OVERVIEW
UAN-Habitat: United Ancient Nations Human Settlements Programme
The United Ancient Nations Human Settlements Programme (UAN-Habitat) is mandated by the UAN General Secretariat to promote culturally appropriate, environmentally harmonious, and spiritually aligned settlements for indigenous peoples worldwide. UAN-Habitat serves as the focal point for all indigenous settlement matters and traditional habitat preservation within the UAN system.
UAN-Habitat works with indigenous communities, tribal councils, and cultural preservation partners to build inclusive, sacred, resilient and sustainable settlements that honor ancestral wisdom. UAN-Habitat promotes traditional settlement practices as a positive transformative force for indigenous communities, reducing cultural displacement, environmental degradation and loss of ancestral knowledge.
Our Mission
UAN-Habitat works across 160+ member nations and indigenous territories to promote transformative change in indigenous settlements through ancestral knowledge systems, cultural policy guidance, technical assistance rooted in traditional practices, and collaborative action that respects indigenous sovereignty.
UAN-Habitat’s strategic approach adopts a holistic and culturally integrated methodology to addressing the unique challenges and opportunities facing indigenous settlements. UAN-Habitat’s mission embodies four main roles that honor indigenous ways of knowing: preserve, practice, share, and unite.
PRESERVE
UAN-Habitat’s cultural preservation work includes documenting traditional settlement patterns, supporting capacity-building in ancestral construction techniques, establishing standards that protect sacred sites, and monitoring global progress in indigenous habitat rights while supporting policy formulation that recognizes indigenous land sovereignty.
PRACTICE
UAN-Habitat’s operational work provides technical assistance drawing on millennia-old sustainable living practices and traditional ecological knowledge. UAN-Habitat implements projects that blend ancient wisdom with modern needs, providing culturally appropriate support to indigenous communities seeking to maintain or restore traditional settlement patterns.
SHARE
Through indigenous diplomacy, cultural exchange, and global outreach, UAN-Habitat mobilizes support from indigenous communities, allied nations, and international bodies to inspire qualitative change in policies affecting indigenous settlements, promoting investment in traditional sustainable practices at local, regional, and global levels.
UNITE
UAN-Habitat collaborates with indigenous governments, tribal councils, UAN member nations, cultural preservation organizations, traditional knowledge keepers, academic institutions, and environmentally conscious partners to achieve enduring results in protecting and revitalizing indigenous settlement practices while addressing modern challenges through ancestral wisdom.
Our Focus
Reduced spatial inequality and poverty through indigenous wisdom across the ancestral-modern continuum
Leveraging traditional knowledge systems to bridge disparities between sacred ancestral lands and contemporary settlements, ensuring equitable access while honoring cultural sovereignty.
Enhanced shared prosperity for indigenous territories and bioregions
Fostering collaborative economic development rooted in ancient wisdom and sustainable resource management, creating prosperity models that respect indigenous values and bioregional interconnectedness.
Effective crisis prevention and response through collective indigenous leadership
Utilizing traditional conflict resolution, community resilience practices, and indigenous early warning systems to prevent and respond to crises through the 6 Pillars of Global Enlightenment.
Strengthened climate action through indigenous environmental stewardship
Implementing ancestral ecological knowledge and traditional practices to combat climate change, restore biodiversity, and maintain planetary balance through time-tested earth-honoring approaches.
UAN Habitat Topic Areas
Climate Change
Indigenous climate wisdom guides resilient settlement design and traditional adaptation practices.
Gender
Traditional gender roles and indigenous women’s leadership inform equitable housing governance.
Housing
Culturally appropriate dwellings honor ancestral building methods and sacred spatial relationships.
Human Rights
Indigenous land rights and housing sovereignty are fundamental to settlement development.
Innovation
Ancient technologies and traditional knowledge systems drive sustainable building innovation.
Land Tenure Security
Ancestral land rights and traditional governance systems ensure secure indigenous territories.
