NEW PARTNERSHIPS TO MEET GLOBAL SHELTER CRISIS FOCUS OF UN CONFERENCE ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS (HABITAT II)

30 May 1996

Press Release
HAB/118

NEW PARTNERSHIPS TO MEET GLOBAL SHELTER CRISIS FOCUS OF UN CONFERENCE ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS (HABITAT II)

19960530 Background Release 'City Summit' in Istanbul from 3 to 14 June to Adopt Global Call to Action for Development of Sustainable Human Settlements

The necessary development of broad partnerships to respond to the growing crisis of shelter in an urbanizing world will be a major focus of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) in Istanbul from 3 to 14 June. The Conference is expected to adopt "The Habitat Agenda" -- a global call to action at the international, national and local level and a guide for the development of sustainable human settlements in the world's cities, towns and villages into the first two decades of the next century.

Habitat II, which has been described as both a "partners' conference" and a "city summit", is the last in a series of global conferences convened by the United Nations during the 1990s on development-related issues, including the environment, human rights, population, social development and women's empowerment. The primary objective of the Conference's global plan of action would be the achievement of adequate shelter for all and especially for the deprived urban and rural poor, utilizing an enabling approach to shelter strategy.

The "City Summit" preparatory process from April 1995 to February 1996 picked up where the 1992 "Earth Summit" left off, with the goal of making the Conference a true exercise in partnership to carry forward into the implementation of the Habitat Agenda. As a result the Conference will feature a unique main committee where non-State partners -- local authorities, the private sector, parliamentarians, non-governmental, community-based and international organizations and others -- will present their views on their respective roles in the Agenda implementation. Mayors from cities and towns all over the world are expected to participate.

In addition to the partnership committee, the Conference will feature an exchange of views in the plenary from 3 to 11 June on the state of human settlements, including strategies for their improvement. That general

discussion will be followed by a High-level segment from 12 to 14 June, which will give world leaders a platform from which to declare their commitment to improving the settlements in their countries.

Another highlight of Habitat II will showcase examples of best practices for improving the environment -- initiatives by governments, local authorities, grass-roots organizations and community groups that have proved effective in solving some of the most pressing economic, social and environmental problems facing today's urbanizing world. A follow-up goal after the Conference would be to establish an easily accessible information mechanism to share experience and expertise in solving urbanization problems.

The work of the main committee during the two-week conference will be to reach consensus on a statement of principles and commitments and a global plan of action. In the three sessions of the Preparatory Committee, United Nations Member States agreed on the outline of a proposed global plan of action. A number of issues in the proposed text remain unresolved despite extensive pre- Conference negotiations. Those issues include the right to adequate housing -- stated at the first Habitat Conference held in Vancouver, Canada in 1976 -- as well as an institutional arrangement for follow-up to the plan of action and financial resources needed for implementation.

The aim of the 1976 United Nations Conference on Human Settlements was to develop strategies to mitigate the effects of rapid urbanization. In the two decades since, urbanization and the growth of mega-cities have continued relentlessly. Recognition of the urgency of the problem led participants at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) to request the convening of a second Conference to address it.

In 1992, the General Assembly decided to convene Habitat II in 1996 and established a Preparatory Committee for the Conference. At its first session in Geneva, the Committee recommended that the Conference aim to increase awareness of the problems and potentials of human settlements, and commit the world's leaders to making cities, towns and villages healthy, safe, just and sustainable.

(A note by the Secretariat (document A/CONF.165/L.1 and Add.1 and 2) transmits the draft Habitat Agenda, as approved by the Conference's Preparatory Committee at its third session in February.)

Draft Habitat Agenda

The proposed final document of the Conference, "The Habitat Agenda", is intended as a global call to action at all levels and a guide towards the achievement of the sustainable development of the world's cities, towns and villages into the first two decades of the next century. The Agenda offers a

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positive vision of sustainable human settlements -- where all have adequate shelter, a healthy and safe environment, basic services and productive and freely chosen employment.

The draft Agenda contains a preamble, a nine-part statement of goals and principles, and set of six commitments to be undertaken by governments in support of the objectives of Habitat II. The fourth part contains strategies for implementation of the global plan of action.

While agreement could not be reached on a number of issues during the preparatory process, one area of progress concerned the idea of partnerships, which would be based on the willingness of national governments to work with local authorities on the Agenda. All partners would be encouraged to work with non-governmental organizations and the private sector.

