Discussion with the President Estrada of the Philippines!

On the 1st of August, at 11 am a delegation of ten people met the President of Philippines. Although he was to leave for the USA the next day, he cleared up time in his hectic schedule to meet with this team. Everyone was thrilled the day before when in his speech at the AWARDS ceremony, he had turned to Jockin and publicly announced that he was meeting him the next day to hear what he wanted to say to him about the homeless in Philippines.

The meeting lasted for one hour and fifteen minutes. Although there were many things that were discussed here are some of the highlights.

1. He gave a check of 15 million pesos to Father Noberto to start the revolving fund in Payatas to match the 10 million given by people to start the process. More would come gradually.

2. He also promised 15 million to the federation in each of the city where the Philippine federation worked, and agreed to work with the federation to raise money from International sources to add to the fund.

3. The Global Secure tenure Campaign was one of great interest to him and he agreed to launch the Philippine campaign in November 2000.

4. At the Launch he would inaugurate the three housing projects that the federation would begin to work on immediately.

5. He agreed to send the Housing Minister, Jesse, the ex-mayor of Naga Coty who is also a Magsasay award winner with Jockin this year and the housing secretary to South Africa for the launch there.

6. The Philippine federation was told that every land that belonged to the state that people were squatting on, or which was vacant would be given to the people.

7.There would be a special policy worked out for relocation for all those who lived in dangerous places and the Federation and SDI would be consulted in its formation.

8. The Pasig River relocation and rehabilitation : although ADB had finalized everything, the government would review this in light of the discussions about the role of communities in making choices.

UNCHS to Launch Secure Tenure Campaign in Partnership with South African Group

CAPE TOWN, Monday, 04 September 2000: The South African launch of the UNCHS
Global Campaign for Secure Tenure will take place on October 1st - one day before World Habitat Day - in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The Durban Metro Council has officially welcomed the event, which will be hosted and organised by the South African Homeless Peoples' Federation.

The launch will take the form of a public mass meeting at King's Park Athletics Stadium, attended by local, provincial and national officials; representatives of peoples' federations from Asia and Africa; and international guest and dignitaries, potentially including the head of the UNCHS, Filipino government officials and representatives of the World Bank and other international development agencies.

The launch itself will be followed by a workshop of the participants on October 2nd, to chart specific ways forward for greater Durban and for other cities in South Africa.

The Global Campaign for Secure Tenure seeks to achieve secure tenure rights for the poor in the world's cities (for more details on the campaign, see http://www.unchs.org/tenure). The campaign is inaugurated in specific countries by means of official launches in key cities. The first of these was held in Mumbai, India, on 16 July 2000. (For a report on the Indian event, please contact William.Cobbett@unchs.org.) The Durban event will be the second. Up to 30 further national launches are planned for the next two years.

An essential part of the Campaign is the formation of partnerships between the UNCHS, civil society organisations, and government. This emphasises the inclusive and city-based nature of the campaign, and creates effective partnerships on which concrete actions may be based, lasting beyond the campaign itself.

To this end, the UNCHS has formed an alliance with the Shackdweller's International network, a grouping of organisations of the urban poor, and their NGO partners, in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The SDI network has been recognised by UNCHS, as well as the Cities Alliance of funders and multilateral agencies, as a key practitioner of positive development strategies based on the active participation of the urban poor.

The South African SDI affiliate is uMfelandaWonye waBantu baseMjondolo (the South African Homeless Peoples' Federation). uMfelandaWonye is supported by People's Dialogue, a small NGO. uMfelandaWonye and People's Dialogue will accordingly act as local civil society partners and facilitators of the launch of the Secure Tenure Campaign in South Africa.

The KwaZulu-Natal branch of uMfelandaWonye is the largest in South Africa, with 685 savings groups involving 36 000 households (approximately 180 000 people). It has demonstrated considerable capacity both in internal growth and organisation and in relations with government. Relations between uMfelandaWonye and government housing authorities in KZN are excellent, with the Federation playing a major role in delivering subsidies to low-income households in the province. (See www.dialogue.org.za.)

