Accelerating Urban Inclusion for a Just Recovery

The report examines how the COVID-19 pandemic amplified existing urban inequalities, particularly for women, low-income residents, disabled people, migrants, and the elderly. It defines five dimensions of urban inclusion—spatial, digital, inclusive infrastructure, social/institutional, and economic—and provides a framework for cities to implement inclusive strategies. Through global case studies, it demonstrates how participatory design, digital tools, and innovative financing can mitigate exclusion and build more resilient cities.

• The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected vulnerable urban groups, including the 2 billion workers in the informal sector who often lacked safety nets and the ability to work remotely.
• Women face systemic urban exclusion due to gender-insensitive city planning, which often ignores their specific mobility patterns and safety needs in public spaces.
• Spatial exclusion is driven by a lack of secure land tenure and exclusionary zoning, pushing low-income residents to urban peripheries with limited access to services.
• A significant digital divide persists globally, with nearly half of the world remaining unconnected, which hinders access to essential services, education, and employment.
• Inclusive infrastructure requires a human-rights approach and the application of 'universal design' standards, which can be implemented at a minimal cost of 0.1–0.3% of total construction costs.
• Economic exclusion is characterized by a lack of access to formal financial services for 1.7 billion people, leaving them dependent on cash and vulnerable to predatory lending.
• The report proposes a ten-step action plan for cities to achieve urban inclusion, starting with identifying excluded groups and ending with monitoring and course-correcting implementation.
• Sustainable municipal finance for inclusive recovery can be achieved through transparent intergovernmental transfers, land value capture, and public-private partnerships.

APA

World Economic Forum (2022). Accelerating Urban Inclusion for a Just Recovery. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_C4IR_GFC_on_Cities_Inclusion_2022.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Accelerating Urban Inclusion for a Just Recovery. 2022. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_C4IR_GFC_on_Cities_Inclusion_2022.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Accelerating Urban Inclusion for a Just Recovery |date=August 2022 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_C4IR_GFC_on_Cities_Inclusion_2022.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2022accelerating, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Accelerating Urban Inclusion for a Just Recovery}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2022}, month = aug, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_C4IR_GFC_on_Cities_Inclusion_2022.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }