Mainstreaming Gender Issues Mainstreaming Gender Issues in UN HABITAT Policies and in UN HABITAT Policies and ProgramsPrograms

Alice StorchAlice Storch

UN HABITAT: MandateUN HABITAT: Mandate

The United Nations Human Settlements The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-HABITAT, is the United Programme, UN-HABITAT, is the United Nations agency for human settlements. It Nations agency for human settlements. It is mandated by the UN General Assembly is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns with the goal of sustainable towns with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all.providing adequate shelter for all.

UN HABITAT: MandateUN HABITAT: Mandate

Budget (2003-04): $300 millionBudget (2003-04): $300 million

Four main budgetary sources:Four main budgetary sources:– Multilaterals and bilaterals for technical Multilaterals and bilaterals for technical

assistance (80%)assistance (80%)– Governments and other partners, including Governments and other partners, including

local authorities and foundations (5%)local authorities and foundations (5%)– UN budget (5%)UN budget (5%)– Voluntary contributions from governments Voluntary contributions from governments

(5%)(5%)

UN HABITAT: Its ChallengeUN HABITAT: Its Challenge

Why focus on cities?Why focus on cities?– Cities are now home to Cities are now home to halfhalf of humankind. of humankind.– While cities are centers of national production While cities are centers of national production

and consumption, they are also hubs of and consumption, they are also hubs of disease, crime, pollution, and poverty.disease, crime, pollution, and poverty.

– Slum growth is a particularly aggravated Slum growth is a particularly aggravated aspect of urban conditions: 1 billion people aspect of urban conditions: 1 billion people currently live in slums globally, and if current currently live in slums globally, and if current trends continue, 3 billion will live in slums by trends continue, 3 billion will live in slums by 2050.2050.

UN HABITAT: Strategic VisionUN HABITAT: Strategic Vision

Urban poverty reduction strategies involve Urban poverty reduction strategies involve focusing on:focusing on:– Sustainable urban development;Sustainable urban development;– Adequate shelter for all;Adequate shelter for all;– Improvement in the lives of slum dwellers;Improvement in the lives of slum dwellers;– Access to safe water and sanitation;Access to safe water and sanitation;– Social inclusion;Social inclusion;– Environmental protection;Environmental protection;– Human rights.Human rights.

UN HABITAT: Strategic VisionUN HABITAT: Strategic Vision

To sharpen its focus on these main lines To sharpen its focus on these main lines of strategy, UN HABITAT has zeroed in of strategy, UN HABITAT has zeroed in more specifically on:more specifically on:– Knowledge management and reporting;Knowledge management and reporting;– Advocacy of norms for sustainable Advocacy of norms for sustainable

urbanization and urban poverty reduction;urbanization and urban poverty reduction;– Technical cooperation;Technical cooperation;– Innovative financing for urbanization and Innovative financing for urbanization and

shelter needs;shelter needs;– Strategic partnerships.Strategic partnerships.

UN HABITAT: ActivitiesUN HABITAT: Activities

Two major worldwide campaigns:Two major worldwide campaigns:– Global Campaign on Urban GovernanceGlobal Campaign on Urban Governance– Global Campaign for Secure TenureGlobal Campaign for Secure Tenure

Technical programs and projects in 61 countriesTechnical programs and projects in 61 countries

Additional programs:Additional programs:– Cities AllianceCities Alliance, a joint UN HABITAT/World Bank slum , a joint UN HABITAT/World Bank slum

upgrading initiativeupgrading initiative– Housing rightsHousing rights– Water and sanitation and solid waste managementWater and sanitation and solid waste management

UN HABITAT: Activities (cont’d.)UN HABITAT: Activities (cont’d.)

– Capacity building for local leadersCapacity building for local leaders– Safer citiesSafer cities– Municipal and housing finance systemsMunicipal and housing finance systems– Urban managementUrban management– Urban transportUrban transport– Research and monitoring of urban economic Research and monitoring of urban economic

developmentdevelopment– Global Urban ObservatoryGlobal Urban Observatory– Gender policyGender policy

UN HABITAT: Gender PolicyUN HABITAT: Gender Policy

UN HABITAT’s Gender Policy is UN HABITAT’s Gender Policy is structured around three specific areas:structured around three specific areas:– UN HABITAT’s Gender Policy and its overall UN HABITAT’s Gender Policy and its overall

Goal and ObjectivesGoal and Objectives– UN HABITAT’s gender mainstreaming UN HABITAT’s gender mainstreaming

approachapproach– UN HABITAT’s roles and responsibilities UN HABITAT’s roles and responsibilities

among staff and managementamong staff and management

UN HABITAT: Gender PolicyUN HABITAT: Gender Policy

According to UN HABITAT’s main steering According to UN HABITAT’s main steering document, the Habitat Agenda, the overall document, the Habitat Agenda, the overall goal of promoting gender equality should goal of promoting gender equality should guide all of UN HABITAT’s interventions in guide all of UN HABITAT’s interventions in the field as well as at the policy and the field as well as at the policy and decisionmaking levels.decisionmaking levels.

