The City We Need: Equitable and Gender Responsive Urban Land Governance and Housing for Urban Poor A lthough Uganda is in the early stages of urbaniza­tion, it has a high urban population growth rate, estimated at 5.4 percent per annum(2015 World Bank report). International experience has demon ­strated that where the urbanization process has been planned and effectively managed, it has resulted in a competitive and productive urban sector that drives socio-economic development through the creation of employment and the improvement of livelihoods. At a 2014 UN Social Economic council meet ­ing, President Paul Kagame of neighbouring Rwanda while delivering his key note speech stated,“Sustainable urbanization had moved to the centre of the development agenda, because it is the key to the well-being of our citizens”. Twenty years after the genocide had destroyed the country’s social fabric, urbanization was part and parcel of its unity and reconciliation efforts. He cau ­tioned, however, that growth without planned urban ­ization was a“recipe for soaring inequality”, pointing out that more people were moving to cities at a fast ­er rate than at any other time in human history. Afri ­ca, currently the least urbanized continent, is part of that dramatic shift and is experiencing an urbaniza ­tion rate several times higher than that of any other in the world. The shift has led to high wages that are empowering people to build a prosperous, se ­cure future. There is therefore an urgent need to up ­grade informal settlements, provide basic infrastruc ­ture and services, protect urban wetlands and green space, and enable the private sector to create jobs.” A planned and effectively managed urbanization process can result into a productive urban sector that drives socio-economic development through creation of jobs and improving livelihoods. T he government of Uganda acknowledges that planned urbanization can significantly contribute to transformative urban development and has thus ratified several global guiding urban development frameworks including the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda(NUA). Sustainable Development Goal 11(Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable) emphasizes the need to significantly transform approaches for building and managing urban spaces for sustainable social and economic development. The NUA, which envisions“Cities for All”, highlights the relevance of enabling all inhab ­itants of urban areas- both in the present and the future- to enjoy cities equitably. It points to the essence of having human settlements with all per ­sons able to enjoy their rights to adequate housing. The City We Need: Equitable and Gender Responsive Urban Land Governance and Housing for Urban Poor 1