The Best Practices and Local Leadership Programme (BLP) was established in 1997 in response to the call of the Habitat Agenda to make use of information and networking in support of its implementation. It is a global network of government agencies, local authorities and their associations, professional and academic institutions and grassroots organisations dedicated to the identification and exchange of successful solutions for sustainable development. BLP partners are specialised in such areas as housing and urban development, urban governance, environmental planning and management, architecture and urban design, economic development, social inclusion, crime prevention, poverty reduction, women, youth, cultural heritage, municipal finance and management, infrastructure and social services.

Objectives: The objective of the BLP is to raise awareness of decision-makers on critical social, economic and environmental issues and to better inform them of the practical means and policy options for improving the living environment. It does so by identifying, disseminating and applying lessons learned from Best Practices to ongoing training, leadership and policy development activities. Best Practices are actions that have made a lasting contribution to improving the quality of life and the sustainability of our cities and communities.

Key Clients and countries served: BLP products include: documented and peer-reviewed best practices, examples of good policies and enabling legislation, case studies and briefs and transfer methodologies. These products are destined for decision-makers and practising professionals at all levels of government and organised civil society. Media products, including videos and newspaper articles are developed for the general public. 

The BLP works closely with Habitat’s Global Campaigns on Secure Tenure and Urban Governance on the Inclusive Cities Network. Together with Urban Indicators Programme, the BLP forms the Global Urban Observatory (GUO), UN-HABITAT’s facility for monitoring global trends in sustainable urban development and evaluating progress in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda and Agenda 21. The policy implications and lessons learned from Best Practices are incorporated into Habitat’s State of the World’s Cities report.