Report - Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights

Conclusions cont’d: We need to
recognise that …
• Most households are
contributing to <strong>the</strong>
formal economy;
• Many are able to
earn an adequate
income, but …
• some are very poor
and are not able to
provide sufficient food
for <strong>the</strong> whole
household.
… Conclusions cont’d …
• Insecure tenure
underlies <strong>the</strong> poor living
standards as this
restricts people from
investing in better
housing;
• Some traditional
landowners also fear
<strong>the</strong>y may <strong>the</strong>reby lose
control over <strong>the</strong>ir land;
Conclusions cont’d:
• People migrate from rural areas for a variety
<strong>of</strong> reasons and <strong>the</strong>re is little evidence to
suggest that <strong>the</strong>y will return ….;
• Rural-urban migration in <strong>the</strong> Pacific is higher
than natural population growth in most
countries;
• This contributes to higher levels <strong>of</strong> poverty –
<strong>the</strong> urbanisation <strong>of</strong> poverty - and security
concerns but provides a ready labour force
for economic development;
Conclusions cont’d:
• Addressing basic needs such as shelter, water
and sanitation is critical;
• In recognising poverty and <strong>the</strong> security
concerns arising from densely populated
squatter communities, strategies must be
developed that focus on women’s empowerment,
rights to adequate housing, secure tenure, and
governance issues;
• This approach mobilises and empowers women
in squatter communities to take <strong>the</strong> initiative to
form effective working partnerships with central
and local government authorities;
Conclusions cont’d:
• Communities must have a stake in <strong>the</strong>ir own
development;
• Experience suggests organised communities <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> poor can afford housing, develop and access
credit schemes, and negotiate with governments,
custom landowners and o<strong>the</strong>r actors effectively;
• Community-based organisations may take <strong>the</strong>
form <strong>of</strong> women’s groups, church based and
welfare associations, credit unions, slum dweller
federations or coalitions.
Rights Based Urban Management:
Pacific Experience
• The squatter community studies identify many
similarities with international urban management
issues.
• The Pacific studies suggest that:
• Without enabling rights based conditions and
policies, migration creates not only urbanisation -
but also feminisation- <strong>of</strong> poverty in urban areas;
• Good management <strong>of</strong> urban resources in
partnership with women and <strong>the</strong>ir communities can
prevent an “urbanization/ feminisation <strong>of</strong> poverty;”
• Rural-urban migration with sound rights based
urban management will lead to poverty reduction.
Pacific Urban Agenda
• In December 2003, UN-EPOC, UN-Habitat,
UNDP and <strong>the</strong> Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
convened a workshop to consider Urban
Management issues in <strong>the</strong> Pacific.
• A Pacific Island Urban Agenda or Action Plan
was agreed at <strong>the</strong> workshop …
The Pacific Urban Agenda – Priority
Themes identified are:
• Access to Adequately Serviced Shelter
• Urban Environment
• Urban Security including security <strong>of</strong> tenure
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 83