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Afghanistan : Tackling the land issue at the forefront .
The report titled Preliminary Study of Land Tenure Related Issues in Urban Afghanistan, was produced and distributed widely to partners and the Government. The report was well received and successful in bringing the land issue on the table: USAID immediately funded a project through an American university to study the institutional needs of the Department of Land Survey, and the World Bank set aside funding for further study on land issues . Bangladesh : Engaging the Campaign at City level before scaling up
Taking advantage of the Bangladesh delegation visiting UN-HABITAT headquarters during the 19 th Governing Council, representatives of the Government of Bangladesh and NGOs were convinced of the advantages to launch a Campaign for Secure Tenure in Bangladesh . In a follow-up mission to Bangladesh , further arrangements were put in place to establish the Campaign firmly.
The Bangladesh Campaign for Secure Tenure (BCST) is following a bottom-up strategy. Initially the Campaign is being introduced in Khluna and Sirajgani to gather basic information and test out various Campaign activities, identifying successful approaches, which thereafter can be applied in other cities and towns in Bangladesh . Once the city strategies have been worked out, the BCST will be up scaled at National level.
Cambodia : The campaign is supported by b political commitment
The Campaign activities were officially engaged during a three-day event in May 2003, which celebrated the fifth anniversary of the Urban Poor Development Fund (UPDF). The major achievement of this event was the concession of the Government (as officially expressed by Prime Minister Hun Sen) that over the next five years one hundred settlements in Phnom Penh will be upgraded every year . The Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction have shown clear interest in addressing national policy issues and a strategy to undertake a more wholesome Campaign is in preparation. As an expression of political will the government of Cambodia is also making efforts to undertake slum upgrading on a wide scale.
The Asian Coalition for Housing Rights (ACHR), our regional partners are very active in Cambodia in various ways. They have supported the establishment of the Urban Poor Development Fund (UPDF) and are implementing a Cities Alliance CDS project in Phnom Penh in partnership with UN-HABITAT
Thailand :
The recent launch of the “One Million Houses Programme” a partnership approach between the central government, the National Housing Authority, local authorities, Asian Coalition of Housing Rights (ACHR), Community Organisation Development Institute (CODI) and communities, opened up new opportunities for UN-HABITAT to support these partners in developing a national Secure Tenure Campaign during 2003/2004 for Thailand. Such a Campaign will offer support to the “200 cities without slums” component where pilot projects are already starting and security of tenure regarded as the main ingredient for future success.
The Executive Director UN-HABITAT positively responded to the request by the government of Thailand for co-operation on the Secure Tenure Campaign and already an outline of joint Campaign activities has been discussed and CODI appointed as the agency to co-ordinate the Campaign activities in Thailand . During her visit to Thailand the Executive Director discussed with the Governments how the Thai Campaign could cluster other countries in the region.
Philippines : Implementation of the action plan
The Philippines Urban Forum prepared a National Action Agenda that demonstrates commitment of both the National and Regional governments to deliver secure tenure and good governance.
As a follow up to the launch of the Global Campaign, and as the result of a series of consultations between city mayors, people's organizations, non-governmental organizations, national government agencies, private sector and other development partners, the Action plan called Ang Bahanggunihanan was formed. This term is coined out of five Filipino words that mean “sharing, consultation, cooperation, governance and home”. Put together the resulting term essentially captures the objectives, processes and desired outcomes of the Campaign for secure tenure and good urban governance in the Philippines . Ang Bahanggunihanan advocates the following five action agenda:
- Empowered People's Organizations and Barangay Governance,
- Access to Quality and Affordable Housing and Basic Services,
- Rational Use of Land Resources,
- Effective Urban Development and
- Management Strengthened and Institutionalized Philippine Urban Forum (PUF).
Mexico/Peru:
Campaign related activities have been discussed for Mexico , and Peru . Mexico has shown encouraging developments, particularly now with the appointment of a Habitat Programme Manager. Work to spearhead the implementation of the campaigns is ongoing with networks of community-based organizations and local authorities in the Latin American and Caribbean region through the Regional Action Committees.
Morocco :
UN-HABITAT representatives of the two campaigns (Secure Tenure and Urban Governance), held productive meetings with several Ministries of the Moroccan Government including the department of housing and regional planning. Due to the fact that local elections were scheduled for late 2003, it was agreed that engagement in consultations with local stakeholders would be held after the elections. As an outcome of the Campaign, the Prime Minister officially announced, a Nation Wide Slum upgrading programme called “Villes sans bidonvilles au Maroc” during World Habitat Day October 2003 . The Cities Alliance has approached UN-HABITAT to engage in a number of activities related to this initiative that will potentially attract partners such as USAID, WB, AfDB)
Uganda
In Uganda , the Secure Tenure Campaign is being launched together with the Urban Governance Campaign. The Preparatory Phase is underway and work has started towards the production of a Situation Analysis. The Steering Committee for Urban Development (SCUD) which was launched in March 2003, is collaborating with SDI to look into ways of facilitating peer exchanges between Uganda and other countries where Slum Dwellers International (SDI) are active. In addition, the Cities without Slums Sub regional initiative for Kampala is being linked to the campaign to give it more impact.
ESCWA
A meeting of experts was held in Cairo Egypt in December 2003 to explore the possibilities of launching the two campaigns in the Arab world. An organizational agreement has been secured for prospective regional and national launches to be developed. A follow up meeting will be held between government and civil society to determine participating countries and select countries who will engage in first launches.
Other Activities CASLE Meeting:
A Regional workshop on Security of Land Tenure and the MDGs was organized in collaboration with Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy (CASLE) in June 2003 in Nairobi , Kenya . The seminar brought together professionals and other stakeholders in land and housing to deliberate on issues pertinent to security of land tenure, especially in the East African region, how secure tenure relates to women, and its contribution to the realization and achievement of the MDGs.
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