Structure & Executive Committee

GAP is structured to bring relevant constituencies and stakeholders together through a democratic and efficient platform. It has a President and a Vice President – as in the United Nations General Assembly – as well as two co-chairs per Partner Constituent Group (PCG), who together make up the Executive Committee. The President and Vice President coordinate the group and advocate for the agreed upon and consensus messages, as well as promoting the inclusion of GAP and stakeholders generally. The co-chairs of each PCG communicate the viewpoints and inputs of their constituencies, and organize each constituency group and its own strategic work plan.

GAP is unique from other coordination mechanisms in its focus on the commonalities and abilities of groups to work together and to build consensus on issues, in addition to emboldening each PCG’s ability to collaborate with governments, the United Nations, and other key groups.

During the Habitat III process, the Habitat III Secretariat has acted as the GAP Secretariat, supporting on communication and logistic issues, as well as facilitating the representation of its PCGs in the Habitat III process by financially supporting the travel of representatives to participate and ensure stakeholder inclusion in the process. The Government of Germany has supported the work of GAP by supporting an Executive Committee meeting in Berlin and through the publication and translation of the GAP members’ consensus document Partnerships for the New Urban Agenda.

Who’s Who?

  1. Local and Subnational Authorities
    Emilia Saiz, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) (Spain)

  2. Research and Academia
    In??s S??nchez Madariaga, Universidad Polit??cnica de Madrid (Spain)
    Enrique Silva, Lincoln Institute for Land Policy (United States)

  3. Civil Society Organizations
    Jane Katz, Habitat for Humanity (United States)
    Greg Budworth, Compass Housing (Australia)

  4. Grassroots Organizations
    Sarah Nandudu, SDI (Uganda)
    Rose Molokoane, Slum/Shack Dwellers International (SDI) (South Africa)

  5. Women
    Magdalena Garcia, Bufete de Estudios Interdisciplinarios A. C. (Mexico)
    Theresa Boccia, Association Femmes Europe Méridionale (AFEM) (Italy)

  6. Parliamentarians
    Peter Goetz, Immediate Past Chair, Habitat Agenda Partner Parliamentarians (Germany)
    Jerko Rosin, Chair, European Region, Habitat Agenda Partner Parliamentarians (Croatia)

  7. Children and Youth
    Joyati Das, World Vision International (Australia)
    Chandana Das, Children and Youth International (India)

  8. Business and Industries
    Danielle Grossenbacher, The International Real Estate Federation (United States)

  9. Foundations and Philanthropies
    Luis Miguel Artieda Aramburú, Avina Foundation (Peru)
    Ali Khan, European Foundation Centre (Belgium)

  10. Professionals
    Nicolas Buchoud, Renaissance URBaiNE      (France)
    Ishtiaque Zahir Titas, International Union of Architects (UIA) (Bangladesh)

  11. Trade Unions and Workers
    Albert Emilio (Ambet) Yuson, Building and Woodworkers International (BWI) (Switzerland)
    Rosa Pavanelli, Public Service International (PSI) (Italy)

  12. Farmers
    Mildred Crawford, Caribbean Network of Rural Women Producers (Jamaica)
    Violet Shivutse, Home Based Care Alliance Farmers of Kenya (Kenya)

  13. Indigenous Peoples
    Janice Abbott, Atira Women's Resource Society (Canada)
    Analucy Bengochea, Garifuna Emergency Committee of Honduras (Honduras)

  14. Media
    Tom Dallessio, Next City (United States)
    Nicholas You, Citiscope (Kenya/ China)

  15. Older Persons
    Dr. Katherine Kline, AARP (United States)
    Sion Eryl Jones, Help Age International (United Kingdom)

  16. Persons with Disabilities
    Dr. Victor Pineda, World Enabled (United States)
    Mohammed Ali Loutfy, International Disability Policy Program (Lebanon)

Other Executive Committee Officers

  1. President
    Eugenie L. Birch, University of Pennsylvania (United States)

  2. Vice President
    Greg Budworth, Compass Housing (Australia)