Urban Dialogues

Sub-topic 2. Sustainable urban development for social inclusion & poverty eradication

March 24, 2017

This discussion is now closed. Thank you for your participation.

Moderators:

  • Claudio Torres Slum Upgrading Consultant, Housing and Slum Upgrading Branch. UN-Habitat
  • Pireh Otieno Human Settlements Officer, Urban Basic Services Branch - UN-Habitat
  • Kulwant Singh Regional Advisor - UN-Habitat
  • Marcus Mayr Urban Planner, Climate Change Planning Unit, UN-Habitat
  • Edmundo Werna Head of Unit at Sectoral Policies Dept. ILO

Sub-topic 2. Sustainable urban development for social inclusion & poverty eradication

Please post your comments in the forum here or send to: support@habitat3.org

SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION & POVERTY ERADICATION

35.  We recognize that the growing inequality and the persistence of multiple forms and dimensions of poverty is affecting both developed and developing countries and that spatial organization, accessibility and design of urban space with development policies can promote or hinder social cohesion, equity, and inclusion. We also call attention to the dramatic increase in migrants, refugees and displaced persons moving to urban areas.

36.  We commit to people-centered urban development and to the realization of human rights of all, facilitating living together, combating all forms of discrimination, and empowering all individuals and communities, while enabling their full and meaningful participation. We further commit to promote culture and respect for diversity as key elements in the humanization of our cities.

37.  We commit to effectively promote urban equity and ensure that no one is left behind from the equally- shared opportunities and benefits that urbanization can offer, enabling all inhabitants, with temporary or permanent status, whether living in formal or informal settlements, to lead decent, dignified, and rewarding lives and to achieve their full human potential. We commit to strengthen synergies between international migration and development at all levels, including the global, regional, national, sub-national and local levels. We further commit to support refugees, displaced persons and migrants — regardless of their migratory status — as well as their host communities, ensuring full respect for human rights and recognized that, although the movement of large populations into towns and cities poses a variety of challenges, their economic, social, and cultural contributions to urban life is significant.

38.  We commit to support the service provision and coordinating role of local governments and to generate investments in communities and places that are affected by recurrent and protracted humanitarian crises. We further commit to provide adequate services, accommodation, and opportunities for decent and productive work for crisis-affected persons in urban settings, working with the local community to identify opportunities for engaging and developing local solutions, ensuring that aid flows to host communities preventing backsliding in their own development levels.

39.  We commit to promote national, sub-national and local housing policies, recognizing the right to adequate housing for all as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, addressing all forms of discrimination, preventing forced evictions, and focusing on the needs of the homeless and persons in vulnerable situations, while enabling participation and engagement of communities and stakeholders.

40.  We commit to promote increased security of tenure, recognizing the plurality of tenure types, and to develop fit-for-purpose, gender-responsive solutions within the continuum of land rights.

41.  We commit to develop integrated housing policies and approaches across all sectors, in particular employment, education, healthcare and social integration sectors, and at all levels of government, which incorporate the provision of adequate, connected, affordable, accessible, safe, and well-located housing, with special attention to the proximity factor and the strengthening of the spatial relationship with the rest of the urban fabric and the surrounding functional areas.

  1. We commit to stimulate the supply of a variety of housing options that are affordable and accessible for members of different income groups of society, taking into consideration socio-economic and cultural integration of marginalized communities and homeless persons.

  2. We commit to ensure equitable and affordable access to basic physical and social infrastructure for all, including affordable serviced land, housing, energy, safe drinking water and sanitation, nutritious food, waste disposal, mobility, health, education, culture and information and communication technologies. We further commit to provide that these services are gender-sensitive and responsive to the rights and needs of children and youth, older persons and persons with disabilities, and other people in vulnerable situations such as refugees, displaced persons and migrants, with no legal, institutional or socio-economic, nor physical barriers.

  3. We commit to promote appropriate measures in cities that facilitate access for persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others to the cities, to the physical environment, in particular to public spaces, public transport, housing, education and health facilities, to public information and communication, including information and communications technologies and systems, and to other facilities and services open or provided to the public, both in urban and in rural areas.

