Memorandum by Anna Tibaijuka, Under Secretary
General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN-HABITAT
(WUF 2)
UNITED NATIONS HUMAN SETTLEMENTS PROGRAMME
I. OVERVIEW
1. The responsibility for human settlements
is vested in the United Nations Human Settlements programme (UN-HABITAT),
which serves as the focal point for implementation of the programme.
The current mandate of UN-Habitat derives from the twin goals
of the Habitat Agenda—resulting from the United Nations
Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II)—comprised of
"adequate shelter for all" and "sustainable human
settlements development in an urbanizing world". The mandate
of the programme also derives from General Assembly resolutions
3327 (XXIX), by which the United Nations Habitat and Human Settlements
Foundation was established, 32/162 that established the United
Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) and 56/206, through
which the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS)
was elevated to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme
(UN-HABITAT). UN-Habitat is guided by its Governing Council that
reports to the General Assembly through the Economic and Social
Council every two years, and by a Committee of Permanent Representatives
in Nairobi which serves as a formal inter-sessional body.
2. Important recent mandates derive from
the Declaration on Cities and other Human Settlements in the New
Millennium, adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution
S-/25, Millennium Development Goal 7 target 11 of achieving a
significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum-dwellers
by the year 2020, and target 10 on water and sanitation of the
Johannesburg Plan of Implementation. These two targets were subsequently
re-emphasized by the 2005 World Summit Outcome that highlighted
slum prevention as a priority issue in human settlements. Additional
mandates come from relevant legislative bodies regarding Agenda
21 (chaps. 7, 21 and 28) and relevant resolutions of the Governing
Council of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme and
of the Commission on Sustainable Development.
3. UN-HABITAT pursues an extensive normative
mandate comprising of advocacy, policy support, norms and standards
setting and demonstrations. They are executed through campaigns,
programmes, partnerships and principles mainly aimed at contributing
to slum upgrading and prevention. They address overarching issues
of urban safety, housing rights, disaster management, gender mainstreaming,
training an capacity building, secure tenure and local governance.
The outcomes of these programmes are evidenced in the overall
rise in the global awareness of the challenges and dangers paused
by rapid unplanned and uncontrolled urbanization in the developing
countries especially in Africa. The results of the normative programmes
of the organization can also be seen in the increasing understanding
of these dangers by international donor community as measured
by increased financial support to the work of UN-HABITAT and also
increased number of national governments which are mainstreaming
issues of human settlement development into their national plans
including Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers.
4. The World Urban Forum (WUF) has as its
focus international cooperation in shelter and urban development
and serves as an advisory body to the Executive Director of UN-HABITAT
on the issues listed above. To this end, the Forum facilitates
the exchange of experience and the advancement of collective knowledge
among cities and their development partners. As an initiative
in global civic engagement, the WUF places strong emphasis on
the participation of Habitat Agenda partners and relevant international
programmes, funds and agencies, by ensuring their inclusion in
the identification of new issues, the sharing of lessons learned
and, the exchange of best practices and good policies. The Forum
indeed has become a strong platform global advocacy on the issues
of urbanization and its accompanying challenges.
5. Besides its normative programmes, UN-HABITAT
has, over the past years, implemented and supported operational
activities in various parts of the world. Generally, these projects
and programmes have had (i) direct positive physical, social and
economic effects on the living conditions of slum dwellers, and/or
(ii) influenced governments to change policies and institutional
arrangements relevant to slums and slum prevention, including
capacity-building for stakeholders in the slum upgrading and prevention
process.
6. The operational activities of the UNHABITAT
are focused on supporting governments in the formulation of policies
and strategies to create and strengthen a self-reliant management
capacity at both national and local levels. Technical and managerial
expertise is provided for the assessment of human settlements
development constraints and opportunities; the identification
and analysis of policy options; the design and implementation
of housing and urban development projects; and the mobilization
of national resources, as well as external support for improving
human settlement conditions. This national capacity-building process
involves not only central government institutions but also stakeholders
such as community-based and non-governmental organizations, universities
and research institutions, as well as local governments and municipalities.
Emphasis is also being placed upon strengthening governments'
monitoring capacities in human settlement management.
