“In our city, if you have money, you can be who you want and where you want. But if you don’t, things get complicated.”
– Nano, 65, artisan fisherman
Nano has had a gruelling routine for 50 years now. At five in the morning, he leaves his home in Huaylas, on the outskirts of Lima, and goes to the fishing terminal. Working 12 hour days, he earns an average of 30 soles a day, a little less than US$10.
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Over the past decade, Peru’s economy has been one of the fastest growing in Latin America. The country has cut poverty and extreme poverty in half, especially in rural areas. However, not everyone has reaped the benefits of this growth. A large segment of the population is relegated to outlying neighbourhoods of large cities, where poverty has been rising in recent years.
Lima, the capital, is home to about a third of Peru’s population and at least 1.2 million poor. In a country still characterized by economic and political centralism and that is tremendously affected by climate change, the promise of a better future drives large numbers of people to migrate to the capital.
“In my village, the harvests are poor; animals die from the cold. But I want my children to get an education, and that’s why I like this city, because it gives us opportunities.” – Inés, 29, street vendor
This story repeats itself around the world. By 2030, it is expected that at least 60 percent of the world’s people will live in cities, and 90 percent of urban growth will take place in developing countries. By 2035, most of the world’s poor will be living in urban areas.
“When the city is not set up for you, it doesn’t just limit your ability to move around. It limits your ability to go to school, to work, to be who you want to be.”
– Mary, 35, disabled street vendor
In Peru, 46 percent of the country is highly exposed to natural hazards. And in marginal urban areas, the vulnerability of poverty is exacerbated by disasters, which cause some US$73 million in losses every year.
This has a direct impact on people’s lives, their livelihoods and their ability to take advantage of development opportunities. The most vulnerable include small children, the elderly, the disabled and indigenous migrants.
In this context, it is impossible to think about development that leaves no one behind, without imagining ways to make our cities more inclusive and sustainable. This is the vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Goal 11, invites us to build safe, resilient and inclusive cities, while Goal 10 focuses on fighting inequality.
To this end, representatives from 115 counties will gather on 17-20 October at the largest confrerence on sustainable cities in the past 15 years. Habitat III comes at a critical time. A time when the decisions that countries make can transform urban growth from a challenge into an opportunity.
Nino, as we chatted in his boat, said:
“Thirty years ago, only three buses a day would come to Huaylas, but now it’s impossible to picture the streets without cars. Sadly, we’re still waiting for the opportunities.”
To learn about UNDP’s work on urbanization, visit UNDP4Urban.org.
For more on the Habitat III conference, click here.
© 2026 United Nations Development Programme
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