At the same time, the Federation will use the opportunity of this launch to take concrete steps to enhance its capacity to engage successfully with government around land tenure. To this end, Federation groups intend to gather for the week preceding the launch to plan the launch of a new federation of the landless, to be incorporated as a semi-autonomous affiliate of uMfelandaWonye. It is anticipated that this new grouping will bring together backyard shack dwellers, hostel residents, and other landless groups to create a constructive partner for positive engagement with government on the issue of secure tenure. The new federation will be launched simultaneously with the UNCHS event.

Finally, in recognition of uMfelandaWonye's already positive relations with government and in anticipation of further progress, the occasion of the Secure Tenure Campaign launch will be used to recognise explicitly recent agreements with government authorities in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng to provide secure tenure and/or housing subsidies to landless uMfelandaWonye groups. This is intended to highlight the value of positive partnerships and constructive engagement, which are the hallmarks of the Secure Tenure Campaign.

The Global Campaign for Secure Tenure is designed to take forward the commitment of Governments to providing Adequate Shelter for All, one of the two main themes of the Habitat II Agenda. The Campaign identifies the provision of secure tenure as essential for a sustainable shelter strategy, and as a vital element in the promotion of Housing Rights. It has been designed to spearhead a shelter strategy that promotes the rights and interests of the poor, and which recognises that the vast majority of their shelter is provided by the urban poor themselves. The Campaign will, in particular, promote the rights and the role of women as essential to successful shelter policy.

Sandaas Mela in Pune 26th September 2000

The Municipal Commissioner of Pune Mr. Ratnakar Gaikwad has just reached an unbelievable milestone. In a program he initiated soon after he came to Pune, (which is near Bombay in Maharashtra India). He has got

a. Over 1000 toilet seats reconstructed where there were dilapidated toilet blocks constructed by the municipality,

b. He has got 3-5 NGOs one of which is the alliance of sparc Mahila Milan and NSDF to construct these toilets with the communities

c. He has changed the way the PMC dialogues with communities and NGOs to undertake these contracts,

d. He has got the whole municipal wards and departments to begin to look at this as a joint venture rather than a contracted activity.

e. Most interestingly he has done all this with the resources he took out of the corporation coffers.

On the 26th September in a calvacade of many scooter cars and busses, seven of these toilets were inaugurated.

Their signature speciality was commented and lauded:

a. That there were children's toilets in each of the blocks,

b. There was either a community hall or living quarters on tip of each toilet, which would be community property.

c. Most toilets have local community people undertaking specific works contracts.

d. The city paid for the construction and the community would pay for the maintenance and water and electricity charges.

e. This is only the beginning in each settlement.... Now communities had possibilities to look for land security start upgrading their settlement....

The Commissioner who gave certificates and awards commended all the communities and NGOs who participated along with the main municipal staff for their work and contribution. Today was indeed a very special day.

These kind of events are called melas which in Hindi is "fair" it's a festive occasion in which communities celebrate their achievements and in this instance what they have achieved is indeed very special. Special not only for the communities but the achievements of the commissioner who has worked closely with community women and their networks, NGOs and others to change the relationship with each other and create a partnership at a time when these are discussed in workshops but rarely practices.

It takes a great deal of commitment courage and consistent tenacity to build a bridge between the community aspiration to get sanitation and the city's ability to deliver it in a way that it becomes a first rung in a ladder of many possible activities that the slum communities and the city can undertake together.

SDI and the alliance of sparc Mahila Milan and NSDF have already given Pune Municipal Corporation, the Pune federation and Mahila Milan an award for true partnership. We hope to bring out documentation with photos, videos and details documents like designs etc.

Please write to us if you want more information, and contact Mr. Ratnakar Gaikwad Commissioner of Pune City.

Kudos!
----- Original Message -----
From: Gram Vikas, Mohuda <gramvk@dte.vsnl.net.in>
To: sheela <sparc1@vsnl.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2000 12:33 PM
Subject: Kudos to Mr.Gaekwad and PMC!!!!


> Kudos to Mr.Gaekwad and PMC!!!!
>
> It is really true that wilful efort from the top can dramatically change
the way
> things work. It is a whole cultural transformation process that is
triggered off.
> I only hope that other municipal commissioners learn from the example set
> by Mr Ratnakar Gaekwad and the PMC.
>
> That he recognised and involved NGOs and the communities in the effort is
> another commendable feature. May the fervour spread and sustain.
>
> Regards,
>
> Joe

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