Habitat
International Coalition has just issued its compilation of inputs from Members
and officers following their review of the Habitat III Issue Papers. The 22
thematic contributions from technical experts selected by the
UN-Habitat/Habitat III Secretariat have been drafted as a framework for the
debate leading up to the Third United Nations Conference on Urban Development
(formerly Housing and Human Settlements), also known as Habitat III, in October
2016.
The
HICompilation on the Issue Papers views them as “essential reading” for Habitat
III stakeholders. Meanwhile, the commentaries point out many outstanding
issues, information needed and methodological challenges remaining in the
debate, as represented by the 22 Papers.
Consistent with
HIC’s position pronounced at the World Urban Forum (Medellín, 2014), the
Coalition calls for maintaining the integrity of Habitat II’s scope and
commitments, pursuing a New Habitat Agenda, not narrowing the global policy to
only an “urban” agenda. HIC makes a strong case for the restoration of the
human rights approach that was promised at Habitat II (1996), but never
applied. While that global policy framework expires next year, this HIC review
articulates the need for an evaluation of the Habitat II commitments as a
prerequisite to any process toward a new agenda that is relevant, coherent and
implemented.
This
HICompliation is organized in the form of (1) an introductory overview, (2) an
issue-specific review of each of the 22 Issue Papers and (3) a brief
conclusion. HIC has shared this submission also with the Habitat III
Secretariat and in the e-discussions of the Habitat III Urban Dialogues.