UNITED NATIONS	HS
	Commission on Human Settlements	Distr. LIMITED HS/C/17/L.1/Add.11 12 May 1999 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

1. In paragraph 2 of its resolution 16/12 of 7 May 1997, the Commission decided to provide, at its future sessions, opportunities for partners to engage in a dialogue among themselves and with Governments and that such dialogues could, as appropriate, serve as an input to the work of the Commission. In the same resolution, partners were also invited to propose activities for the intersessional periods of the Commission in order to accelerate the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, while the Executive Director was requested to actively involve partners in the Centre's work through, where appropriate, the provision of inputs to the Centre in its development, implementation and evaluation of the work programme.

2. The three dialogues with partners were held in plenary during three sessions on Friday, 7 May 1999, and Monday, 10 May 1999. The themes of the dialogues were introduced by panelists from all regions of the world, representing the leading global and regional associations of local authorities, individual cities, parliamentarians, trade unions, professionals, researchers, non-governmental organizations and women's groups.

3. The first dialogue was devoted to partnership between Governments and local authorities, given the central importance of the local-level implementation of the Habitat Agenda, as well as the Istanbul Declaration's recognition of local authorities as the Governments' closest and essential partners in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda.

4. The second and third dialogues were of a thematic nature. Their themes and topics were closely linked to the Habitat Agenda goals and to the points of emphasis stressed in the new strategic vision for UNCHS (Habitat).

5. There was general agreement that, to put partnership into practice, a dialogue had to be initiated with and between central and local governments as a means of exploring ways in which each could complement the work of the other. A number of speakers stressed that local authorities needed to be empowered in the processes of the Commission and the inclusion of a dialogue within the current plenary was welcomed by representatives of local authorities.

6. Some speakers expressed concern at the issue of sharing responsibilities between central and local governments in the provision of social services in cities. Others believed there was an urgent need to establish democracy through empowering local governments and local, freely elected representatives, since the effective implementation of the Habitat Agenda could only be ensured through society's freely elected representatives.

7. Many mayors from different regions described their experiences and outlined problems, opportunities, strategies and potential solutions. They suggested that the Habitat Agenda be included in the implementation of local Agendas 21. Several speakers raised the issue of gender balance in local government and the need for the empowerment of women. A number of speakers pointed to the need to promote the endorsement of the World Charter of Local Self-Government.

8. A number of speakers recommended that the dialogue be continued and formalized within the work of the Commission as a means of promoting mutual understanding and cooperation between local authorities and all other stakeholders concerned with the implementation of the Habitat Agenda.

9. It was considered that one significant cause of divided cities was the continuing use of city management methods that had originally been designed in the context of a predictable socio-economic environment and which were unsuitable in an era of rapid changes.

10. Out-migration of males from rural areas to cities was also identified as an important factor, with sex-ratio imbalances amongst migrant communities in some cities causing disconnection from the mainstream of society. The growth of female-headed households and the decline of the nuclear family were also important factors which contributed to the feminization of poverty, because policies had not been devised which acknowledged those trends.

11. The situation was aggravated by an approach to management with the emphasis on "red tape", rather than on responsiveness to need, and by forms of city planning that emphasized segregation of income groups and land uses.

12. A number of speakers suggested that decision makers were often detached from the issue of social exclusion and, therefore, had a reduced ability to address and respond to the problems. The capture of some city administrations by interest groups seeking only personal material gain, and not the welfare of all city residents, was also a serious problem.

13. Many speakers believed that, for solutions to be successful, they had to support existing trends of urban change, for example, the growth of the informal employment sector. In addition, a number of speakers drew attention to the leading role of local authorities in addressing the issue of exclusion. In that regard, others drew attention to the importance of engaging excluded groups in city governance, to ensure that city management, being made more accountable, would improve. While noting the particular importance of representation of women in decision-making bodies, it was stressed that all groups needed to be consulted on city policies and programmes.

14. It was considered that there was ample scope for the involvement of the private sector and city authorities had an important role in encouraging a sense of corporate responsibility to make such commitment productive for all parties. Moreover, there was great scope for so-called public-private-people's partnerships to support activities that would reach all sectors of society.

15. Many speakers pointed to the role of rural areas and stressed that support for cities should not be at the expense of such areas. Indeed, the urban-rural divide was perceived as almost as important as that of the "divided city". It was therefore considered that solutions had to be devised that reflected solidarity between urban and rural dwellers.

16. Attention was drawn to the central problem that, with the decreasing role of the State and the demise of public housing, shelter had increasingly become a market commodity. In most countries, the gap between the demand for the supply of decent housing at an affordable price had widened and the lack of security of tenure in informal settlements had negative effects for investments and efforts to upgrade them.

17. A wide range of issues was discussed by the participants in the dialogue and participants examined how the Centre's global campaign on secure tenure could address those issues effectively. Attention was drawn to the importance of decent shelter and basic services in determining the quality of life in human settlements. The poor needed to be provided with affordable and appropriate building materials and technologies, services, training, land and credit systems that were suitable to their needs and capacity. The issue of forced evictions was raised, together with the need for workable schemes when relocating became inevitable. In that context, legislative reforms pertaining to the field of shelter were called for.

18. Participatory approaches involving the poor and in, particular, women were required in policy formulation and execution. In that context, the important role and contributions of women in shelter development and the urgent need to eliminate impediments to gender balance and empowerment of women were highlighted. The need for information exchange and dissemination of lessons learnt was also stressed. Shelter development was important for economic activity and job creation and for reducing poverty. In that process, security of tenure played a predominant role, together with appropriate land management. Parallel to shelter development, there was a need for economic and social support programmes; for prevention of mismanagement and corruption; and for environmental protection, upgrading and adequate sanitation. Community groups had a role to play and support also had to be given to the informal sector and to the non-profit sector in shelter development. Specific issues had to be taken into account in the transformation from centrally planned economies to market arrangements.

19. In conclusion, it was pointed out that it was the security and not the form of tenure which really mattered and that the Centre's global campaign on secure tenure would aim at facilitating transformation from exclusion in cities to inclusion and integration by mobilizing all stakeholder groups to make shelter development a responsibility of society at large.