About
| Agenda | Urban planning for slums towards SDGs |
| Committee | HABITAT III |
| Year | 2016 |
| No. of Countries | Approx. 40 (Single delegate) |
| Language | All in English |
| Director | Yusuke Nakashima (The University of Tokyo, Graduate School) |
| Chair | Mizuki Kasashima (The University of Tokyo, Graduate School) |
| Secretary |
Yuki Sudo (Kobe University Graduate School)
Momoko Doi (Hosei University)
|
Country List
Afghanistan
Brazil
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Chad
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Germany
Ghana
Guatemala
India
Indonesia
Italy
Japan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kyrgyzstan
Liberia
Mexico
Netherlands
Nigeria
Pakistan
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Republic of Korea
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Senegal
Spain
Thailand
Trinidad and Tobago
Turkey
Uganda
United Kingdom
United States of America
Viet Nam
Zambia
Concept of the committee
Beyond Your Thought
In this committee, not only Japanese participants but people from all over the world participate and have a debate to face the issue of slums. By having an active discussion with people of diverse backgrounds, it will be a great opportunity for you to gain new insights and fresh perspectives.
Suitable participants
If you would like to have an active discussion with the people of diverse backgrounds, this committee is for you.
Also, this committee seeks solutions to issues of slums from the perspective of urban planning, by considering Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). If you are interested in the topic of SDGs, slums, urban planning, we are waiting for your participation.
We do not expect you to have pre-knowledge of urban planning, or issues of slums – we will support you to prepare for the committee by offering various help.
If you would like to challenge yourself and go one step “beyond your thought”, this committee is for you. We are looking forward to your active participation!
Agenda and Points of Discussion
Agenda
United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UNHABITAT) describes slums as having the following characteristics;
1 Inadequate access to safe water
2 Inadequate access to sanitation and infrastructure
3 Poor structural quality of housing
4 Overcrowding
5 Insecure residential status
The majority of slums exist in urban area, and they are illegal. As nations pursued economic development, a huge influx of people from the country to urban areas to seek careers occured. A part of those people illegally occupied private / public land and built tentative houses – which, as a result, led to emergence of slums.
From the late 19th century to a present day, slums and their residents have become an issue in which nations must face, from the aspect of human rights, civic order, and sanitation. Various measures have been sought, including an eradication policy to completely remove slums, which are illegal from urban areas, or a gradual approach to seek solutions through talks between NGOs and slum residents.
It is hoped to reflect upon various urban planning policies from 1996 – 2016, and discuss solutions upon the future of slums at HABITATIII, where each nation suggests its urban planning policies towards year 2036.
Points of Discussion
The committee holds “housing policy for issues of slums” as a main point of discussion.
Until now, various efforts have been made to address the issues of housing environment in urban areas by means of housing policies. Some examples of housing policies are: ‘slum clearance,’ which aims for eradicating urban slums by dismantling illegal slums in urban areas and providing public housing in suburban areas: or ‘slum upgrading,’ which aims for improving housing environment of slums by extra-legally recognizing the residency right to slums and building basic infrastructures like electricity and water supply around the slum area.
In HABITAT III, we will reconsider the past and existing housing policies, and discuss what the future world has to take with regard to housing policies on slums.
When discussing housing policies on slums, it is necessary to consider both the underpinning philosophy and concrete policies in order to better deliberate on future of urban planning.
When considering the philosophy, we have to focus on what situation is ideal for slums and their residents. What is regarded as ideal may differ depending on different perspectives: United Nations, government, municipal bodies, citizens and slum residents. In particular, a careful deliberation should be done on what attitudes or stance each nation or government should take regarding illegal slums.
When consiering spacial policies, we have to focus on where slum residents should live, in what kind of environment. Under the current situation, the majority of slums exist in the urban areas, and it is said that even if they are forced to leave, they tend to come back to the urban areas and re-establish slums. Moreover, majority of slum residents live in an environment where basic infrastructures are inadequate. It is also necessary to have a discussion on policies regarding their living environment. To solve slum issues, focus should be also on employment or education.
It is highly required to have a fruitful discussion on both philosophy and policy aspect in order to fully come up with housing policy of slums towards 2036 as an outcome of the committee.