FEATURE: PAKISTANI HOST FAMILIES PLAY CRUCIAL ROLE IN UN AID EFFORTS

Their names may not make headlines or their faces grace television screens, but to United Nations officials and hundreds of thousands of their fellow Pakistanis, people such as Haji Akbar and Shahzaman are the true heroes of what is one of the largest displacement crises in the world today.

They are among those who have opened up their homes in an unprecedented show of generosity to accommodate men, women and children uprooted by the military operation conducted by Government forces against militants in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

At the height of the crisis just a couple of months ago, the vast majority of the more than 2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) were either sheltering in schools and other public buildings, with host families or in rental accommodations.

"The everyday people of Pakistan are the real heroes of this current crisis in Pakistan," according to Martin Mogwanja, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Pakistan.

"They are opening the doors of their often modest homes, sharing what they have, no matter how little, no matter how it strains their often modest budgets. True humanitarians, they set an inspiring example of extraordinary generosity for the whole world."

Haji Akbar did not know any of the men, women and children who arrived at his doorstep one morning in April, or how long they would be staying. But that did not deter the farmer in Swabi district from helping them in their time of need.

"I was extremely happy that I was being able to provide [a] service to my brothers and sisters," says Akbar, whose family of 14 hosted 60 displaced people for two and a half months.

"It was for the first time in my life that I received so many guests at one time to live in my house," he told the UN News Centre, on the eve of the first annual World Humanitarian Day, to be observed on 19 August.

"I invited them to stay with me and when they came in I realized there were a lot of people to accommodate so we decided to shift to my brother's house to leave the whole house for our guests."

The displaced who were living in camps received relief supplies there. Meanwhile, the UN set up humanitarian hubs for those staying outside the camps where they could come on certain days to pick up food rations and other items.

In addition, agencies such as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) provided tents – to extend living spaces and alleviate crowded conditions – as well as food rations, hygiene kits and latrines.

"There's absolutely no doubt that the fact that people were taken in by host families helped to save lives," says Ariane Rummery, spokesperson for UNHCR in Pakistan. "To accommodate over 2 million people in camps would have been much tougher."

UN humanitarian chief John Holmes had a chance to see the "host-community phenomenon" first-hand when he visited areas of NWFP last month, including the village of Jamal Garhi, in Mardan district, where there were as many displaced people as residents, and in one case, one family was hosting some 95 displaced people.

"I think that's not untypical," he said following the visit, adding that it has been "a remarkably generous response – partly for traditional, cultural reasons – by the local population in parts of North West Frontier Province."

Mardan resident Shahzaman and his family of 15 accommodated 30 relatives in their five-room house for two and a half months.

"In these testing times, if we will not provide them shelter where should they go? They were in trouble… they were not a burden to us. We felt proud to host them," says Shahzaman.

He and his family did receive some UN assistance to cope with the influx but it was still not easy. "With very limited resources, we had to cut most of our own needs. There were budgetary constraints in hosting such a large number of guests.

"I am a low-paid government servant, so this was a big challenge for us," he adds.

The Pakistani Government estimates that some 890,000 displaced persons have returned since mid-July to their villages in the districts of Buner and Swat – among the areas hardest hit by the military operations.

For many of the host families, the experiences shared over the past several months are ones they will not soon forget.

"Our families made friendships and when they were leaving we were very sad," says Akbar. "Two and a half months in the same place is a lot of time… we miss them."
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UN AGENCY LAUNCHES SCHEME IN IRAQ TO IMPROVE BASIC SERVICES, HOUSING

A $70 million urban development plan aimed at bolstering the delivery of basic services and provision of housing for Iraq's poor and most vulnerable was jointly launched today by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) and the country's Government.

The project, of which $49 million remains unfunded, focuses on providing Government ministries and local authorities with technical assistance and capacity-building support in the areas of urban governance, housing, infrastructure and basic services.

"This is a historical moment in marking the partnership between the Government of Iraq and UN-HABITAT," said Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UN-HABITAT, in a televised address, reminding the international community of its obligation to help Iraq meet the social and economic targets set out in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Naeema al-Gasseer, acting UN Resident Coordinator in Iraq, said that the UN is "increasingly engaged in ensuring a high level of consultation and concrete action with the Government of Iraq to rebuild housing throughout the country and further develop Iraq's urban planning infrastructure with an emphasis on overcoming climate change challenges."

"Hand in hand with Iraq, the UN's goal will be to continue improving the lives of ordinary Iraqis," Ms. Al-Gasseer added.

The launch of the UN-HABITAT Iraq Country Programme for 2009-2011, in cooperation with the Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation, was attended by several senior representatives of Iraqi ministries, representatives of the international community in Baghdad, including UN agencies and donors.
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SOUTH AFRICAN RIOTS OVER HOUSING AND SERVICES SPARK CONCERN FROM UN AGENCY

The United Nations agency tasked with promoting adequate shelter for all has voiced alarm at the riots over housing and basic services that have engulfed many South African townships over the past week.

