A midst COVID-19, poverty is soaring. Forecasts suggest increases in global poverty for the first time since 1990, which could reverse approximately a decade in the world’s progress in reducing poverty, with countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa especially hard-hit. In some regions the adverse impacts could result in poverty levels similar to those recorded 30 years ago. While many of the world’s poor live in rural areas, about 55 percent of the world’s population presently lives in cities, and 26 of the world’s 33 megacities are in developing countries, of which 19 are in the Asia Pacific region.

Urban areas are often the most prosperous parts of a country, but high levels of inequality are also found within cities—indeed “in most cities, high levels of wealth and modern infrastructure coexist with areas characterized by deprivation and a dearth of services. Underinvestment in infrastructure and public transportation prevents some urban residents from accessing good jobs, education, and services. Furthermore, the concentration of poverty in certain underserved neighborhoods reinforces the mechanisms that perpetuate disadvantage.” Spatial disparities3 have been thrown into stark relief by COVID-19. The pandemic has exposed deep disparities in power and resources in cities, and revealed how existing forms of inequality can deepen the spread of global health and other crises. The crisis has also underlined the importance of adequate housing as a fundamental need for populations in diverse global settings.