+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dear Sir/Madam, Please find below the issue of the Urban Observer - 2003. ============================================== T H E U R B A N O B S E R V E R ============================================== 3rd Edition 2003 The Global Urban Observatory's Newsletter Apologies for cross-postings ============================================== IN THIS ISSUE ============================================== - Welcome to the Urban Observer - Tool to measure MDG 7 Target 11 on slums - "1000 Cities GIS Programme" - Dubai International Awards for Best Practices 2004 - Fourth Annual Global Development Awards Competition - Email Addresses Update - New recipient to the Urban Observer? - Our Contacts ============================================== Welcome to the URBAN OBSERVER ============================================== The Urban Observer is a quarterly newsletter published by the Global Urban Observatory Section (GUO) of the Monitoring Systems Branch (Urban Secretariat), United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). It provides information about the Global Urban Observatory network and constitutes a platform for exchanging experiences and lessons learned from national and local urban observatories. ============================================== Tool to measure MDG 7 Target 11 on Slums ============================================== The Global Urban Observatory of UN-HABITAT has prepared a Guide to Monitoring Millennium Development Goal Target 11 on improving the lives of slum dwellers. The guide offers definitions and a hierarchy of indicators at the operational level, as well as specific ways to measure them. This publication is highly recommended to UN Country Teams but also to city planners, NGOs and researchers who want to monitor the Millennium Development Goals in their cities. The guide is available in English and French at: http://www.unhabitat.org/programmes/guo/publications.asp =========================== "1000 Cities GIS Programme" =========================== UN-HABITAT and ESRI, a major GIS (Geographical Information System) software producer, have announced 1000 GIS software grants to cities and institutions in developing and transitional countries. Recipients of the grant will establish a GIS in their city to improve urban monitoring. Collection of urban indicator information and analyzing the data using GIS software will provide decision-makers with information useful for example in the planning for the urban poor. The GUO invites applications for this GIS software-cum-training grant. For more information on eligibility and requirements, visit us at http:/www.unhabitat.org/programmes/guo/support.asp or send an email to martin.raithelhuber@unhabitat.org =================================================== Dubai International Awards for Best Practices 2004 =================================================== The Best Practices Team at UN-HABITAT accepts now applications for the Dubai International Awards for Best Practices 2004. Applicants can submit best practices in a wide range of categories. The GUO team would like to encourage GUO Network members and other interested parties to submit their best practices especially in the category "Use of Information in Decision Making". For more information, visit http:/www.bestpractices.org/bp2004 =================================================== Fourth Annual Global Development Awards Competition =================================================== Submissions are now being accepted for the Fourth Annual Awards Competition, which carries prizes in cash and travel of over $400,000! Submissions can be for an ongoing development project, completed research, or a new research proposal. The Governing Body of the Global Development Network (GDN) has chosen Understanding Reform as the theme for the Fifth Annual Global Development Conference to be held in New Delhi in January 2004.The five topics proposed for the research awards are consistent with this theme. Under each topic, GDN welcomes submissions from all branches of the social sciences. Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary submissions are particularly encouraged. The three finalists in the large award categories and the five finalists in each of the five medal categories will present their papers at the Annual Conference. Funding for the Awards and Medals is generously provided by the Government of Japan, Merck Corporation, Government of Italy, World Bank, and the Government of India. The five topics, described in detail below: 1. Pro-market Reform and the Poor 2. Agriculture Reform and Rural Development in the Lowest Income Countries 3. Reforms, Interest Groups and Civil Society 4. Market Reforms and the New Role of the State 5. Reform, the External Environment, and the Role of International and Regional Institutions More information at: http://www.gdnet.org/subpages/events_global.html Note: The Fourth Annual Global Development Awards Competition is not a UN-HABITAT activity. ============================================== Webshots: ============================================== Urbanicity is a UN-HABITAT partnership initiative that works to increase the flow of information to individuals involved in urban areas around the world. For more information see http://www.urbanicity.org/ ============================================== Email Addresses Update ============================================== The GUO team is in the process to update the email addresses of the Urban Observer recipients. In this process, you may have received an unsubscribe and a subscription notice, recently, although you are already a subscriber. Please, take this opportunity to let us know the email address you want to use for the Urban Observer. Thanks a lot for your cooperation. ============================================== New recipient to the Urban Observer? ============================================== This issue has been sent to a number of new recipients, including all persons or institutions that have shown interest in the Global Urban Observatory, recently or in the past, and are on email. If you feel that the Urban Observer should be sent to an email address different from the one we are using now, or you want a friend or colleague to receive the Urban Observer, please, let us know. ============================================== OUR CONTACTS ============================================== Global Urban Observatory Monitoring Systems Branch, UN-HABITAT P.O. Box 30030 - Nairobi 00100 - Kenya Tel: 254-20-623119 !!! New Prefix for Nairobi !!! Fax: 254-20-623080 Website: www.unhabitat.org/guo Email: guo@unhabitat.org