|
Vancouver Declaration on Human Settlements (1976)
In 1976 in Vancouver, the United Nations held its first conference
on the issue of physical and spatial organization of human life
on this planet, and on the national and international actions needed
to accommodate the growing number of population in urban and rural
communities. This conference, called Habitat: United Nations Conference
on Human Settlements, established the concept of human settlements
to consist of several elements that had been previously considered
separately from one another - housing, building, planning and the
relationship of these and such other activities as environmental
change and national and international development. Vancouver Declaration
defined human settlements as follows:
Human settlements means the totality of the human community -
whether city, town or village - with all the social, material, organizational,
spiritual and cultural elements that sustain it. The fabric of human
settlements consists of physical elements and services to which
these elements provide the material support. The physical components
comprise,
Shelter, i.e. the superstructures of different
shapes, size, type and materials erected by mankind for security,
privacy and protection from the elements and for his singularity
within a community;
Infrastructure, i.e. the complex networks designed
to deliver to or remove from the shelter people, goods, energy or
information;
Services cover those required by a community for
the fulfilment of its functions as a social body, such as education,
health, culture, welfare, recreation and nutrition.
Broadened Concept of Human Settlements as a Framework for
Economic and Social Development
Over the years, this concept of human settlements has been broadened
to become a framework for an overall national socio-economic development
in the context of formulating global shelter strategies for the
year 2000. It is now contended that human settlements are the spatial
dimension as well as the physical expression of economic and social
activity. No creative act takes place without being influenced by
settlement conditions. In turn, the creation of workable human settlements
inevitably becomes an objective of, an indicator of and a prerequisite
for social and economic development. Settlements are an objective
of development in that places where people can live, learn and work
in conditions of safety, comfort and efficiency are a fundamental
and elementary need. Settlements are also an indicator, in that
they are the most visible expression of a society's ability to satisfy
some of the fundamental needs of its members: they can mark accomplishments
as well as expose destitution, neglect and inequality. Finally,
settlements are a prerequisite for social and economic development,
in that no social progress for sustainable economic growth can occur
without efficient settlements systems and settlement networks.
Urbanization
Urban population in the Asia and Pacific region is growing at
an average annual rate of 3 per cent, having doubled between 1960
and 1980 from 359 million to 688 million. The total urban population
in the region at present is about 850 million containing 40% of
the world urban population. By the year 2000, an estimated 300 million
more population will be added during the decade in urban areas in
the region, including 14 of the world's 22 mega-cities with more
than 10,000,000 people.
However, in spite of high population growth rates in many of the
large cities, developing nations in the region - even economically
fast growing countries - are still characterized by low urbanization
levels, if compared to Latin America. This would mean that the growth
potential of urban populations is vast. Currently, less than 30%
of the region's population live urban areas; the rate will increase
to more than 40per cent in 20 years.
Urban population growth rates are markedly higher than overall
national population growth rates. In some countries, notably Bangladesh,
cities grow at double the national rate. This rapid urban growth
is accompanied by problems of urban congestion, environmental degradation,
regional imbalances and a burgeoning population of under and unemployed
workers and sprawling slums and squatter settlements.
Ministerial Conference on Urbanization
The first Ministerial Conference on Urbanization in Asia and the
Pacific , at Bangkok in 1993. The Ministerial Conference adopted
the Regional Action Plan on Urbanization in Asia and the Pacific
as a guideline for countries to address the issue of urbanization
in the region. It was the first conference on the subject which
officially involved local authorities, NGOs, research and training
institutes and the media together with representatives of the national
governments.
The Regional Action Plan on Urbanization emphasizes building of
partnerships between various levels government and the civil society,
strengthening of local governments, addressing the issue of urban
poverty and the environment. It also emphasizes the need for regional
cooperation in promoting sustainable and participatory development
of human settlements, particularly urban areas.
Habitat II: The Second United Nations Conference on Human
Settlements
Habitat II was held in April 1996 at Istanbul, Turkey. Popularly
called the "City Summit" it brought together high-level representatives
of national and local governments, private sector, NGOs, research
and training institutions and the media. The Conference adopted
the Habitat Agenda, a global action plan to realize sustainable
human settlements. The Regional Action Plan and the Habitat Agenda
have become the major guide for countries of the region to improve
the quality of life and promote the sustainable development of human
settlements in the Asia and the Pacific region. What is now required
is to follow-up the recommendations the Habitat Agenda and the Regional
Action Plan in the country or city context with appropriate actions.
|
