In a world where 95 percent of all urban growth occurs in developing countries, and where 1 billion people are already living in life-threatening slums, the battle for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will be won or lost in cities. UN-HABITAT can be a catalyst for all those committed to meeting these challenges to support the efforts of member states in attaining the human settlements related MDGs.

UN-HABITAT's six-year Medium-term Strategic and Institutional Plan (MTSIP) for 2008-2013 is designed to help a global coalition of partners to meet these challenges, namely contribute to a sustainable urbanization.

UN-HABITAT understands Sustainable Urbanization to be the process of redistribution of individuals and groups at the global scale, which is characterized by changes in the role and profile of urban settings, pursued without exacerbated social, economic and environmental impacts, in line with sustainable development.

Safer Cities Programme intends to contribute to the Focus Area 2 of the MTSIP, Participatory Urban Planning, Management and Governance (UPMG), through which the strategy endeavors to strengthen the capacity of national governments, local authorities and other stakeholders with a view to developing more livable, productive and inclusive cities.

The Focus Area 2 has three expected accomplishments:
(a) Improved policies, legislation and strategies support inclusive UPMG
(b) Strengthened institutions promote inclusive UPMG
(c) Improved implementation of inclusive UPMG