UNITED NATIONS	HS
	Commission on Human Settlements	Distr. GENERAL HS/C/17/7 1 March 1999 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

At its sixteenth session, the Commission on Human Settlements decided to include an item entitled "Cooperation with partners" in the provisional agenda of its seventeenth session.

The present report has been prepared with a view to presenting to the Commission a brief overview of issues and developments in the area of cooperation with major partner groups in support of the implementation of the Habitat Agenda.

The overview shows that this process, albeit impressive, risks being uneven without a renewed effort on the part of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) (Habitat) to energize the contribution of existing partner groups whose involvement may have decreased since Habitat II, to guide and optimize the participation of new partner groups eager to make their own contribution, and to provide continuity and sustained leadership to this all-important area of the Commission's and the Centre's work.

The preparatory process for the special session of the General Assembly for an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the outcome of Habitat II in 2001 (Istanbul+5), which encourages the full participation of Habitat Agenda partners, also provides an opportunity for the Commission to strengthen and expand its representative role and its visibility. Accordingly, the report also contains proposals for the Commission's consideration.

1. Highlights of the cooperation between the Centre and its Habitat Agenda Partners since the last session of the Commission are presented in document HS/C/17/2 (Progress report of the Executive Director). The aim of the present report is to delineate plans and prospects for cooperation between the Centre and its major partners in the period leading up to the special session of the General Assembly on the implementation of the Habitat Agenda. The report also contains proposals, for the Commission's consideration, on measures to strengthen partners' participation in the work of the Commission.

2. The present report focuses on cooperation with partners at the global level. However, it must be underlined that this principle draws its strength and justification from the evolution of policy and practice, particularly at the local level. Indeed, three of the main global programmes of Habitat (the Urban Management Programme, the Sustainable Cities Programme and the Community Development Programme) are based on a partnership approach to urban management, sustainable urban planning and community development. Recent examples of these projects and of many other partnership-based field activities of Habitat can be found in the Operational Activities Report, 1999 (HS/C/17/INF/3).

3. The main international event involving all parties and devoted to the role of partnerships in implementing the Habitat Agenda since the last session of the Commission was the Habitat II follow-up conference, entitled "New Partnership for Action," held in Turin, Italy, from 1 to 5 December 1998. On that occasion, the United Nations Staff College project hosted the first workshop on the role of international institutions and the resident coordinator system in the in-country implementation of the Habitat Agenda. Led by committed United Nations resident coordinators and composed of local leaders and non-governmental organization representatives, the country teams that assembled in Turin offered a promising example of the potential of the partnership between the United Nations system, local government and civil society in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda.

4. In particular, examples were presented of the central role played by the United Nations resident coordinator system in upscaling sectoral project approaches at the local government policy level, and in promoting central government policies encouraging partnership and participation at the local level. National and local implementation is of crucial importance in achieving the Agenda's goals. Accordingly, it is imperative for the lessons learned from these experiences to be widely disseminated and for resident coordinators actively engaged in partnership-based country programmes to be offered the opportunity to mainstream their experience at the subregional and regional levels through series of regular workshops, also with a view to mainstreaming and integrating human settlements development into country plans.

5. Another recent and positive development has been the emergence of common agendas among partners, particularly in the normative sphere. One notable example is afforded by the World Charter of Local Self-Government. Initially, the Charter was called for at the partners' hearing at Habitat II by one of the major partner groups - cities and local authorities. Now, however, in its concluding statement, the Turin partners' conference registered the unanimous support of all major partner groups represented at the meeting (global parliamentarians, cities and local authorities, trade unions, non-governmental organizations, professionals, researchers and youth organizations) for the adoption of the proposed World Charter. In particular, the Global Parliamentarians on Habitat is committed to placing its unique competence at the service of this initiative. 1/ It is clearly important that the Centre's future work programme allow for work on this Charter to proceed in close collaboration with the partners.

6. The streamlining and devolution of central-government powers and responsibilities is a process of global dimensions. It is becoming increasingly apparent, however, that quality, and not quantity, is the decisive factor in ensuring the strategic normative, coordination and enabling support that only national levels of governance can provide. Locally based and grass-roots partnership initiatives are of immense value in opening new avenues for development and cooperation, but their value should be multiplied through national action.

7. In no other area is this kind of partnership as important as it is in the relationship between central and local government. In the Istanbul Declaration, Member States of the United Nations adopted the enabling strategy and the principles of partnership and participation as the most democratic and effective approach for the realization of their commitments, and recognized local authorities as their closest - and essential - partners, in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda. In keeping with this spirit, local authorities from all over the world are seeking a dialogue with Governments in the development of the proposed world charter of local self-government, whose main purpose, in terms of the Habitat Agenda, is to achieve optimal synergies between all levels of government, by setting a broad and flexible framework of guiding principles for the implementation of the Istanbul commitment to decentralization.

