India  First Launch in Mumbai 

Concrete IMPACTS

The state government committed to pass a Land Tenure Bill in the State of Maharashtra in the legislative session that was to begin a few days later.

The Minister of State Govt. of India for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation Dattatreya made a commitment to enact the slum policy and to finance 200,000 households to upgrade houses.

The Minister of Housing for Maharashtra Rohidas Patil committed to working with National Slum Dwellers Federation to give 50,000 households secure tenure in the coming year after the Bill was enacted.

The Municipal Commissioner of Mumbai Ranganathan also announced ... once the first 3000 households of pavement dwellers get houses, he will target to move the next 7000 from the island city.

Launches in other cities in India and other countries were  planned during 2 days of workshops. 

Present at the launch were 
Representations from:
Embassies and consulates of Kenya, Indonesia, Japan, Norway, Thailand,
Cities Alliance, UNCHS, World bank, DFID,
Delegations of officials and communities from Kenya, South Africa, Namibia, Nepal, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia.
Representatives of 32 towns and cities in which National Slum Dwellers Federation works.
Representatives of all city federations and other NGOs in Mumbai

UNCHS, Indian Govt, NGOs and Grassroots in Mumbai

International Aid agencies and diplomats from a range of countries also attended a range of meetings over the 3 days.

More on the India Launch at SPARC's CITYWATCH Website
HERE

Philippines  - The Launch Planning
         Note: the Launch will be 27-29 November 2000

Concrete IMPACTS So Far

The Housing Secretary informed us she was so very impressed with the constructive spirit of gathering at Payatas, the solid alternative and viable solutions presented, and the ability of the savings federation to offer partnership with, rather than demands from, government. Federation representatives were invited to meet with her on August 30^th.

A delegation was invited to meet in 2 days time with the President of the Philippines Joseph Estrada. Impacts of the meeting

A 15 million peso cheque (written and signed) was given to the Manila Homeless Peoples Federation to establish an urban poor fund; savings groups agreed to contribute 3 million of their own savings.

A promise to contribute a similar amount to the Federation funds in the 6 other cities in which the Federation operates.

A promise to fast track and help facilitate relocations (if needed) of poor communities to identified government owned land as well as on-site up-gradation.

The Housing Secretary agreed to continue collaborations and also attend the Secure Tenure Campaign Launch in South Africa later this month as a guest of ACHR and SDI.

The President would also attend and collaborate with us in the Secure Tenure Campaign Launch in the Philippines later in October. Together we would try to invite to the launch, Nelson Mandela (who has recently expressed a personal interest in the campaign) and UN Sec Gen Koffe Annan.

OCT 14: 
In preparation for the Philippines Sec Ten Launch Nov 27-29  ACHR Philippines is supporting 18 city surveys of land and housing.  The results of the surveys are expected to be an important contribution  to the development of new housing directions for the poor in the Philippines when presented by the various cities at the national launch in November. 

More: Payatas, the Housing Secretary and the President HERE
More: with pix of the Magsaysay Award Ceremony HERE
More on Secure Tenure Preparations HERE

 PAYATAS Secure Tenure Launch    PHILIPPINES

More Impacts from SDI and the Philippines Homeless People's Federation

The Payatas urban poor community and the Homeless People’s Federation of the Philippines launched their secure tenure campaign in two days of celebrations at Payatas dump site community this week. The President, National government shelter agencies and city mayors joined the urban poor Federation’s agenda - the impacts are detailed below in the MOU (summary) signed by each of the groups.

1. Open and available government land shall be released for providing housing to the urban poor.

2. Existing settlements on government land which is not required for immediate public use, shall be made available to help the urban poor to develop their communities and to build houses with secure tenure guaranteed.

3. All private land occupied by existing settlements will be made available to the occupants through land-sharing agreements between communities and land-owners, supported by government tax exemptions ad incentives.

4. The Community Mortgage Program (CMP) shall be decentralised to city-level, in order to speed up and open up the delivery of finance to the poor.

5. Urban Poor Development Funds will be established in five more cities.

The MOU is signed by the
Homeless Peoples Federation of the Philippines
Vincentian Missionaries Social Development Foundation Inc.
Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC)
League of Cities (Network of Mayors)
Slum Dwellers International
United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS)
In the witness of the President of the Philippines M. Joseph Estrada.

ACHR Profile on the Philippines Homeless People's Federation HERE

MOU

The FULL Text 
of the MOU is HERE

Durban  South Africa

This is the report just received (Oct 12)- we will summarize the Impacts soon.

MASSIVE GATHERING OF THE URBAN POOR IN DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA

Over 10 000 members of the South African Homeless Peoples' Federation and allied organisations descended on King's Park Sports Complex in Durban on Sunday, October 1st, for the Southern African launch of the UNCHS Campaign for Secure Tenure.

Exceeding all expectations of the organisers, grassroots savings groups from all of South Africa's provinces traveled to the event in nearly 100 buses and dozens of minibus taxis. Joining them were delegations from urban poor Federations in Zimbabwe, Namibia, India, and the Philippines. The Filipino government also sent its housing minister. A Jockin and Jesse Robredo, recipients of the prestigious 2000 Magsaysay Award, were also in attendance. Also represented were international development organisations such as the UNCHS, World Bank, and several bilateral development agencies.

On hand to greet the visitors were politicians and officials from Durban, kwaZulu-Natal province, and the South African government. South African Housing Minister Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele was keynote speaker.

Mthembi-Mahanyele captured the sprit of the carnival-like event by saying that South Africa's housing drive had been made possible by "the partnership formed between the government and her people".  She went on to say that "most of these (People's Housing Process) initiatives were led by women groups within the South African Homeless Peoples' Federation".

An important goal of the UNCHS campaign is to gain concrete government support for secure tenure for the poor.

Mthembi-Mahanyele took up the challenge "On June of this year, the Agriculture and Land Affairs Minister announced in Parliament that government will transfer ownership of 15 million hectares of land in the next five years to the poor"

Rose Molokoane, National Chairperson of the SAHPF indicated that the Federation and allied groups would immediately begin work to prepare to participate in this programme. "Without land our people are dying a natural death. We have thousands of members all over South Africa who are willing and able to use secure tenure to build themselves and the country".

 

Rose Molokoane, National Chairperson of the SAHPF indicated that the Federation and allied groups would immediately begin work to prepare to participate in the programme outlined by the Minister whereby the government will transfer ownership of 15 million hectares of land in the next five years to the poor".

 "Without land our people are dying a natural death. We have thousands of members all over South Africa who are willing and able to use secure tenure to build themselves and the country".

 

SDI : Slum / Shack Dwellers International Website   HERE