 | Governing Council exhibition on slum upgrading |
Housing finance is a core component of the work of UN-HABITAT and delegates to the ongoing 22nd Session of the Governing Council have practically proved this. In the middle of the Council's serious deliberations, they managed to squeeze in the time to take part in a five-day slum upgrading simulation to highlight the theme of housing finance for the urban poor. Each delegate had at their disposal 20 million “habitat dollars” to spend over the five days on revitalizing a poor urban neighbourhood. The aim of the exercise is to find out what priorities countries put on the different phases of slum upgrading which include social and physical mapping to find out existing facilities and priority needs, participatory planning with key stakeholders and developing a sustainable land and property tenure system to enable communities in slums to have a right to their property. Delegates show their priorities by the level of 'funds' they apportion to the different phases which also include provision of basic infrastructure, social services as well as finance institutions, and income and employment generative activities to promote improvements in housing. This is how delegates apportioned the 20 million “habitat dollars”. Social and physical mapping to find out priority needs
| 5% | Drawing up participatory action plan with key actors
| 7% | Sustainable land and property tenure e.g. community title deeds
| 10% | Physical infrastructure: water, sanitation, roads, power
| 23% | Social infrastructure: schools, hospitals, leisure centers, etc.
| 21% | | Housing improvements, finance institutions, income generation | 34% |
The simulation was complemented by an art exhibit illustrating the main stages of inclusive slum upgrading. Art Exhibit photos: | Survey and Action Plan |  | | | Land tenure regularization |  | | | Infrastructure |  | | | Social Services |  | | | Economic Activities for Housing Improvement |  |
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