45.  We commit to develop universally safe, inclusive, accessible, green and quality public spaces, including streets, sidewalks, squares, gardens and parks that are multi-functional areas for social interaction and inclusion, economic exchange and cultural expression among a wide diversity of people, and which are designed and managed to ensure human development, build peaceful and democratic societies, promote cultural diversity and reduce social exclusion. 

46.  We commit to embrace diversity in cities, to strengthen social cohesion, intercultural understanding, tolerance, mutual respect, gender equality, innovation, inclusion, identity and safety, as well as to foster livability and a vibrant urban economy. We also commit to adapt our local institutions to promote peaceful co-existence within increasingly heterogeneous and multi-cultural societies.

47.  We commit to leverage natural and cultural heritage in cities through integrated urban policies and adequate investments, at both the national, sub-national and local levels, to safeguard and promote cultural infrastructures and sites, museums, as well as indigenous and traditional knowledge and the arts, highlighting the role that these play in the rehabilitation and revitalization of urban areas, as a way to strengthen social participation and the exercise of citizenship.

48.  We commit to ensure a safe and secure environment in cities for all to live, work, and participate in urban life without fear of violence and intimidation, taking into consideration that certain social groups particularly women and girls, are particularly affected by urban violence.

49.  We commit to promote sustainable institutional, political, and financial mechanisms in cities and human settlements to broaden and inclusive democratic platforms that allow meaningful participation in decision- making and planning processes. We also commit to support local governments in fulfilling their key role in strengthening the interface among all stakeholders, offering opportunities for dialogue, including through gender-responsive approaches and with particular attention to the rights and needs of and potential contributions from all segments of society, including men and women, children and youth, older persons and persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and migrants, regardless of their migratory status, race, ethnicity, and socio-economic status. 

Habitat Content Administrator from United States
Wed, July 6, 2016 at 03.48 pm
Thank you all for your feedback – however, please post your comments in the discussion forum here: https://www.habitat3.org/node/531941
spatial planner from Serbia
Wed, July 6, 2016 at 01.06 pm
Point 43
Several other types of infrastructure should also be added such as social care, sports and recreation.

Point 45
Among public spaces listed in the first sentence “waterfronts” should be added.