7. In accordance with its work programme,
UN-HABITAT's operational activities are focused on the following
priorities: i) Promoting shelter for all; ii) Improving urban
governance; iii) Reducing urban poverty; iv) Improving the living
environment; and v) Managing Disaster mitigation and post-conflict
rehabilitation. Acting as a catalyst in the mobilization of technical
co-operation, UN- HABITAT is supporting the implementation of
the Habitat Agenda at the local, national and regional levels
and one of the goals of the Millennium Declaration on improving
the lives of slum dwellers and improving access to water and sanitation.
Lessons learned from operational activities are also being used
to formulate global policy options and guidelines, particularly
in the framework of the two Global Campaigns for Secure Tenure
and Good Urban Governance.
8. As of the fourth quarter of 2004, UN-HABITAT
had 95 technical programmes and projects under execution in 56
countries of which the vast majority were in the least developed
countries. As a direct response to increasing demands from developing
country governments, the organization's technical cooperation
activities have grown significantly over the last decade from
budgets totaling $18.7 million in 1988, to $ 161 million in 2004.
The total budgets for technical co-operation have been maintained
at a relatively high level due to several large programmes in
Africa (Chad, Libya), Asia (Afghanistan), the Arab States (Iraq)
and Europe (Kosovo and Serbia). These programmes are almost entirely
funded by bi-or multilateral resources or through national cost-sharing.
9. In supporting these operational activities,
UN-HABITAT is fully committed to the goals of maximizing the use
of national expertise and to supporting both national execution
and procurement from developing countries. In 2004 more than 80%
of UN-HABITAT's project personnel were national experts.
10. In direct and more specific response
to some of the questions fielded during the Oral Evidence Session,
what follows is a brief assessment of a select list of UN-HABITAT's
activities that have impact on slum upgrading, water and sanitation,
land and policy application.
II. SELECTED
SUCCESSFUL INTERVENTIONS
IN THE
AREA OF
SLUM UPGRADING
AND PREVENTION,
IMPLEMENTED OR
SUPPORTED BY
UN-HABITAT
11. A number of recent interventions have
been selected to exemplify the impact UN-HABITAT's activities
have on the ground. Where available, the number of beneficiaries
and the exact physical works carried out are indicated. However,
this is not always possible, particularly when the impact is not
measurable in quantitative terms—as is the case with policy
changes, new institutional arrangements and capacity-building—or
when populations benefiting from brought about improvements cannot
be limited down easily, e.g. when effects trickle down to households
living outside the target area. Also, many interventions are still
ongoing and concrete results have not yet been evaluated and documented.
Where policies have been designed or influenced, an indication
is made on how the application has led to qualitative changes
in the lives of the poor especially in the LDCs.
Slum Upgrading Facility (SUF)
12. One of the constraints in attracting
private capital for slum upgrading and prevention is lack of adequate
"bankable" projects that reduce and share risks. This
is the reason why in 2004 UN-HABITAT, in association with other
partners, established the Slum Upgrading Facility (SUF) as a Pilot
Project. The central objective of SUF is to assist developing
countries to mobilise domestic capital for their own slum and
urban upgrading activities. The focus of SUF will be on facilitating
links among local actors, and help prepare local projects for
potential investment by international donors and financial institutions,
and, potentially, investors in the global capital markets—with
the specific intent of leveraging further, domestic capital for
slum upgrading.
13. SUF's key clients are municipal authorities,
civil and non-governmental organizations, central government departments,
as well as the local, private sector, including retail banks,
property developers, housing finance institutions, service providers,
micro-finance institutions, and utility companies. The Facility
is designed to work with governments, slum dwellers and local
financial institutions. Its objective is to develop, test and
apply new and innovative means of financing pro-poor urban development
with a strong emphasis on the mobilization of domestic capital.
With funding of USD 18.83 million, SUF has initiated field projects
in Ghana, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Tanzania, to be implemented
in next 30 months during the Pilot Phase.
III. REGIONAL
PROGRAMMES
Water Sanitation Trust Fund (WSTF)—On-going
14. Provision of water and sanitation is
a necessary corollary to effective slum upgrading. UN-HABITAT
is thus equally pursuing the attainment of Target 10 of the MDGs
on halving the number of people without access to clean water
supply and adequate sanitation. In partnership with the Governments
of the Netherlands, Canada, Norway, Sweden, the WSTF uses an innovative
approach that coordinates the thematic priorities of donors with
the broad programmatic methods required in integrated human settlements
management. to channel relatively stable funds into areas where
they are much needed to provide water and sanitation for the urban
poor.
