The Global Platform for the Right to the City (GPR2C) celebrates the conclusion of the GOLD VII research process on the Economies of Equality and Care, launched by United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) as its flagship research initiative for the 2023-2026 period.
Over the past three years, this process has brought together local and regional governments, researchers, international organizations, civil society networks and communities from all regions of the world to collectively explore pathways toward more just, democratic and caring societies, placing equality, care and the sustainability of life at the center of territorial transformation.
As an active contributor to this collective effort, the Global Platform for the Right to the City participated in spaces for dialogue, reflection and knowledge co-creation, bringing the right to the city perspective into the discussions and highlighting the importance of building inclusive, equitable and people-centered territories. The Platform’s contribution forms part of the broader collaboration among organizations and networks committed to social justice, human rights and democratic governance.
The GOLD VII process reaffirmed that care should not be understood solely as a policy sector, but as a transformative approach to governing territories. Care is embedded across public services, housing, mobility, social protection, climate action, culture and democratic innovation, shaping practices of solidarity, proximity and collective responsibility.
Among the key outcomes of the process is the GOLD VII Multimedia Journal, an open platform featuring more than 100 contributions, including papers, videos and interviews developed by 50 partner organizations. The Journal also highlights more than 340 practices from nearly 200 local and regional governments worldwide, providing a rich source of inspiration and learning for transformative public action.
The process culminated during the UCLG World Congress held in Tangier, Morocco, in June 2026, with the launch of the GOLD VII Final Report on the Economies of Equality and Care, which brings together the main findings, recommendations and visions emerging from this collaborative research journey.
For the Global Platform for the Right to the City, the outcomes of GOLD VII reinforce the need to advance governance models that place collective well-being, human rights, spatial justice and the sustainability of life at the center of public policies. The report also provides valuable insights and recommendations to further promote the right to the city as a framework for building more just, inclusive and resilient cities and territories.
We invite all interested individuals and organizations to explore the GOLD VII Multimedia Journal and access the GOLD VII Final Report, to discover the experiences, lessons learned and policy recommendations shaping a global agenda for equality, care and democratic territorial transformation.