8. At the mid-point between Habitat II and the special session of the General Assembly in 2001, it has become clear that the map of Habitat Agenda Partners is a dynamic one. Some of the partner groups active in Istanbul, such as the private sector, appear to have lost some of their initial momentum. Given the importance of ensuring the commitment of the private sector to the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, attention needs to be given to revitalizing its role in the Habitat II follow-up process. The private sector has no generally representative international body to serve in the role of "institutional partner", but a number of transnational groupings for responsible business practice are contributing actively in various post-Habitat II activities. The "Bremen initiative", aimed at spreading and promoting good practice in public/private sector cooperation for development at the local level, is worthy of special mention here. One proposal that merits discussion is the establishment of a Private Sector Service Bureau, an international clearing house to identify opportunities for private-sector investment in the provision of infrastructure and services for the urban poor.

9. On the other hand, very positive developments are being registered by other partner groups. Following an organizational meeting held at the sixteenth session of the Commission, a global Forum of Researchers on Human Settlements was formally constituted in July 1998, focused on the mobilization of the international research community on selected Habitat Agenda themes and on the linkages between research and policy. The Forum will be a valuable partner of Habitat in the preparatory process for the special session. The International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISoCARP), which organized the Professionals and Researchers' Forum in Istanbul, will hold an organizational meeting during the Commission session in partnership with the International Federation for Housing and Planning aimed at discussing with other international organizations of professionals (International Union of Architects (UIA), International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) and others) the establishment of a Habitat Professional Forum. One of the envisaged goals of the Forum is to mobilize the know-how and experience of human settlements professionals and their organizations in the Istanbul+5 process.

10. As a result of partnership activities launched at the UNCHS (Habitat) Maison de l'Habitat in Geneva, the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers and its non-governmental organization associate, the International Construction Institute, are now engaged in a focused action programme, which was presented and formalized at the Turin partners' conference. The programme aims at presenting at the special session the results of three areas of activity. The first is the identification and dissemination of low-cost, locally based and environmentally sound construction techniques. The second is the mobilization of the international trade union movement in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda in partnership with UNCHS (Habitat) and ILO. The third is the mobilization of the single largest investible asset, pension funds, for the financing of housing for lower-income groups.

11. The continuing and sustained mobilization of, and cooperation with, partners from civil society not only embodies the very spirit of Habitat II, but can also pay crucial dividends for the Habitat II follow-up effort and for the implementation of the Centre's work programme, which is now firmly anchored to the two goals of the Habitat Agenda - adequate shelter for all and sustainable human settlements development in an urbanizing world.

12. One of the main expectations at the Commission is that local authorities and other partners, after examining the draft 2000-2001 work programme of the Centre, will have an opportunity to identify specific activities and outputs for joint implementation with Habitat over the next biennium. Of special importance will be the identification of a common strategy for the proposed two global campaigns on, respectively, secure tenure and urban governance.

13. An additional opportunity is offered by the new organizational structure of the Centre, based on the integration of normative and operational functions, a strong thrust on the promotion of the Centre's work at the regional and local level, and the new identity of the Centre as the "United Nations City Agency".

14. For example, the normative work of the Centre will greatly benefit from a partnership with the Global Parliamentarians on Habitat on the identification and promotion of legislative reform measures at the country level in line with the principles and recommendations of the Habitat Agenda. NGOs and other partners have expressed a strong interest in helping develop the Centre's Global Urban Observatory function, including indicators and best practices, in a focused and systematic way. In this connection, it has been suggested that best practices should develop a strong focus in sustainable and replicable experiences in key areas of priority concern to cities, such as employment, mobility, social integration, environmental improvement, adequate and affordable shelter and basic services.

15. The partners' dialogues to be held at the Commission session will provide an important opportunity for local authorities and other partners to present their views on these issues, to define their roles, and to identify concrete activities on the road to Istanbul+5.

16. The Turin conference provided the opportunity for a dialogue with all the Habitat Agenda partners, so as to learn from one another's experience, to exchange ideas, to mobilize new partnerships and to create synergies among major partner groups. It will be important, particularly as the special session deadline draws nearer, to organize a second global meeting of Habitat Agenda partners. The Centre will be exploring opportunities for countries and cities willing to host this second meeting, while regular budget resources to help cover its cost have been requested in the proposed 2000-2001 budget.

17. The preparatory process for the special session of the General Assembly in 2001, which encourages the full participation of Habitat Agenda partners, also constitutes an opportunity for the Commission to strengthen and expand its representation and visibility.

