The first phase of the UNHRP focuses on five programme areas:

• 1. Advocacy, outreach and learning from partners
• UNHRP will promote awareness, information exchange and learning among partners on housing rights.
• 2. Support for United Nations human rights mechanisms on housing rights
• UNHRP will support the United Nations human rights mechanisms, particularly the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing and works of the treaty bodies, and promote coordination among relevant United Nations agencies.
• 3. Monitoring and evaluation of progress of realization of housing rights
• Under UNHRP, a global system will be established for monitoring and evaluation on housing rights practices which should contribute to the work of treaty bodies and to exchange of good practices and lessons learned among policy makers and development practitioners.
• 4. Research and analysis on housing rights
  • UNHRP will promote development of relevant norms, standards, guidelines and thematic research on housing rights, which will contribute to better understanding of human settlements and shelter development processes and policy formulation through the lens of human rights.
• 5. Capacity-building and technical cooperation
  • UNHRP will assist States and other stakeholders, including independent national human rights institutions and the civil society, in building capacities for implementation and monitoring of housing rights.