Habitat Debate

Habitat Debate

http://www.unchs.org/hd/

Publisher: United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)

Urban poverty reduction strategies derive from an understanding of current
conditions and trends (e.g., urbanization, globalization, the growth of
slums and the gross inequities in urban life) and from the norms and
principles that guide the United Nations response to these conditions. These
norms and principles include, among others, sustainable urban development,
adequate shelter for all, improvement in the lives of slum dwellers, access
to safe water and sanitation, social inclusion, environmental protection and
the various human rights. With experience and understanding also comes the
recognition that urban and shelter finance mechanisms are essential to
poverty reduction and, also, that very little may be achieved without
collaborative effort as expressed in partnerships.

With these imperatives in mind and with a sharper focus on urban poverty
and, in particular, slums as the most visible manifestation of urban poverty
within the overall urbanization process, the UN-HABITAT strategic vision has
been further refined, giving more attention to knowledge management, the
financing of housing and human settlements and, particularly, to strategic
partnerships. The expanded strategic vision is both forward looking and
pragmatic, being consistent with social norms and political principles as
well as with UN-HABITAT mandates, capabilities and partners¹ objectives.

Its main elements are:

* Knowledge management and reporting, expanding the global understanding of
urban development, shelter and poverty, and tracking progress in
implementing the Habitat Agenda;
* Advocacy of norms for sustainable urbanization and urban poverty
reduction, carried forward through two global campaigns and a number of
global programmes;
* Technical cooperation in linking norms and campaign/programme goals to
urban poverty reduction activities on the ground;
Innovative financing for urbanization and specific shelter needs of the
urban poor; and
* Strategic partnerships to leverage resources and coordinate international
programme activities that work toward similar ends.

ISSN 1020-3613

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Content freely accessible online in PDF format.

Current Issue: Vol. 11 No. 3, September 2005

Date: 31 October 2005