyptian City
Image: Diwan Al Omran’s logo: Source: Diwan Al Omran.
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