Effective urban governance needed for slums

Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General, Ransford Smith, called for more effective urban governance to help people living in slums in his message on World Habitat Day 2007.

Urban and metropolitan planning, financing basic services, infrastructure and housing all need to be addressed so that opportunities are created for the poor, said Mr Smith on 1 October 2007.

"Particular attention needs to be paid to the combined effects of local and global environmental change on the urban poor," he added. Climate change and natural disasters are factors which make those living in slums vulnerable to losing their homes.

The Commonwealth has placed these challenges at the centre of its new Strategic Plan for ComHabitat, a multi stakeholder partnership which is the Commonwealth's principle mechanism for addressing human settlements concerns.

ComHabitat consists of a Ministerial Group - the Commonwealth Consultative Group on Human Settlements, which includes Commonwealth Ministers responsible for human settlements - and a collaborative partnership of agencies from government, local government and civil society. UN-HABITAT works closely with ComHabitat, whose partners include the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth Association of Planners, Commonwealth Foundation, Commonwealth Human Ecology Council, Commonwealth Local Government Forum and Homeless International.

"ComHabitat is working to help deliver better financing at the local level to ensure adequate shelter for all, including access to essential services; to strengthen leadership in governance and planning; and to make urban areas safer places to live," Mr Smith stated.

The message from Mr Smith also emphasised that the rise in the number of slums is a "real concern" for the Commonwealth "as an advocate for justice, human rights and poverty alleviation."

"Every human being has the right to live in security, peace and dignity," noted Mr Smith, which is why the Commonwealth is working towards its aim of "demonstrated progress towards adequate shelter for all with secure tenure and access to essential services in every community by 2015."

Click here for the full text of the message

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• Sustainability