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Global Internet discussion on urban problems draws thousands to the Habitat Jam
Davinder Lamba from Mazingira Institute, HIC Focal Point for Anglophone Africa, joined the local launch of the Habitat JAM in Kenya together with UN Habitat Executive Director, Canadian High Commissioner, officials and local partners. An internet cafe in Kibera was inaugurated for this occasion and pledged that it would remain a permanent fixture for the residents.
Women and girls bear brunt of HIV/AIDS, says UN rights experts
In a statement presented to delegates from over 70 countries taking part in an international consultation on the plight of "Women Human Rights Defenders," Miloon Kothari, a UN Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, said: "We wish to draw attention to the often ignored linkages between HIV/AIDS and women`s rights to adequate housing, land, property, inheritance and the highest attainable standard of health."
German Tenants’ Perspective on Privatization of Housing
Housing is the basis for participation in the political, social and cultural life. And housing creates the conditions for peaceful coexistence of a multi-cultural society in the cities. Therefore, besides accommodation we are also speaking about active neighbourhoods and vital city districts. The market by itself is unable to organize the right to housing. The market is socially and ecologically blind. Public control in housing policy therefore is indispensable. Housing policy is and remains a political task at the level of state and municipalities.
Activities registration for polycentric WSF 2006: deadline is November 30th!
Deadline for registering self organised activities (seminars, workshops, panels, cultural activities and others) for the polycentric WSF 2006 is November 30th, 2005.
Debate on Urban Sustainability
Habitat JAM, an unprecedented online global dialogue on urban sustainability, will be held for 72 hours from 1-3 December, 2005. The online discussion proposes six main forums: improving the live of slum dwellers; environmental sustainability; sustainable access to water; safety and security; finance and governance; and humanity: the future of our cities.
Challenges in Europe
This document prepared by Pascale Thys, from Habitat et Participation, Belgium, is a synthesis of answers to the questions asked to associations in Belgium and France, as well as the results of debates with four European HIC members present at HIC global events of Cairo, september 2005, and the results compiled from a small questionnaire distributed to the Cairo meeting participants (it was required that answers not focus on the social housing privatisation issue)
Setting the Working Group on Globalization and Privatization of Habitat
A workshop in Bochum, Germany and a call for papers to document processes of privatization and globalization of habitat -including land, housing, utilities and the impact of free trade agreements in habitat- are the first steps for the implementation of the HIC Board decision to set of the Working Group.
OHCHR dialogue on treaty body reform
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is hosting a five-week dialogue on treaty body reform and proposals for a unified standing treaty body
Reconstruction of Earthquake Affected Areas
50% of this housing stock has collapsed and another twenty per cent has been badly damaged, over 500,000 housing units will have to be rebuilt or repaired in a manner that can withstand future earthquakes. A proper re-building of homes is not possible before winter ends. What can be done in the winter months?
Pakistan: World fails to grasp scale of disaster
World body’s relief official says scale of calamity beyond capacity of any country; much more needs to be done: 2,000 villages yet to be reached
Global Fundisation and Mass Privatisation of Housing
Tenants’ rights, jobs, the structure of the neighbourhoods are under pressure. By large steps the traditionally large portion of rental housing within German housing stock gets reduced. However, even the large sales of the last years only build the prelude to a much larger wave of sales and
privatisation, which massively gets influenced by the increasing role international Private Equity Funds