Pursuant to a decision of the Preparatory Committee at its third session, proposals received during the session regarding amended or alternative texts of chapters II (Goals and Principles), III (Commitments) and IV, section D (Capacity-building and institutional development) are also being forwarded to the Conference for further consideration. They will appear as an addendum to the Habitat Agenda. Additional proposals to other sections will appear in another conference document (A/CONF.165/CRP.1.)

The Agenda's 12-paragraph preamble recognizes the "imperative need to improve the quality of human settlements" which profoundly affect people's daily lives and well-being. Although the social and economic progress associated with urbanization is acknowledged, the preamble stresses that Habitat II deals with all settlements -- large, medium and small -- and reaffirms the need for universal improvements in living and working conditions.

According to the preamble, the Conference is to focus on two global themes: "Adequate shelter for all" and "Sustainable human settlements developments in an urbanizing world". Within the first theme, the "objective is to achieve adequate shelter for all, especially the deprived urban and rural poor through an enabling approach to the development and improvement of shelter that is environmentally sound". For the second theme, the concept of sustainable development of human settlements "combines economic development, social development and environmental protection with full respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms".

Acknowledging that many countries lack resources to respond to rapid urbanization, the preamble calls for measures to encourage independent initiative and creativity, and a wide range of partnerships among governments, local authorities, the private sector and non-governmental organizations, and within and between countries. National authorities should facilitate the

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empowerment of all people, especially vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, to participate equally in all activities related to human settlements.

A range of issues are still to be considered in the preamble, including the needs of displaced persons and refugees; the needs of children, youth and indigenous people; and the role of women in attaining sustainable human settlements. The question of the roots of human settlement problems and the national and international, social and economic, contexts in which human settlements exist are also to be addressed in the preamble.

By agreeing on Chapter II of the draft agenda, the Conference would adopt the goals and principles of adequate shelter for all and sustainable development in an urbanizing world. The nine commitments include a discussion of equitable human settlements, poverty eradication, sustainable development, physical conditions and spatial characteristics of settlements, the need to strengthen the family as the basic unit of society, citizen rights and responsibilities, partnerships, solidarity with disadvantaged and vulnerable groups and financial resources.

The final section of the goals and principles (paragraph 22) deals with the issue of "an increased flow of new and additional financial resources to developing countries" in order to safeguard present and future generations in human settlements. It was not negotiated or approved at the third session of the Preparatory Committee. Alternative texts as proposed by delegations and United Nations entities and a new paragraph proposed by the "Group of 77" developing countries and China are contained in the addendum to the present document.

Chapter III of the draft Agenda contains six "commitments" covering the following areas: adequate shelter for all, sustainable human settlements, enablement, financing shelter and human settlements, international cooperation and assessing progress. All the commitments are still to be negotiated. Proposals by delegations and United Nations entities are being forwarded to Istanbul to facilitate negotiations on those paragraphs and are contained in the addendum to the Agenda. There is also an additional paragraph on commitment on gender equality which would be negotiated further.

Although various paragraphs in Chapter III reached different levels of negotiation, all the paragraphs remain in brackets. Under the commitment to adequate shelter for all, the Conference will take up the unresolved issue of the right to adequate housing, as stated: "[We reaffirm our commitment to the progressive realization of the right to adequate housing, as set out in numerous international instruments. In this context, we recognize the fundamental obligation of governments to enable people to obtain shelter and to protect and improve dwellings and neighbourhoods.]"

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The Conference's five-part global plan of action: strategies for implementation is contained in chapter IV of the Agenda and represents as many as 149 paragraphs. The draft plan elaborates on action to be taken to achieve adequate shelter for all; sustainable human settlements development in an urbanizing world; capacity-building and institutional development; international cooperation and coordination; and implementation and follow-up of the global plan of action. It describes ways to promote efficient land markets and sustainable land use, mobilize sources of financing and facilitate access to land and security of tenure. It also proposes actions that governments can take to integrate shelter policies with macro-economic, social and environmental policies, and to improve shelter delivery systems.

When adopted in Istanbul, the global plan of action of Habitat II and its strategies for implementation would elaborate how the two principal goals of "adequate shelter for all" and sustainable human settlements development in an urbanizing world can be furthered at the local level through an enabling process in which individuals, families and their communities play a central role. Implementation of these measures will need to be adapted to the specific situation of each country and community.

