The Commonwealth Consultative Group on Human Settlements (CCGHS)

In 1998, the Secretary-General established the Commonwealth Consultative Group on Human Settlements (CCGHS).  The CCGHS is an intergovernmental group made up of Ministers who are responsible for implementing the Habitat Agenda in their own countries.  At its first meeting, held in Nairobi in May 1999, the CCGHS adopted a Commonwealth goal of: 

"Demonstrated progress towards adequate shelter for all with secure tenure and access to essential services in every community by 2015".

All Commonwealth member countries are automatically members of CCGHS and have the right of participation in the consultative process.  The CCGHS meets periodically, usually in the wings of UN-Habitat meetings.  The last CCGHS meeting was in April 2005; for more information on this meeting and to read the papers click here.

In preparation for the June 2001 United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the Habitat Agenda (Istanbul+5), the CCGHS developed and adopted a Commonwealth Input to Istanbul+5.  This document agreed broad objectives for the CCGHS in working towards the Commonwealth Goal, implementation of the Habitat Agenda and the relevant Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  The objectives were amended by the CCGHS in May 2003 and now read as follows:

• Provide basic services to households, neighbourhoods and villages.
• Incorporate shelter provision into national poverty alleviation programmes.
• Promote good governance.
• Promote security of tenure.
• Remove systematic discrimination against women especially in respect of title to property and inheritance rights, with general support for the Commission on Human Rights resolution on the equal rights of ownership of and access to land.
• Promote attainment of the Commonwealth goal.

In pursuit of these objectives, the CCGHS recognises that realisation of the goal of adequate shelter for all, can only be achieved within the context of sustainable development and good governance.