Point 47 and more
It is particularly important to point out significance of the city identity which is shaped by „cultural and natural heritage, cultural infrastructures and sites, museums, as well as traditional knowledge and the arts“. In that sense, it is also necessary to point out the importance of cooperation and exchange between cities from different countries in the field of culture and arts, especially through existing exchange programs and projects.
Universidad Tecnológica Nacional Regional BahiaBlanca
Tue, July 5, 2016 at 12.45 pm
La erradicación de la Pobreza, seguirá siendo solo un enunciado si no se genera una relación directa institucionalizada con el concepto que aborda la “función social de la propiedad” que debiera ser “constituyente” de todas nuestras cartas magnas nacionales. Solo desde la comprensión de este postulado el Estado tendrá siempre potestad y articulación eficiente de garantía de derechos sobre el “sistema de mercado”, que es en definitiva y sin menospreciar la complejidad y multidimensionalidad necesaria del enfoque, el generador de pobreza urbana.
Universidad Tecnológica Nacional Regional BahiaBlanca
Tue, July 5, 2016 at 12.26 pm
Adhiero específicamente al artículado 49, que cita: ” Nos comprometemos a promover mecanismos institucionales, políticos y financieros sostenibles en las ciudades y los asentamientos humanos para que intervengan y plataformas democráticas inclusivas que permitan una participación significativa en los procesos de toma de decisiones y planificación.” por considerar que conlleva la Ciudad Inclusiva. Sin embargo lo redactaría de esta forma (y lo separaría del resto del artículo que le resta profundidad al postulado): “49. Nos comprometemos a promover mecanismos institucionales, políticos y financieros sostenibles en las ciudades y los asentamientos humanos para que intervengan la transformación del territorio a través de plataformas democráticas inclusivas que permitan una participación significativa en los procesos de toma de decisiones y planificación y garanticen el acceso equitativo al derecho a la Ciudad, solo permitiendo la consolidación urbana que construya Ciudad Inclusiva.”
Joseph D’CRUZ – Discussion Moderator from
Tue, June 21, 2016 at 07.28 am
Indeed sustainable development strategies for cities will require a degree of certainty and commitment that spans beyond political cycles. What kind of processes and mechanisms can be use used to provide such predictability?
Desarrollo y Gestión Territorial Ltda.
Sat, July 2, 2016 at 01.57 pm
Sería deseable que los compromisos de los elementos territoriales fueran política nacional de estricto cumplimiento local y que los gobiernos nacionales e comprometan a trasladar los recursos y competencia a las entidades locales para su cumplimiento.
Desarrollo y Gestión Territorial Ltda.
Sat, July 2, 2016 at 01.51 pm
Es posible que las lógicas políticas se mezclen con las condiciones administrativas gubernamentales, lo que implica que las estrategias generalmente se aplican a tales plazos. Sin embargo, con base en una construcción de lógica del manejo del territorio para hacer cumplir condiciones que deben asumirse en el largo plazo, es necesario reconocer que son transversales algunas fuerzas del mercado que permiten mantener a largo plazo condiciones para sus sustentabilidad. La idea de que algunas soluciones se den a través de procesos de competencia por los mercados y no de los mercados, permite garantizar condiciones de política a largo plazo. A través de asociaciones público privadas estos esquemas se pueden garantizar. Sin embargo, la rigurosidad del escenario público permite el cambio ante procesos que no garanticen el cumplimiento de los objetivos. Ante esto, esos procesos de gestión público privada debe ser dinámico ante las acciones pero constante ante las garantías.
MIRA
Tue, June 21, 2016 at 12.10 am
SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION & POVERTY ERADICATION
I suggest to add the text in capital letters in the following paragraphs.
……………………………
45. We commit to develop universally safe, inclusive, accessible, green and quality public spaces, including streets, sidewalks, squares, gardens and parks that are multi-functional areas for social interaction, CONVIVIALITY and inclusion, economic exchange and cultural expression among a wide diversity of people, and which are designed and managed to ensure human INTEGRAL development, build peaceful and democratic societies, promote cultural diversity and reduce social exclusion.
………………………..
47. We commit to leverage natural and cultural heritage, TANGIBLE AND INTANGIBLE, in cities through integrated urban policies and adequate investments, at both the national, sub-national and local levels, to safeguard and promote cultural infrastructures and sites, museums, as well as indigenous and traditional knowledge and the arts, highlighting the role that these play in the rehabilitation and revitalization of urban areas, as a way to strengthen social participation and the exercise of citizenship.
Francisco Pardo Tellez Arquitecto from Colombia
Mon, June 20, 2016 at 10.11 pm
Del acuerdo de voluntades creo hace falta un compromiso para que la toma de decisiones y definición de estrategias y proyectos tenga un tiempo de desarrollo y se pueda mantener inamovible, generando mecanismos para su revisión y ajuste. Esto garantizaría que la prospectiva y el esfuerzo se mantienen ajenos a los caprichos de los gobernantes de turno
Universidad Tecnológica Nacional Regional BahiaBlanca
Tue, July 5, 2016 at 12.41 pm
coincido con que el “talón de Aquiles” de nuestros esfuerzos por sistematizar instrumentos de planificación pasa por la institucionalización de espacios técnicos que superen las instancias interpolíticas de los gestores democráticamente elegidos. Creo que tenemos que avanzar en la implementación de estructuras institucionales que se sostengan en el tiempo, pero que no se constituyan en organismos rígidos y de poca eficiencia como generalmente se han sucedido , al menos en Argentina.Nuevas formas de institucionalizar la gestión o Gobernanza de la Planificación es prioritaria al fin de la ejecución y mantenimiento en el tiempo de los procesos de transformación territorial que nos planteamos en el inciso 49.Hay en curso ciertas figuras como las sociedades del Estado,que funcionan en forma autárquica y los fideicomisos urbanos, figura explicita en la nueva ley provincial local, pero sin instrumentar. El fideicomiso tiene la ventaja de desaparecer jurídicamente cuando se logra el objetivo de urbanización y la desventaja de no permanecer como observatorio de seguimiento. Creo que es prioritario avanzar en la creación de nuevas formas, como Agencias Barriales Integradas, u Observatorios interuniversitarios ligados a plataformas participativas Locales.