What does ComHabitat do?
ComHabitat aims to promote and monitor the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, the Commonwealth Goal and associated Millennium Development Goals within and between Commonwealth countries. It focuses on networking and sharing practical examples of progress in implementation, such as successful slum upgrading initiatives. ComHabitat’s work falls into three broad areas:
- networking and advocacy;
- research and information sharing; and
- making the CCGHS ministerial process accessible to other partners implementing the Habitat agenda.
The advocacy section of the website describes how ComHabitat works to promote CCGHS priorities and international goals on human settlements within the Commonwealth and the wider international community. ComHabitat is developing a Network to facilitate a broader engagement by many more organisations and individuals in the CCGHS process; please contact us if you would like to become involved and kept up-to-date with our work.
ComHabitat has initiated two research projects to help assess: progress on internationally agreed goals on human settlements; and the availability of, and options for, urban development finance. As well as carrying out research, ComHabitat aims to help make existing information more accessible, particularly through the resources section of the website and the e-newsletter.
ComHabitat differs from other agencies and programmes in its position with respect to the CCGHS, and the lead position that Ministers have for facilitating implementation of the Habitat Agenda and achieving the Millennium Development Goals most relevant to human settlement development. The Commonwealth Secretariat convenes meetings of the CCGHS. The ComHabitat Secretariat supports the Commonwealth Secretariat in the preparation of papers and in publicising meetings to the ComHabitat network.