In addition to enablement, the strategy of the global plan of action is based on transparency and participation. One paragraph in the plan's introduction which refers to economic issues and critical factors such as unemployment, environmental degradation and intolerance as contributing to human settlement strategies, is still to be negotiated.

Section B of the global plan of action -- adequate shelter for all -- identifies actions required for shelter policies, shelter delivery systems and vulnerable groups. The concept of adequate shelter should include factors such as adequate basic infrastructure, structural stability and durability, privacy, space and physical accessibility; all of which should be available at affordable cost.

The draft plan proposes action to be taken by governments in formulating and implementing shelter policies. They include integrating shelter policies with macroeconomic, social, demographic and environmental policies; formulating and implementing policies that promote the enablement approach to the development and rehabilitation of shelter in both rural and urban areas; and improving shelter delivery systems.

Addressing shelter delivery systems, the draft plan calls for action by governments to ensure market efficiency in the provision of housing; facilitate community-based production of housing; ensure access to land; mobilize sources of finance; ensure access to basic infrastructure and services; and improve planning, design, construction, maintenance and rehabilitation of housing, infrastructure and other facilities. Action to be

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taken in the interest of vulnerable groups should remove barriers and eradicate discrimination in providing shelter; provide targeted and transparent subsidies and various types of safety nets; and other action, such as working with non-governmental organizations and providing information and assistance to those groups.

In elaborating on action to be taken to achieve the goals of sustainable human settlements development in an urbanizing world -- section C -- the draft plan of action focuses on areas such as sustainable land use; eradication of poverty; population and sustainable development which were adopted in February. However, the latter parts which propose action on such areas as sustainable energy use; sustainable transport and communication systems; improving urban economies; balanced development of settlements in rural regions; and disaster prevention had not been approved and remain in brackets.

All the paragraphs on section D -- the capacity-building and institutional development -- were not formally approved by the Preparatory Committee in February. The section proposes actions on decentralization and strengthening of local authorities and the associations/networks; participation, civic engagement and government responsibility; metropolitan planning and management; domestic financial resources and economic instruments; and information and communication.

The subsequent section of the draft plan of action -- international cooperation and coordination -- was also not approved by the Preparatory Committee. Consequently, all of section E is in brackets. It is proposed that action taken to promote such cooperation and coordination would enable mankind to face the challenges posed by the development of rural and urban areas. Action would be required to promote: an enabling international context; mobilization of additional financial resources at the national and international levels and more effective development cooperation and assistance; technology transfer and information exchange; technical cooperation and institutional cooperation.

It has been suggested that the paragraph on mobilization of financial resources be organized under a number of subject headings: general official financial resources; partnerships; improving the effectiveness of financial resources; private financial resources; existing economic instruments; innovative economic instruments and special financing needs/issues. All those subparagraphs are bracketed and are expected to be major issues for negotiations during the Conference.

Regarding the final section -- the implementation and follow-up of the global plan of action -- the Conference is expected to adopt strategies for implementation at the national and international levels. It would also propose that the General Assembly be the principal policy-making and appraisal

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body for the follow-up of Habitat II. It would take up the issue of human settlements in the context of sustainable development at its special session to be convened in 1997 to review Agenda 21. The Assembly would also hold a special session in 2006 for an overall mid-term review and appraisal of the implementation of the outcome of Habitat II and would consider further actions and initiatives.

The draft plan also proposes that the Economic and Social Council oversee system-wide coordination in the plan's implementation and make recommendations in that regard. That body would also be invited to review the plan's implementation at its substantive session of 1997. Implementation strategies would include subregional and regional cooperation. The important monitoring role of the Commission on Human Settlements and that of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) and the secretariats of the regional commissions as well as the principal financial and technical institutions are also stressed. The final part of the section focuses on evaluating the impact of policies, strategies and actions on the provision of adequate shelter and the achievement of sustainable human settlements as well as Habitat's role in that process.

Other documents related to the draft Habitat Agenda include two addenda to the draft habitat agenda prepared by the Secretariat (documents A/CONF.165/L.1/Add.1 and Add.2). Addendum 1 is a compilation of proposals from Member States and United Nations entities and Addendum 2 is a compilation of corrections suggested to the draft text. A note by the Secretary-General of the Conference (document A/CONF.165/9) informs of the contents of Addenda 1 and 2 and those of another related conference room paper which contains additional proposals to chapter IV. Another note, by the secretariat, on new objectives, role and place of Habitat within the United Nations system (A/CONF.165/9/Add.1) is expected to be considered by the Conference when it addresses implementation and follow-up of the draft global plan of action.