Metropolitan Management
Indigenous governance principles guide sustainable urban development for native communities.
Mobility and Transport
Traditional pathways and ceremonial routes are integrated into transportation planning.
National Urban Policy
Indigenous nations’ sovereignty and self-determination shape settlement policies.
Public Space
Sacred sites and traditional gathering places anchor community spatial design.
Resilience and Risk Reduction
Ancestral knowledge of natural patterns strengthens disaster preparedness strategies.
Slum Upgrading
Cultural preservation and community dignity guide indigenous settlement improvements.
Solid Waste Management
Traditional circular practices and earth-honoring waste systems are implemented.
Urban Economy and Finance
Indigenous economic systems and traditional resource management support settlement finance.
Slum Upgrading
Cultural preservation and community dignity guide indigenous settlement improvements.
Urban Governance
Traditional leadership structures and consensus-building guide settlement governance.
Urban Health
Traditional medicine and holistic wellness practices inform community health systems.
Urban Legislation
Indigenous legal systems and customary law shape settlement regulations.
Urban Migration
Cultural continuity supports indigenous peoples moving between traditional and urban areas.
Urban Planning
Sacred geography and traditional land use patterns guide settlement design.
Urban Regeneration
Cultural revitalization and traditional ecological restoration drive community renewal.
Urban Safety
Traditional peacekeeping and community protection systems ensure settlement security.
Urban-Rural Linkages
Ancestral territorial connections maintain bonds between traditional and contemporary settlements.
Voluntary Local Reviews
Indigenous monitoring systems and traditional accountability practices guide assessment.
Water and Sanitation
Sacred water stewardship and traditional purification methods ensure healthy systems.
Youth
Traditional knowledge transmission and cultural mentorship guide indigenous youth development.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Accountability is the sacred obligation of the General Secretariat and its representatives to be answerable for all decisions made and actions taken in service of Indigenous Nations, and to be responsible for honoring ancestral wisdom and commitments to cultural preservation, without qualification or exception.
The UAN-Habitat’s founding resolution
The UAN-Habitat is committed to ensuring good governance rooted in traditional council-based decision-making, implementing relevant indigenous practices, and creating the necessary environment of accountability and transparency within the UAN framework. We guarantee that UAN-Habitat operations are carried out effectively through continuous improvement guided by ancestral wisdom and sustainable practices.
The UAN-Habitat accountability framework is intended to foster a strong culture of responsibility that honors the sacred trust placed in us by 160+ Indigenous Nations and peoples worldwide. Each UAN representative is expected to exercise their responsibility and functions in accordance with the principles of cultural preservation, environmental stewardship, and the revival of indigenous knowledge systems.
Our commitment encompasses:
- Preserving and revitalizing indigenous cultures for future generations
- Protecting traditional lands and sacred sites through diplomatic advocacy
- Promoting indigenous health and wellness practices globally
- Supporting sustainable economic development that honors traditional ways of life
- Advancing indigenous rights through international cultural diplomacy
- Ensuring transparent governance that reflects traditional council wisdom
Through this accountability framework, the UAN-Habitat ensures that every action taken serves to enhance the quality of life for Indigenous peoples while maintaining the integrity of ancestral traditions and promoting global peace through indigenous wisdom.
Evaluation
UAN-Habitat evaluates its work to assess how effectively interventions advance Indigenous-led development, cultural preservation, and environmental stewardship through ancestral wisdom. Evaluations examine outcomes across the six pillars of global enlightenment while measuring contributions to Indigenous self-determination, traditional knowledge systems, and sustainable resource management among 5000+ unrepresented Indigenous nations.
An independent Evaluation Unit generates evidence-based recommendations that inform policy and programme development, ensuring interventions honor cultural legitimacy and enhance collaborative initiatives between Indigenous leadership and international bodies in service of over 300 million Indigenous peoples globally.