15. The WSTF addresses the demand side of
water supply which is often less understood, and deepens the support
process from the usual upstream activities and processes to the
local councils and their community groups such that the skills
for community relations, mobilization, information dissemination
and infrastructure services maintenance are well inculcated in
the citizens. The approach includes strengthening the participation
of municipal engineers, local government departments of sanitation,
while the over all budget for the intervention is shared in a
portion of 70:30 with government. In turn the government shares
its contribution between central, local and community levels.
This not only brings the central governments in direct appreciation
of the local challenges, and ensures direct targeting of the poor
in an institutionally secure and sustainable policy environment.
16. The WSTF currently operates in 14 African
and five Asian countries in addition to two sub-regional model
setting programmes of Lake Victoria Small Towns Initiative and
the Mekong River Basin Initiative. Between them these programmes
are targeting over two million people to benefit from improved
water and sanitation services in three years from now. Principal
among the beneficiaries are poor people living in small towns,
widows, and people living with HIV/AIDS including child orphans
and child headed households.
17. The Trust Fund is implemented through
a strong network of partners at several levels, including with
regional development banks, national governments, sub national
governments, municipalities and the beneficiary communities. But
of particular importance is UN-HABITAT's strong partnership with
Water Aid, a UK based charity organization. We have signed cooperation
agreements with nine country chapters of the organization in Africa
and Asia. These country offices bring to bear their expertise
to advance a pro-poor delivery of the water and sanitation services
with the communities concerned. We are also working on a global
agreement with the headquarters of Water Aid here in the UK for
strengthening and turning around the performance of utilities
in our countries of operation.
18. The partnership approach as demonstrated
in the Africa and Asia regions has proved quite profitable. More
funds and expertise are leveraged into the sector; more confidence
and ownership is built in the beneficiaries; economies of scale
are built in the use of human and financial resources; communities
are stabilized and bridges are built; there is positive sill over
into income-generating activities, health, social, security, safety,
productivity, peace and development; and a win-win profile of
intergovernmental relations is enhanced. Managing the funds at
country level has promoted clear role definitions and negotiation
of proportionate involvement by the community, sub-national and
national governments.
Cities Without Slums Sub-regional Programme for
Eastern and Southern Africa (CWS)
19. The most comprehensive initiative currently
under implementation is the Cities without Slums Sub-regional
Programme (on-going) for Eastern and Southern Africa, launched
in 2002 in the cities of Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Arusha (Tanzania),
Blantyre (Malawi), Durban (South Africa), Kampala (Uganda), Kisumu
(Kenya), Maputo (Mozambique) and Maseru (Lesotho). In this area,
40 to 60% of the total urban population lives in slums. In partnership
with Governments of Germany, Italy and the Netherlands; National
and Municipal Governments of the countries/cities targeted, the
programme has established the conditions for city-wide slum upgrading
using a multi-level intervention strategy. At the national level,
the CWS promotes the development and implementation of a national
policy and regulatory framework for upgrading and prevention.
At the municipal level, the focus is on strengthening institutional
arrangements and capacities as well as participatory decision-making
processes; and at the settlement level, practical upgrading is
demonstrated which combining tenure security, improvement of bulk
infrastructure and basic services, participatory land use planning,
and the promotion of micro and small enterprises.
20. The programme which is on-going is impacting
on the beneficiaries as follows: Arusha (Tanzania): Pilot upgrading
projects have been carried out in a third of Arusha's unplanned
settlements and currently being scaled up to cover all unplanned
settlements. The number of people so far benefiting is approximately
60,000. Very critical to the success of this project is the participatory
approach used in mobilizing and establishing all stake holder
forums. Community Development and Ward Planning Committees took
the lead in designing plans and building partnerships for their
implementation. Communities were thus strengthened to set their
priorities and develop funding strategies. Addis Ababa (Ethiopia):
Large-scale and top-down urban renewal operation threatening the
tenure security of many slum dwellers was abandoned in favour
of participatory process based on: (i) cooperation between target
communities, local authorities and local development committees,
and (ii) on the recognition of citizens' housing rights and of
slums as integral parts of the urban fabric that need to be upgraded.
Kisumu (Kenya): Following a community driven enumeration of 60,000
slum households, a qualitative information data base was developed
through physical mapping and a city-wide Geographic Information
System (GIS). Staff of the municipality was trained in managing
the GIS system. In all the cities, a better understanding of the
physical and social structures, legislative and institutional
frameworks were gained and where gaps were identified, these were
strengthened. In a few cases, an overall policy reform was recommended,
and these are underway.
