In 1996, the United Nations held its second global conference on human settlements in Istanbul; this summit was known as Habitat II. The conference produced the Habitat Agenda, an international declaration which focuses on adequate shelter for all and sustainable human settlements in an urbanising world.
In June 2001, a Special Session of the UN General Assembly reviewed progress in implementing the Habitat Agenda five years after its launch; this review meeting was widely referred to as 'Istanbul+5'. In preparation for Istanbul+5, governments were invited to prepare a report on national and local implementation of the Habitat Agenda, reflecting the views of government and its partners. The UK Government's National Habitat Advisory Committee, of which Homeless International's Chief Executive has been Secretary and Chair, oversaw production of the UK's national report to Istanbul+5. The report featured several examples of Homeless International's work and can be viewed on the website of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
Homeless International was keen that the urban poor themselves, and the civil society organisations which work with them, would be able to participate on an equal footing with other delegates at Istanbul+5. Homeless International worked with the UK Government's Department For International Development (DFID) to provide funding for twenty-five slum and shack dwellers, key staff from their support NGOs and Homeless International, to go to New York and take part.
It was the first global UN gathering in which members of Slum/Shack Dwellers International (SDI) had participated. Previously, Homeless International's partners had undertaken most discussion with "outside" institutions in the slum and shack dwellers' own countries, or on a one-on-one basis. SDI took this opportunity to explore how the network could communicate what they do to a wide audience and to begin a dialogue with many of the stakeholders whose choices of urban development strategies have a deep impact on poor communities locally.
Sheela Patel, Director of Homeless International's long-term partner in India (SPARC), spoke to the UN General Assembly’s Special Session, emphasizing that "Federated communities within SDI have solutions based on information rather than platitudes to discuss with their governments." Meanwhile, SDI built life-sized community-designed house and toilet models in the lobby of the UN building . The exhibition sought to demonstrate that poor communities can design their own housing and settlement solutions, which are often much more affordable, appropriate and sustainable than those designed by others. The exhibition had an impact at the highest level, with Kofi Annan (UN Secretary General) and Anna Tibaijuka (Executive Director of UN-Habitat) making special arrangements to visit the model.
"…I want in particular to highlight the shack and the toilets built by Jockin and the women from Bombay. Not only is theirs one of the more striking displays, it also carries a deeper message that the real challenge is to engage with the energy and vitality of the poor themselves. The poor, Mr President, are not passive, the poor, Mr President, do take care of themselves. What they need is empowerment and an enabling environment in which they can take their own destinies in their own hands and therefore solve the problem for all of us." Anna Tibaijuka, 6th June 2001.
Homeless International produced a publication describing experiences at the meeting, entitled 'Istanbul+5: Creating a space for all voices?'. Click on the link below to read it online or download it.
