Abstract

In 1995, the Unit participated in the “Best Practices and Local Leadership Programme” by the the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UN-Habitat). In addition to 28 national profiles, documents include a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ between the Unit and Habitat agency, and Best Practices guidelines for pre-screening cases. See an Excerpt from the Memorandum below.

The Programme highlighted international urban development projects as candidates for the UN’s Best Practices database. Documents address human settlement case studies in twelve nations: India, Australia, Austria, Kenya, Egypt, Argentina, Norway, Venezuela, Angola, Greece, Scotland, Philippines, Brazil, Germany, Turkey, and South Africa.

More details

The Unit evaluated 28 city programs, following UN-Habitat’s programme goals:

To develop and maintain a knowledge base on best practices in improving the living environment including their corresponding sources of knowledge, experience and expertise;
To promote the dissemination, sharing and exchange of lessons learned from the above-mentioned best practices and others by and amongst all key groups of actors and stakeholders in the human settlement and development process;
To facilitate the transfer of the knowledge, experience and expertise associated with best practices in improving the living environment through new and improved means of cooperation on a north-north, north-south and south-south basis including decentralized forms of cooperation;
To assist scholars and practitioners in their investigation of innovative approaches to urban development.

Excerpt

[Excerpt, “Guide to Documenting and Learning from Best Practices,” 1996. Introduction, page 6]

“The Best Practices Initiative began as a world-wide search for human settlements success stories. An official part of the preparatory process for The City Summit – the second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) – held in Istanbul, Turkey, in June 1996. Best Practices Initiative generated over 600 submissions from 80 countries by the official deadline. These initiatives are testimonials to human ingenuity in the face of the challenges of an urbanizing world.”

“A two-stage, independent selection process produced a list of 104 Best Practices and highlighted 12 initiatives to receive the Tokyo and Dubai Awards for Excellence in Improving the Living Environment. The twelve Award recipients and many other initiatives were also on display at the Best Practices Exhibition, the largest single-theme exposition ever organised by the United Nations. The enthusiasm and interest generated by the Best Practices Initiative has led to its incorporation as an ongoing programme of UNCHS (Habitat): the Best Practices and Local Leadership Programme (BLP). The BLP will operate as a network of leading capacity-building institutions from around the world. Mandated to support the implementation of the Habitat Agenda – the Global Plan of Action adopted at Habitat II – through the continued sharing and transfer of Best Practices knowledge, experience and expertise, the BLP is launching a second call for submissions, culminating in a second round of Awards for Excellence in Improving the Living Environment in October 1998.”

“The purpose of this guide is to provide a framework for identifying, documenting and learning from BEST PRACTICES. In addition, this guide explains how individuals, groups and organizations can participate in a continuous exchange of know-how, experience and expertise in sustainable human settlements development.”

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:	1995
Project Type:	UN-Habitat Best Practices and Local Leadership Programme
Geographic Regions:	^{Tamil Nadu and Delhi, India / New South Wales and Queensland, Australia / Vienna, Austria / Jua Kali Sector, Nairobi and Kisumu, Kenya / Helwan and Cairo, Egypt / Tucumán, Argentina / Oslo Old Town, Norway / Caracas, Venezuela / Sambizanga, Angola / Keramitsa and Perama, Greece / Glasgow, Scotland / Naga, Philippines / Santos, São Paulo, Brazil / Potsdam, Mannheim, and Kiel Mettenhof, Germany / Eryaman and Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey / Nkonkobe (Alice), South Africa}
Reports:	Best Practices: Memorandum of Understanding (Unit and Habitat, BPL) Best Practices: A Guide to Documenting and Learning from Best Practices in Improving the Living Environment (Draft) BP, 11: The Big Issue, UK BP, 17: Poverty Alleviation Through Community Cooperation, Delhi, India BP, 59: Overcoming Social Disadvantage, Elizabeth Munno Parra Area, South Australia BP, 60: A Cross Sectoral Approach to Urban Development, Inala Ipswich Corridor, Queensland BP, 75: Integrated House cum Work Area Projects for Handloom Weavers, Tamil Nadu, India BP, 92: Plan for Reintegration of Homeless Persons, Vienna, Austria BP, 94: Identification, Reduction and Prevention of Crime, Kisumu Town, Kenya BP, 120: Urban Community Development for Resettlement Area of Ein Helwan, Cairo, Egypt BP, 134: Illegal Settlements, Rosario City, Argentina BP, 135: Indigenous Population Shelter, Argentina BP, 140: Oslo Old Town Community Participation, Oslo, Norway BP, 158: Catuche Association, Venezuela BP, 174: Peri Urban Upgrading Programme, Sambizanga, Angola BP, 194: A Vision and Strategy for Economic Development, Northern Rivers Region, New South Wales, Australia BP, 205: Programme for Social and Economic Integration of Disadvantaged Groups, Perama, Greece BP, 209: Action for Warm House, Glasgow, Scotland BP, 216: Sustainable Rural Settlements Development, Kermista, Greece BP, 218: Enabling Environment for Jua Kali, Kenya BP, 227: Urban Poor Programme, Naga City, Philippines BP, 246: Integrated Children and Family Program, Santos, Brazil BP, 247: A History of the Calpini Neighborhood, Tafi Viejo, Tucuman, Argentina BP, 355: Housing Cooperative, Ludwig Frank, Mannheim, Germany BP, 362: Family Oriented System Building of Wooden Apartment Houses BP, 363: Housing Model for Multi Generation Women and Families, Kiel Mettenhof, Germany BP, 364: Kirchsteigfeld Estate, Potsdam, Berlin BPs, 377: Transformation Project from Squatter Settlement to Urban Housing, Turkey BP, 430: Eryaman Project, Turkey BP: South Africa Video Projects, Middledrift, Eastern Cape
Authors:	^{Dr. Wally N’Dow, Secretary General of UN-Habitat; François Vigier;}
Sponsors:	^{United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UN-Habitat);}
Categories:	Evaluations and Assessments;

ID:	1995_00_007