UN HABITAT: Gender PolicyUN HABITAT: Gender Policy

Guidelines for the objectives of gender equality Guidelines for the objectives of gender equality have been outlined for UN HABITAT:have been outlined for UN HABITAT:

1.1. Adopt and develop a center-wide approach and Adopt and develop a center-wide approach and methodology for gender mainstreamingmethodology for gender mainstreaming

2.2. Identify entry points and opportunities within UN Identify entry points and opportunities within UN HABITAT’s workHABITAT’s work

3.3. Identify linkages between gender equality and Identify linkages between gender equality and human settlements developmenthuman settlements development

4.4. Develop institutional capacity and knowledge to Develop institutional capacity and knowledge to enable gender mainstreaming within UN HABITAT enable gender mainstreaming within UN HABITAT

UN HABITAT: Gender PolicyUN HABITAT: Gender Policy

UN HABITAT’s Gender Mainstreaming UN HABITAT’s Gender Mainstreaming Approach for promoting and strengthening Approach for promoting and strengthening gender at the international level involves the gender at the international level involves the following 10 principles:following 10 principles:

1.1. Initial definitions of issues/problems across all areas Initial definitions of issues/problems across all areas of the human settlement field should be done in of the human settlement field should be done in such a manner that gender differences and such a manner that gender differences and disparities will be visible and diagnosed.disparities will be visible and diagnosed.

2.2. Assumptions that human settlement development is Assumptions that human settlement development is neutral from a gender perspective should never be neutral from a gender perspective should never be made.made.

UN HABITAT: Gender PolicyUN HABITAT: Gender Policy

3.3. Gender analysis should always be carried out in both Gender analysis should always be carried out in both recommendations to policy and planning as well as in recommendations to policy and planning as well as in operational areas of work before implementation and operational areas of work before implementation and decisions are made by HABITAT.decisions are made by HABITAT.

4.4. Systematic use of gender analysis, sex-disaggregated Systematic use of gender analysis, sex-disaggregated data and commisioning of sectoral gender studies and data and commisioning of sectoral gender studies and surveys are required for all areas of UN HABITAT’s surveys are required for all areas of UN HABITAT’s activity.activity.

5.5. Responsibility for implementing the mainstreaming Responsibility for implementing the mainstreaming strategy is system-wide, and rests at the highest level strategy is system-wide, and rests at the highest level within the agency, and its departments; within the agency, and its departments;

UN HABITAT: Gender PolicyUN HABITAT: Gender Policy

and adequate accountability means monitoring and adequate accountability means monitoring progress in UN HABITAT’s interventions need to be progress in UN HABITAT’s interventions need to be established within each area of work. The staff and established within each area of work. The staff and management are also to be committed to promote management are also to be committed to promote and ensure a gender perspective in their and ensure a gender perspective in their collaboration with partners and other agencies.collaboration with partners and other agencies.

6.6. Political will from the Senior Management by Political will from the Senior Management by providing competent leadership and enabling providing competent leadership and enabling allocation allocation of adequate resources for gender of adequate resources for gender mainstreaming.mainstreaming.

7.7. Gender mainstreaming requires that efforts be Gender mainstreaming requires that efforts be made made to broaden women’s equitable participation at all to broaden women’s equitable participation at all

levels of decision-making within the human levels of decision-making within the human

UN HABITAT: Gender PolicyUN HABITAT: Gender Policy

settlement field.settlement field.8. 8. Mainstreaming does not replace the need for Mainstreaming does not replace the need for

targeted, women-specific policies and programs and targeted, women-specific policies and programs and positive legislation.positive legislation.

9.9. A specific gender mainstreaming strategy for UN A specific gender mainstreaming strategy for UN HABITAT should be formulated, and its HABITAT should be formulated, and its

interventionsinterventionsestablished within every branch and unit within established within every branch and unit within

the the program.program.10.10. Provision of training to all personnel at UN Provision of training to all personnel at UN

HABITAT HABITAT headquarters and in the field regarding headquarters and in the field regarding gender gender mainstreaming and awareness for staff and mainstreaming and awareness for staff and

management.management.

UN HABITAT: Applications of UN HABITAT: Applications of Gender PolicyGender Policy

Best Practice Database on Women Best Practice Database on Women Empowerment Practice in human Empowerment Practice in human settlementssettlements– Water Provision in MalawiWater Provision in Malawi– Frauen-Werk Stadt – A Housing Project by Frauen-Werk Stadt – A Housing Project by

and for Women in Vienna, Austriaand for Women in Vienna, Austria

Urban Indicators ProgramUrban Indicators Program