Researching progress in implementing the Habitat Agenda

CCGHS has prioritised monitoring and gauging progress in implementing the Habitat Agenda and defined incorporating shelter provision into national poverty alleviation programmes as a major objective.  This incorporation will only be achieved if those influencing the design of these programmes have both access to information about the lack of shelter, secure tenure and access to essential services and an understanding of the complex linkages between these issues and poverty. 

The Habitat Agenda contains commitments in the following areas: adequate shelter for all; sustainable human settlements; enablement and participation; gender equality; financing shelter and human settlements; international co-operation; and assessing progress.  The Commonwealth Goal - demonstrated progress towards adequate shelter for all with secure tenure and access to essential services in every community by 2015 – supports Commonwealth countries' adoption of the Habitat Agenda.  In September 2000, the United Nations unanimously adopted the Millennium Declaration.  The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have been recognised by the United Nations General Assembly as part of the 'road map' for implementing the Millennium Declaration.  The Habitat Agenda and Commonwealth Goal relate to a number of the MDGs, especially the targets under Goal 7 – Ensuring environmental sustainability.

• Target 10:  Halve by 2015 the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.
• Target 11:  Have achieved by 2020 a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers.

Improving human settlements through slum upgrading and urban planning can contribute towards all eight MDGs.

We hope that this research project will not only complement the work of UN-Habitat, but also enhance the ability of Ministers to advocate for inclusion of urban poverty and shelter data into national poverty alleviation strategies, such as PRSPs.  The research will also highlight practical examples of progress made within different national contexts.

Homeless International produced a paper for ComHabitat to submit to the Commonwealth Finance Ministers' Meeting, held in Barbados in September 2005.  This paper reviewed the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers of seven Commonwealth countries.  The conclusion was that there was general lack of focus on urban poverty issues, which prevents governments and donors being able to take advantage of the opportunities within urban areas to address poverty and meet the MDGs.  We are currently working with UN-Habitat to expand our research in this area. 

ComHabitat is also currently working on a series of country studies.  The Commonwealth Human Ecology Council has prepared a report synthesising the National Reports to UN-Habitat for 12 Commonwealth countries.  It has also prepared country studies for Sri Lanka and Tanzania.  These will be available to download shortly.