18. Throughout the United Nations system, Habitat II was rightly perceived as a breakthrough in the relationship between the United Nations and civil society. This applied not only to the visible incorporation of this new partnership in the form of the "partners hearings" at Committee II of the Conference, where all major United Nations programmes and agencies, together with all the Habitat Agenda partners, sanctioned their joint commitment to the implementation of the Habitat Agenda and highlighted their related policy objectives.

19. This commitment was also the result of a preparatory process whereby Member States worked hand-in-hand with other United Nations agencies and partner groups in the drafting of the Habitat Agenda and its Global Plan of Action. This led to positive ....... inputs to the context of these texts, as well as engaging the agencies' and the partners' commitments to the implementation process. It is essential, therefore, to find a constructive compromise between the goal of institutionalizing this continued commitment and the intergovernmental nature of the Commission within the United Nations system.

20. At the Commission's sixteenth session, the proposal tabled by the secretariat to open Commission membership to local authorities, the private sector and non-governmental organizations was debated at length. The result of those discussions, as reflected in Commission resolution 16/12, was to encourage partners' inclusion in national delegations, their engagement in dialogues at Commission sessions, the proposal of activities on their part for the Commission's inter-sessional periods, and their active involvement in the Centre's work, including the provision of inputs, where appropriate, to the Centre in the development, implementation and evaluation of its work programme. At the same time, the Commission also decided in the same resolution that the participation of partners in sessions of the Commission would be in accordance with its existing rules of procedure.

21. With regard to this last point, it needs to be recognized that the strict application of the Commission's existing rules of procedure would actually represent a setback for the principle of partnership, in that the rules of procedure of the Preparatory Committee for Habitat II, and, in particular, for the Conference itself, allowed for a significantly greater degree of participation by partners. Moreover, it must be noted that some existing United Nations bodies already make standard provision for participation by actors other than national governments. It may thus be of interest to provide succinct information on procedures adopted by other intergovernmental bodies to encourage the full participation of non-governmental actors and other representatives of civil society in their work.

22. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has established three levels of formal relationships of non-governmental participants in its conference work: consultative status, special consultative status and liaison status. The International Labour Organization (ILO), on the basis of its founding Charter, operates with a membership of 28 Governments, 14 representatives of workers' organizations and 14 representatives of employers' organizations. In addition, member States' delegations are composed of two government representatives, one worker representative and one employer representative.

23. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) also uses three categories of non-governmental representatives and provides office space at official meetings for its first category members with consultative and associate status. In addition, it has a standing non-governmental organization committee of 18 members, which meets every two years. The Executive Board of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) comprises eight non-governmental organization members, while its standing non-governmental organization committee performs functions of great usefulness to the organization, including fund-raising. The Committee on Human Settlements of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) recently constituted an advisory board composed of representatives from local authorities, the private sector and non-governmental organizations. Similarly, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) employs the advisory services of an international non-governmental organization consultative group. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) carries out most of its substantive work through functional sectors, whose membership is open to non-government actors and organizations identified by the ITU Secretary-General.

24. As demonstrated by these examples, a variety of experiences exist that the Commission may wish to draw upon in order to strengthen and expand its representation and visibility. In this connection, the Commission may wish to establish an informal working group to explore the issue further.

25. In the light of the information provided in paragraph 7 above, the Commission may also wish to consider the special role of local authorities in its future work. The main international and regional representative associations of local authorities have formed a coordination structure (World Association of Cities and Local Authorities Coordination - WACLAC) which provides the Commission with a duly representative partner for the sector. It seems quite clear that representatives of locally-elected governments which exercise significant public functions and hold accountable democratic mandates of their own can no longer be regarded as falling under rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure of the Commission ("Other organizations"), nor under rule 61 ("Non-governmental organizations and institutions").

26. The present unsatisfactory situation, which may be felt to hinder attainment of the desirable objective of associating local authorities in the design of policies and programmes addressing their own sphere of responsibility, could be redressed by considering the following actions, none of which necessarily excludes any other:

(a) Consider the early adoption of an additional rule of procedure governing the participation of local authorities and their representative associations in the work and proceedings (other than voting) of the Commission;

(b) Consider the establishment of an advisory board to the Commission, which would include representatives of local authorities and their recognized associations;

(c) Expand the Bureau of the Commission to include associate members with consultative status, with the participation of one or more representatives of local authorities and their recognized associations; and

(d) Encourage local authorities and their associations to strengthen their working partnership with the Centre and their support to the implementation of its work programme, including the secondment of advisors and technical personnel and the provision of financial support to the Foundation;

(e) For the longer term, consider the formal extension of full membership of the Commission to a specific member of representatives of local authorities, nominated through their representative associations on a suitable geographic basis.