Introduction
This document
by Habitat International Coalition builds on
the previously submitted Comments on Habitat
III Issue Papers and Comments
on Habitat III Policy Paper Frameworks.
The United
Nations General Assembly mandated that the Habitat III conference and
preparatory process take into account and build upon the principles and gains
of the Habitat Agenda, among other international frameworks, and reinvigorate
the global commitment on housing and sustainable urban development through an
action-oriented outcome document. Hence, it is understood that policy units, as
part of the preparatory process for the outcome document of the Habitat III
Conference, built their work upon the Habitat Agenda commitments.
Unfortunately, some policy papers don’t refer to the Habitat Agenda explicitly
nor even implicitly (e.g., p. 3). Moreover, it is recommended to mention and
take into account the international agreements to strengthen coherence with
international frameworks.
Urbanization
is still mainly presented as inevitable without recognition of the human
choices responsible for it. The apocalyptic vision of a mechanized countryside,
of depopulated rural areas without peasants and devoted to the prosperity of
cities, of megacities “nurturing and embracing” all newcomers, remains
unchallenged, despite the various references to urban-rural linkages. Only a
balanced development (and balanced investment) for both urban and rural areas,
as pledged in Habitat II, would solve this dilemma, being also an alternative
to the urban future (and depopulated rural areas) that Habitat III is
predicting.
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