IV. COUNTRY PROGRAMMES
Kenya Slum Upgrading Programme (KENSUP)—On-going
21. With support from Cities Alliance and
in partnership with the Central Government of Kenya and the City
Council of Nairobi, the Kenya Slum Upgrading Programme attempts
to improve overall livelihoods of people living and working in
slums through targeted interventions to address shelter, infrastructure
services, land tenure and employment issues, as well as the impact
of HIV/AIDS in slum settlements.
22. The KENSUP has so far sensitized government
to the growing problem of urban slums, resulting form which the
government is for the first time actively promoting slums upgrading
and slum prevention as a visible item of budget, and has provided
Ksh 500 million in the 2005 budget; establishment of institutional
structure at the National level (KENSUP Secretariat), Nairobi
City Council Level (Programme Implementation Unit) and at the
Community Level (Settlement Executive Committee). The increased
inter-ministerial cooperation is much value added for governance.
Raised level of donor confidence in stepping up support for the
process. On-going construction of 600 housing units. Total 0f
60,000 people are direct beneficiaries of the Kibera-Soweto phase
of the KENSUP.
23. Lessons learned from this reveals that
slum upgrading is a complex operation that should be informed
and guided by the local situation. Success depends on ensuring
full support and engagement of local actors. Slum upgrading must
be carried out holistically—the Kibera-Soweto upgrading
process will not only improve the physical living conditions of
people, but also focus on addressing the high incidence of HIV/AIDS
and unemployment in the slum.
Afghanistan
24. i) In partnership with Government
of Afghanistan; Municipalities of Kabul, Kandahar, Jalalabad,
Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif; World Bank, the Emergency Infrastructure
Reconstruction Project Municipal Public Works Programme (November
2002-February 2004), contributed to the revival of a functioning
local government; created 10,000 person-months of short-term employment
and implement 150 sub-projects. Infrastructure was repaired and
construction was based on community participation Thirteen thousand
person-months of employment through were created through 104 sub-projects
in the five municipalities over the project period of 18 months.
25. Policy and institutional achievements
of the programme include: the setting up of a Project Steering
Committee and a joint project implementation team, both located
within the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, and a Programme
Office in each Municipality established as a way of enhancing
government leadership and ownership of the Programme within local
authorities. The Ministry and municipal staff have been better
equipped to manage the implementation of small-scale public works
programmes at the city level as a result of availability of project
implementation manuals and training materials and on-the job training.
The Ministry of Urban Development and Housing is adopting a participatory
approach in its national urban upgrading programme.
26. ii) In partnership with Governments
of Afghanistan and Japan; Municipalities of Kandahar, Jalalabad
and Mazar-e-Sharif; Central Authority for Water Supply and Sanitation
(CAWSS), the Ogata Initiative Phase 2 and 3: Afghanistan Urban
Rehabilitation and Employment Programme (November 2002-August
2004), assisted the poor residents of Kandahar, Jalalabad and
Mazar-e-Sharif to rebuild their environments by addressing their
urgent needs of income generation, the restoration and expansion
of water supply and sanitation systems, and the construction of
shelter, thus enhancing their sense of security while creating
healthy living environments. Municipalities, communities (shura)
(council of elders in a community) were encouraged to take the
lead in the design and implementation of the actions. Physical
benefits of this programme to the community include: construction
of a total of 6,925 houses in the three municipalities; rehabilitation
of water supply systems including: digging of numerous hand pumps
eco-toilets and gravelled access roads. During the implementation
of the programme, the community was trained on construction skills
for better income earning as they were engaged directly on small
infrastructure repairs and production of building material. The
shuras learned how to express their problems to municipal
officers and how to rehabilitate project works. Active involvement
of municipalities strengthened their role in the reconstruction
process which helped to project a positive image of Governments'
capacity and willingness to engage and work with communities.
Bangladesh
27. In collaboration with UNDP and Baris
City Corporation representing 450 urban communities, UN-HABITAT
, is assisting the Local Government Engineering Department of
Government of Bangladesh in the implementation of a Local Partnerships
for Urban Poverty Alleviation Project (LUPAUP) in the municipalities
of Bogra, Gopalganj, Hobiganj, Kushtia, Mymensingh, Narayanganj
and Sirajganj Pourashavas (Municipalities); Chittagong, Khulna,
Rajshahi. The project seeks to alleviate poverty in 500 poorer
communities in 4 cities and 7 municipalities through the promotion
of local partnerships, community participation in all aspects
of the development process and increasing responsiveness of local
government to the needs of the urban poor.