State of Human Settlements

The exchange of views on the state of human settlements, due between 3 and 11 June, would be guided by some reports and notes from the Secretary- General on, among others, good policies that can make a difference, the best practices initiative and on an urbanizing world: global report on human settlements. The Secretary-General's report on good policy (document A/CONF.165/7) concentrates on general principles, common lessons of experience and examples of good practices that work.

The report also lists 10 policies that could help sustainable human development. One of them states that the growth of cities should be welcomed but urban inequality and environmental degradation checked. Another states that the resources of business people should be released without leaving

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everything to the market: freedom to build should be balanced with the duty to protect the poor. The structures of urban governance should be strengthened, with principles of transparency and representative governance. The use of public/private partnerships should be maximized. Yet another states, "Don't take on too much: focus on a small number of key intersectoral issues such as urban poverty, the `brown agenda', and supply constraints, and lay down time-bound goals and strategies to address them".

Commenting generally on the state of human settlements, the report cites the World Bank as saying that some 330 million people live in "absolute poverty" in the cities of the developing world, with 600 million in "life- threatening conditions", and 800 million in "sub-standard housing". A common conclusion of Habitat reviews is that economic inequality and social exclusion are increasing within and between countries and cities, North and South. This is partly due to economic liberalization as markets discriminate against those with less income and assets. Urbanization patterns mirror the trends of economic growth and inequality. Between 1990 and the year 2030, the world's population is expected to rise by 3.7 billion, 90 per cent of which will take place in the developing countries. Of that, 90 per cent will be in cities.

On the management of cities, the report recommends the development of a proper system of representative urban governance and strong accountability mechanisms such as through elections. With the scarcity of resources, priority should be accorded to ways of generating and controlling more revenue at the local level and developing the means to deal with rapid changes.

Proposing policies for the future, the report states that local people, enterprises and organizations must be given more access to resources and greater participation in decision-making. The search for solutions should start from neighbourhoods and priority should be granted to building capacities and promoting accountable local organizations. At the national level, governments must tackle the lack of land and finance and guide the process of urban development using infrastructure and public transport. That must be balanced by enabling markets to match demand with supply. "The challenge to urban managers is to find and maintain the right balance between intervention and liberalization."

Other parts of the report review general trends such as the increasing economic advantages of cities, which generate about 60 to 80 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP). For example, Lima generates 40 per cent of Peru's national income and cities will account for 80 per cent of the growth of gross national product (GNP) in developing countries in the 1990s. By the year 2000, the majority of the world's population, some 4.6 billion, will live in cities, up from 30 per cent in 1950 and 43 per cent in 1990. While in 1950, there was just one megacity -- with 10 million dwellers -- their number will rise to 25 by the year 2000. The number of cities with more than 1 million

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inhabitants will grow from 187 to 279 in the 1990s. The provision of adequate shelter for those numbers will cost $75 billion annually to the year 2000, according to Agenda 21. At least $10 billion of that will have to be given by external donors.

Role of Local Authorities, Private Sector, Non-Governmental Organizations

A note by the Secretariat on the role of those partners (document A/CONF.165/10/Rev.1) provides a rationale of the need for a partnerships for implementing the Agenda and describes the proposed process by which the views of non-State partners on their contributions will be heard during the Conference. That should lead to recommendations on a framework of cooperation between the international community, national governments and non-State partners in carrying out the Agenda.

Other Documents

Other documents before the Conference include the Secretary-General's reports on best practices (document A/CONF.165/8) and on housing and urban indicators (document A/CONF.165/INF.3) as well as the report of the Preparatory Committee for the Conference (document A/CONF.165/PC.3/7). Also before the Conference will be notes by the Secretariat transmitting the rules of procedure (document A/CONF.165/2), on procedural matters (document A/CONF.165/3), on the accreditation of non-governmental organizations (document A/CONF.165/5 and Add.1) and on the accreditation of international associations of local authorities (document A/CONF.165/6 and Add.1). There will also be some conference room papers and those containing information for participants.

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