The main objective is to support member States' efforts to achieve sustainable housing and land management. This is guided by the vision that by 2020, the ECE region continues to be in the forefront of promoting sustainable housing and land management. Green, inclusive, compact and resilient cities are a priority in national policies and in regional cooperation. Investment in the housing sector is encouraged by transparent and efficient land use, property registration and a sound financial system. The housing sector offers a range of options, including for those with special needs and other vulnerable population groups.

To assist member States in achieving these targets, the Committee will implement this Strategy based upon an Action Plan that will be developed to cover the period from 2014 to 2020 and the activities to be included in the programme of work. The Committee will build on its own strengths by:
• Providing member States with country-specific policy guidance and recommendations on challenges related to housing and land management in the ECE region.
• Issuing in-depth assessments and flagship reports, including a series of Country Profiles on the housing and land administration sectors.
• Providing a platform for dialogue between Governments to facilitate the exchange of experience and the sharing of good practices by creating regional networks of experts, organizing workshops, and managing study trips.
• Harmonising methodologies and definitions in the area of housing and land management at the regional and international level and supporting the development of common terms, language definitions and standards.

Cooperating with relevant United Nations programmes, agencies and bodies and other stakeholders to ensure consistency and complementarity and allow collaboration on housing and land-related issues.

In the framework of the Strategy for Sustainable Housing and Land Management, capacity development will be promoted through high-quality training courses, advisory services and publications.

Coordination and governance rests with the UNECE Committee on Housing and Land Management (CHLM). The Committee is the only intergovernmental body addressing the unique housing challenges of the UNECE region. In the course of the last 65 years, it has been serving as forum for exchange of best practice and a platform for policy formulation and implementation. In its capacity as the highest policy-making body of the UNECE in the field of housing and land management, the Committee has been assisting member States through: assessments of countries' housing systems, development of policy guidance, provision of advisory services and capacity-building activities.

Adopted by the UNECE Committee on Housing and Land Management following broad consultations (ECE/HBP/173, annex 2).