28. The project has positively improved
the lives of over 600,000 people, of whom 450,000 slum dwellers
have directly benefited from 33,000 improved pit latrines that
are having a dramatic impact in terms of improved health and environmental
conditions. Through active promotion and capacity building women
have found the capacity and confidence to engage in community
development initiatives and have demonstrated skills and abilities
not previously thought possible. There has been a 50% overall
reduction in poverty in the 11 benefiting municipalities over
five years. The project has thus developed a management capacity
and demonstrated a set of interventions that can empower communities
to organize and build their capacity to improve their living conditions.
The project is currently being scaled up nation-wide with the
support of the Department for International Development (DFID)
of the U.K. The phase two of the project aims to reach 3.5 million
urban poor at an estimated funding of $100 million from DFID during
2007-13.
Cambodia
29. i) In partnership with Royal Government
of Cambodia; UK-Department for International Development; Municipality
of Phnom Penh; UNDP; United Nations Human Security Fund, the Phnom
Penh Urban Poverty Reduction and Local Partnership for Poverty
Reduction Phnom Penh Projects( Nov 2000-March 2004), sought to
improve urban governance for poverty reduction, and to up grade
slums with a target of 150,000 beneficiaries. The project has
impacted 2,095 urban poor families 3,500 students through increased
access to water and sanitation services—construction of
community wells, toilets and access roads, increased income generation
through vocational and apprenticeship programmes and implementation
of land sharing projects.
30. Policy and institutional changes recorded
on the project include: formulation of guidelines on voluntary
relocation; preparation of land management manual and land and
housing policy guidelines; design of a "City without Slums
Strategy" which addresses key issues for pro-poor investment;
full operationalization of an Urban Poverty Reduction Unit at
the municipal, district and ward levels; training of municipal
officials to respond positively to requests from communities;
and setting up of a community human security fund to support the
implementation of approximately 260 community action plans (covering
water and sanitation; drainage; solid waste disposal; access roads
and walkways; health; income generation) in support of in situ
upgrading.
31. ii) In partnership with: Royal Government
of Cambodia; Municipality of Phnom Penh (MPP); Asian Coalition
for Housing Rights (ACHR), Urban Resource Centre (URC) Solidarity
for Urban Poor Federation (SUPF), Urban Poor Development Fund
(UPDF); and the Cities Alliance, the Scaling up Community-Driven
Development Process in Phnom Penh shows how alternatives to relocation
can be achieved and how slum upgrading and poverty reduction strategies
can be integrated into the City's Development Strategy. Through
the participatory and consultative process, alternatives to relocation
were identified, including upgrading, nearby relocations and land
sharing and pilot areas selected. The Prime Minister committed
to improving 100 slum settlements per year for the next five years.
Chile
32. In partnership with Chile Ministry of
Housing and Urbanism; UNDP, the Ribera Norte Project seeks to
prepare planning schemes for local development, mobilizing several
actors, in the metropolitan area of Concepcio«n (population
of 800,000) of which the fringe was being occupied by informal
dwellers living in deteriorating buildings; and to construct new
housing modules that share grounds with existing inhabitants.
As a result of this project, a programme for low-income housing
in the area, subsidized by the ministry, was implemented.
33. Policy and institutional changes were
stimulated by the establishment of a temporary authority that
is capable of leading the planning process and preparing the way
for Ministry of Housing and Urbanism and private sector investments
in the area. The ministry enabled to start an urban renewal process
within large extensions of land, opening the city to new scenery
and providing large amounts of land for urban development close
to the city centre. All preparatory activities for the private
sector investment in the claimed land have been fulfilled.
Guatemala
34. In partnership with Government of Guatemala,
National Commission for Peace; Governments of Switzerland and
the Netherlands, and UNDP, the Programme on Resettlement of the
Population Displaced by the Armed Conflict aimed to resettle approximately
40,000 families that were displaced during the civil war in the
1980s, and to design their new settlements; catering for basic
shelter, infrastructure, and services; and starting income-generation
activities to ensure their subsistence. Suitable land was identified;
settlements were assisted to construct housing with basic infrastructure,
along with training programme for the community members. 250 investment
projects prepared to ensure adequate planning, construction, and
infrastructure delivery in the new settlements. The capacity of
the affected communities and municipalities to participate in
the resettlement and reconstruction process was reinforced thereby
ensuring the sustainability of the resettled communities after
external support ended.
