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Date: Fri, 31 Oct 97 09:14:41 GMT
From: Rasna Warah <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: PARTNERS: International Conference on Urban Poverty
UNCHS (Habitat) Press Release
31 October 1997
CHS/97/38
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO EXAMINE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES
OF URBAN POVERTY
Conference to Launch Permanent Forum To Reduce Global Urban
Poverty
An International Conference on Urban Poverty will be held in
Florence, Italy from 9 to 13 November 1997. The Conference,
entitled "Governance and Participation: Practical Approaches
to Urban Poverty Reduction" will bring together over 200
participants representing Governments, local authorities,
United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations
(NGOs), international aid agencies and research institutions
>from around the world.
Jointly organized by the Nairobi-based United Nations Centre
for Human Settlements (Habitat) and the Municipality of
Florence, the Conference is funded by the Government of
Italy, the Swiss Development Cooperation, UNICEF (Florence
Centre) Istituto degli Innocenti (Florence) and several
other local institutions.
The Conference, which is a follow-up to an International
Meeting on Urban Poverty held in Recife, Brazil in March
1996, will be a platform for dialogue and debate on crucial
aspects of urban poverty, its causes and consequences and
the policies needed to address it. Focusing on local
government as the key actor in the struggle against urban
poverty, the Conference will examine the political role of
cities and local authorities, particularly their role as
mediators between the urban poor and central Governments.
The Conference will also enable participants to work towards
a visible framework for urban poverty reduction, based on
the Recife Declaration on Urban Poverty, adopted in March
1996.
The International Conference on Urban Poverty is organized
in four parts:
The International Forum: International networking
organizations will share their experiences with
participants.
Thematic Overview: Participants will discuss the role of
local governments in the context of growing concern in the
international community about the need for decentralization
and greater accountability and transparency among decision-
and policy-makers. A panel discussion with local authorities
will address the issue of governance and will examine the
relationship between political representation and popular
participation.
Analysis of Sectoral Topics: Parallel workshops will focus
on the following themes:
- From Urban Violence and Exclusion to Safer Cities
- Access to Transport for the Urban Poor
- Shelter, Employment and the Informal City.
Practical Approaches to Urban Poverty Reduction:
Participants will look at strategies and practices that can
be applied to reduce urban poverty. Working groups will
identify mechanisms and tools and will make recommendations
that will assist community groups, NGOs, local authorities,
policy-makers and the private sector.
One of the expected outcomes of the Conference is the
launching of an International Forum on Urban Poverty -- a
partnership among municipalities, bilateral and multilateral
support agencies, private foundations, NGOs and community-
based organizations that are active in the struggle against
poverty at the local level. This Forum will provide a
permanent mechanism for the discussion of crucial aspects of
urban poverty and of the policies needed to reduce it.
A report on the conclusions of the Conference will be
presented to the plenary on the final day of the Conference.
Participants will also enter into a "social contract" which
will commit them to reducing and/or eradicating poverty.
For further information, please contact:
Rasna Warah
Information Officer
UNCHS (Habitat)
Tel: (254-2) 623988
Fax: (254-2) 624060
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
OR
Mr. Burigana
Press Officer
Municipality of Florence
Tel: (39-55) 276 8585
Fax: (39-55) 276 8320
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