Demonstrators protesting over the state of their housing, water, electricity and sanitation services have clashed with police in townships across the country, with dozens of people arrested and large amounts of property looted or destroyed.

Daniel Blau, the Director of the Regional and Technical Cooperation Division of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), said on Friday that while food riots were not uncommon in Africa, it was unusual to have such protests for better housing and services.

"While the Government of South Africa has provided important subsidies for social housing in recent years, the global crisis affects directly the urban poor in this country," he said.

"That crisis was ignited by the mismanagement of the United States housing finance sector. It has now an impact on the housing conditions of the African poor. Housing is increasingly at the core of economic and social development."
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UN AGENCY COMMITS TO HELPING PROTECT LAND RIGHTS FOR AFRICA’S DISPLACED

The United Nations agency tasked with promoting adequate shelter for all has committed to ensuring better protection of land and property rights for people uprooted from their homes in Africa, which hosts nearly half of the total number of displaced persons worldwide.

UN-HABITAT and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding last week committing them to this common goal.

Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UN-HABITAT, said she hoped the new agreement will be an opportunity to "work together to mobilize resources and help the significant number of displaced persons in Africa."

The two institutions will work together to promote the creation of proper legal and institutional frameworks so that countries can be better prepared to protect the rights of displaced populations and to find durable solutions with regards to land and property issues.

In 2008 there were an estimated 11.6 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Africa, nearly half of the total number of displaced worldwide.

"The technical assistance that UN-HABITAT can provide will aid us greatly in our quest to help the huge displaced populations in the Great Lakes Region," said Liberata Mulamula, Executive Secretary of the ICGLR. "The sharing of experience and resources is going to be essential in dealing with the current situation."

The ICGLR is an institution created by Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic (CAR), Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia to implement the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region.
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UN AGENCY AIMS TO TACKLE HOUSING CRUNCH DURING FINANCIAL CRISIS

With the world struck by an economic crisis that has its origins in housing credit, the head of the United Nations agency tasked with ensuring adequate shelter for all today said it was doubly important to confront the challenge of affordable housing.

"This year, our meeting takes place at a time our world is mired in the worst economic crisis in living memory," Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of the UN agency for human settlements (UN-HABITAT), said as she opened the agency's yearly Governing Council in Nairobi, Kenya.

"The origin of the crisis lies with a housing finance system gone wrong. Lessons learned from this experience must inform our housing policies and strategies," she added, outlining how the global financial crisis has affected housing worldwide.

The theme for the Governing Council, at which governments decide on UN-HABITAT's budgets and work programmes, is entitled "Promoting affordable housing finance systems in an urbanizing world in the face of the global financial crisis."

Also speaking at the meeting's opening session, the head of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Achim Steiner, called for measures to cushion the urban poor against the shocks arising from both the global economic meltdown and climate change.

The Governing Council, attended by representatives from some 100 countries, runs through 3 April.
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URBAN YOUTH GROUPS RECEIVE BOOST FROM NEW UN SCHEME

With nearly three quarters of the world's one billion slum-dwellers under the age of 30, a new United Nations programme seeks to empower urban-based, youth-led community initiatives.

The UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) "Opportunities Fund for Urban Youth-Led Development" scheme will provide grants between $5,000 and $25,000 to groups, steered by people between the ages of 15 and 32, promoting sustainable urbanization.

"In this time of worldwide economic crisis, it is not only banks and automakers who deserve financial support, we also need to encourage youth who are often best placed to solve problems in their communities," said Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UN-HABITAT.

"We must harness the energies of the young if we are to overcome the problems of urban poverty," she added.

The Norwegian Government-backed initiative aims to support efforts in employment, education, environment, health and safety, among other areas.
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LIBERIA: MULTI-AGENCY UN PROJECT TO BOOST LOCAL GOVERNMENT

LIBERIA: MULTI-AGENCY UN PROJECT TO BOOST LOCAL GOVERNMENT
New York, Mar 23 2009 4:00PM
The signing of a six-agency project in Liberia is a major step toward restoring civil administration in the West African country, which is recovering from a devastating 14-year conflict, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said today.

Local capabilities to be upgraded through the project include statistics gathering and analysis, information management, monitoring and evaluation, rehabilitation and construction of public buildings and service delivery, according to a UNDP release.

UNDP, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) and the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) have all signed onto the two-year programme.

Speaking at the signing ceremony held in the country's capital, Monrovia, UN Resident Coordinator Jordan Ryan said that the project "provides a coherent and coordinated platform for UN agencies to join up their efforts and work together with the Government in the development process," according to UNDP.
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