Indonesia
35. In partnership with Government of Indonesia;
Ministry of Settlements and Regional Development; Government of
The Netherlands; UNDP, the Community—based Initiative for
Housing and Local development (CoBILD) aims at the following:
develop community-based housing finance models and governance
structures to be up-scaled in the pilot cities, along with supporting
institutional arrangements at the national level; meet the needs
of low-income households by lowering the costs of housing provision
through incrementally built, sequentially financed housing based
on community-driven initiatives to further reduce the costs of
housing through the collective acquisition of land and development
of infrastructure; and ensure that the lessons learned and good
practices can be integrated in and replicated through national
policy.
36. Through the programme, over Rp. 15 billion
disbursed to Boards for the improvement of 5,000 houses, 215 new
houses and the purchase of more than 2,800 plots of land. An empowerment
strategy and dissemination campaign was developed and implemented,
and a clear understanding of the arrangements for the revolving
loan was built. 12 City Forums and Management Boards were established,
along with a support system linking communities and neighborhoods
through to the city-level; and loan funds were disbursed to all
Boards, which in turn disbursed to neighborhood groups to implement
their prioritized land purchases, housing improvement and new
development proposals.
Iraq
37. i) In partnership with: Government
of Iraq/"Oil for Food" agreement between the Government
of Iraq and the United Nations (Security Council Resolution 986
of 1995); United Nations Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator
for Iraq/Office of the Iraq Programme, the Iraq Settlement and
Rehabilitation Programme (1997—Nov 2003),identified a priority
caseload of the underprivileged Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
and other vulnerable groups to form the basis of a targeted programme
of resettlement assistance; improved the living conditions of
the target group through the provision of integrated packages
of resettlement assistance, including shelter, basic services,
and infrastructure; contributed to the stabilization of the area
by improving the social and economic infrastructure in settlements
with high concentrations of IDPs and other vulnerable groups;
and helped to lay the foundations for future sustainable human
development through rehabilitation and expansion of educational
infrastructure in the area. Physical improvements include: building/reconstruction
of 21,268 houses, 706 kilometres of water mains, 199 kilometres
of sewers, 765 schools, 134 health centres, 175 community centres,
over 50 veterinary surgeries, markets, irrigation and other agricultural
facilities, 2,940 kilometres of roads and 34 bridges in the northern
governorates of Arbil, Dahuk and Sulaymaniyah. These facilities
have directly improved the living conditions of nearly 1.35 million
IDPs and vulnerable groups representing almost 40% of the population
of Northern Iraq. The size of population impacted by these improvements
is 1,349,200.
38. ii) In partnership with Humanitarian
Aid Office of the European Commission (ECHO); Municipality of
Baghdad and UNDP, the Neighborhood Rehabilitation Project (1997—Dec
2003), improved the living conditions of communities and neighborhoods
in Baghdad through the provision of immediate rehabilitated works.
The capacity of communities and municipalities was built to enable
them to plan, design and implement projects for the rehabilitation
of essential services. Public services were built in various neighbourhoods
of Baghdad, which has led to improved sanitation, better solid
waste management and more efficient water systems in the city,
benefiting over 20,000 people. Communities were mobilized and
cooperatives were established In 2002, this project Baghdad was
awarded the Dubai International Award for Best Practices in Improving
the Living Environment.
39. iii) In partnership with Government
of Japan; Local authorities in Southern Iraq, the Community Rehabilitation
Programme rehabilitated (Feb 2004-January 2005) low-income housing
in the Iraqi cities of Baghdad, Ba'qubah, Basra, Kirkuk, Najaf
and Samawah The programme improved basic infrastructure, such
as water and sanitation, which was damaged through neglect and
institutional failure during the sanctions regime. Two thousand
low-income houses were rehabilitated along with basic infrastructure
and training was provided for construction workers to build their
income generation capacity.
40. iv) In partnership with: Iraqi Ministry
of Construction and Housing; Ministry of Municipalities and Public
Works; Ministry of Education; Ministry of Higher Education; Municipal
Authorities; Government of Japan; United Nations Development Group
(UNDG) Iraq Trust Fund, the Rehabilitation of Community Facilities
Infrastructure Emergency Programme was launched in 2004 (on-going)
to improve the living and environmental conditions of the most
vulnerable Iraqi families by rehabilitating houses, community
facilities, shelters for orphans and the physically challenged,
schools, and water supplies; stimulate employment through labour-intensive
methods of construction; and build capacity in the construction
sector. Through the programme, the housing conditions of 6,000
people have improved; access to education through better learning
environment has been provided for over 100,000 Iraqi students;
water supplied to about 30,000 people; thousands of jobs generated
in the construction sector and capacity of local contractors who
handled over 250 rehabilitation contracts has been strengthened.
41. The capacity of municipalities, community
groups, and the private sector, to play more effective role in
the long-term reconstruction of Iraq has been further strengthened.
The standard of technical and vocational education has been modernized
and upgraded in response to the increasing need for skilled workers
in the labour force. Several components of this programme already
been identified as good practice with the potential for national
replication (notably housing and school rehabilitation).
Myanmar
42. In partnership with Ministry of Agriculture
(Water Resources Utilization Department); Ministry of Border Areas,
and National Races and Development Affairs; Ministry of Health
(Environmental Sanitation Division);and UNDP, the Community Water
Supply and Sanitation built direct links between communities and
the myriad of private sector entities involved in the supply of
services and materials related to water supply and sanitation;
increased coverage of access to safe water and sanitation in eleven
townships, located in three different climatic zones; and built
community capacity to maintain and further develop water supply
and sanitation facilities. Physical improvements include: 7,591
water supply installations; 6,973 sanitary installations; 1,125
community initiative support facilities (small-scale infrastructure).
The lives of 1.8 million people in 3,665 villages have been positively
impacted by meeting their water supply and sanitation needs. Community
capacity to maintain these facilities is built.
Nicaragua
43. In partnership with Nicaraguan Institute
for Urban and Rural Housing; Nicaraguan Institute for Municipal
Development; and UNDP, the Programme for Integrated Development
of Human Settlements produced a long-term development programme,
as a guideline to sustainable development in response to the deficit
in housing and basic services that affects 50% of the population.
Prospects underway for policy changes based on identification
of poor and vulnerable communities where remedial intervention
was most urgently needed; establishment of operational agreements
with ongoing employment generation programmes. These will be used
to channel external aid and will spearhead the transition from
emergency reconstruction to sustainable development. Currently,
investment proposals are being formulated in selected micro-regions
(targeting specific municipalities) in consultation with central
government agencies and local authorities. This procedure will
be adopted as a general guideline for national replication.
Sri Lanka
44. In partnership with Government of Sri
Lanka; Municipalities of Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia and Moratuwa;
Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation; and Japan
Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), the Lunawa Lake Environment
Improvement and Community Development Project ( May 2002-May 2005),
improved the environment and uplifted the quality of life of people
in the Lunawa area by (i) alleviating floods through storm water
drainage system improvements, including the rehabilitation of
existing canals and streams; (ii) creating a hygienic and pleasant
environment; and (iii) upgrading the living conditions of communities.
The programme resettled families living on canal/lake banks and
to upgrade under-served areas by providing basic infrastructure
facilities. Resettlement sites layout plans and house designs
were prepared and guided resettlement was tailor made and implemented
to forestall the formation of slums. A livelihood and income restoration
programme was implemented along with the resettlement to ensure
sustainability. Every activity was carried out in consultation
with the "Project Affected Persons" (PAPs)
45. Through this programme an innovative
"State of the Art" urban resettlement programme was
developed and implemented thus translating the National Involuntary
Resettlement Policy into practice. As a result, the project has
successfully made PAPs, the real beneficiary partners of the project,
setting a good example for consultative resettlement programmes.
A Resettlement Policy, Participatory Resettlement Strategy, Process
and Activity Plans, were developed and implemented with assistance
from leading NGOs.
V. COUNTRY IMPACT
ON PRO-POOR
GENDER-SENSITIVE
LAND POLICY,
LEGISLATION AND
REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS
46. Change in land policy and administration
are among the hardest to achieve and require long-term engagement
and dialogue. It is very process intensive but essential to sustainable
slum upgrading and prevention. UN-HABITAT plays a catalytic role
at the national, regional and global levels. For example, it is
currently working with the African Union/Economic Commission for
Africa and African Development Bank in developing a land policy
framework for Africa which will be taken to Heads of State by
the end of 2007. This involves the development of benchmarks to
assess in-country delivery on this framework. The benchmarks will
be used through the NEPAD peer review process. Similarly collaboration
is ongoing with ESCWA where recently Arab States have endorsed
UN-HABITAT's seminal work on the development of Islamic land tools.
47. The following are countries with which
consultations on urban land policy have been held or are still
in progress. Some of these have started to influence legislation,
or land administrative processes which improve on the transparent
and inclusive provisions. The results are varied but encouraging
although some of these are not easily captured within the scope
of monitoring and evaluation by UN-HABITAT.
i. Kenya: UN-HABITAT is chair of the
land sector donor group, funding the development of land policy,
including the implementation of the findings of the commission
on the theft of public land. Partners include GoK, DFiD, Sida,
USAID, Irish Aid, Italian Cupertino, and UNDP.
ii. Lesotho: As part of Cities without
Slums programme, holding of multi-stakeholder negotiations on
how to engage slum upgrading in Lesotho.
iii. Nigeria: A proposal for the review
of the Land Use Act is currently before parliament.
iv. Mozambique: As part of Cities without
Slums programme, holding of multi-stakeholder workshops at national
and regional levels, to address slums and the development of an
urban slum and land policy. Partners include GoM, MICOA.
v. South Africa: City wide consultations
of all stakeholders on slum upgrading in Durban.
vi. Somalia: Land policy workshops in
Puntland to initiate discussion land issues. Partners include
Government of Puntland, European Commission, UNDP, Norwegian Refugee
Council, CARE International, UNHCR, local NGOs.
vii. Afghanistan: Consultative process
to address land administration and governance issues in urban
areas. GoA, UNDP, World Bank.
viii. Indonesia: Chairing of the post
tsunami land and shelter forum of UN and NGOs. UNDP, Oxfam.
ix. Uganda: Ongoing consultations on
land policy and law. GoU, World Bank.
x. India: Analysis of learning outcomes
of current policy reform in collaboration with the World Bank.
xi. Occupied Palestinian Territories: Partner
with World Bank on land law consultations and review.
xii. Liberia: Initiated discussions to
begin land policy review and development process.
xiii. Southern Sudan: Assisting in the
development of the land policy through work with the Land Commission.
48. Countries which have taken the firm
decision to develop new land policies and are being assisted:
(i) Kenya: The land policy is now in
the public arena for debate prior to implementation.
(ii) Mozambique: Adoption by Cabinet
of the urban policy backstopped by UN-HABITAT team. Ongoing negotiations
concerning the adoption of land regulations for urban areas.
(iii) Indonesia: Post-tsunami policy
for provision of shelter and land for resettlement.
49. Countries that have changed their laws
and/or regulatory frameworks with regard to land reform.
(i) Uganda: Implementation of the land
sector strategic plan, and the decentralisation of land functions.
(ii) Namibia: The Flexible Land Tenure
Act.
VI. CONCLUSION
Issues facing human settlements, particularly
in rapidly growing slums, are real. They are grave. They are complex.
They are urgent. If unaddressed they could become a cause of instability.
They affect human beings as well as the natural environment. They
need collaboration of all parties, at all levels based on a shared
vision.
UN-HABITAT is poised to strengthen its role
as a catalyst for all those recognizing the need to overcome these
challenges. To do so effectively, UN-HABITAT realizes that it
must make further adjustments to its framework programme and strategic
vision adopted after Habitat II that paved the way for its upgrading
into a fully fledged programme by the General Assembly in 2001.
Chief among these adjustments is a need to embark on a more focused
strategic and institutional path.
Our common goal must be to stabilize the unplanned
and chaotic aspects of urban growth and unleash the productive
potential of the urban poor. Our goal must also be to address
pressing global issues such as climate change that threaten citizens
north and south alike. The vision of livable, productive and inclusive
cities offered by sustainable urbanization will enable all city
dwellers to become full urban citizens. It will allow for the
achievement of balanced territorial development that fosters economic
vitality and social harmony in cities of different sizes, large
and small.
To achieve this we are fully cognizant of the
fact that we cannot go it along, which is why it is imperative
to build fruitful and meaningful partnerships not only to ensure
sustained inflow of resources to meet the challenges, but to remain
at the cutting edge of the trends even as they emerge and change
rapidly as dictated by shifting priorities of global development.
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