Action for Better Cities (ABC)

Ten Roads to Sustainable Cities and Communities

Let us . . .

Rejoice in the beauty and wonder of our land, our skies, our waters and life in all its diversity. Let us work to nurture this heritage and protect and promote it for the survival of future generations. Let us work to make and build cities and communities that are socially just, ecologically sustainable, politically participatory, economically productive and culturally vibrant. Let us strengthen our work to realise this vision of better cities and communities through advocacy, networking information, capacity building and resource mobilisation.

Social Justice

Social justice will be achieved by the extension of basic services and facilitates to all members of society without social, cultural or gender discrimination and at an affordable cost. This implies a focus on servicing the poorest, minority and disadvantaged groups with minimum standards of service, and cross subsidising them by charging higher or at least full costs for higher levels of services.

Ecological Sustainability

Ecological sustainability will be achieved by encouraging conservation of energy and resources, use of renewal resources, and recycling. This particularly means recycling of organic waste, rationalising scavenging/recycling of inorganic waste, and discouraging wasteful high energy/resource consuming technologies, private automobiles and air-conditioning. We advocate to improve public transport systems, to upgrade telecommunications to preserve green spaces for public use, and the responsible use of water and the elimination of toxins in urban areas.

Political Participation

Political participation may be achieved through which consult with and involve community groups, NGOs and the private sector in the planning and developing or adopting structures and processes management of public services and facilities. This requires a clear process and structure for popular participation. If given the opportunity, people can govern themselves through participation in existing structures or by creating alternative ones.

Economic Productivity

Economic productivity will be achieved by special support being given to community-based activities, socially useful and eco-friendly enterprises. The challenges of human resources regionally, the rights of informal sector s must be addressed in a constructive, productive and humanistic way. Economic productivity is the heartbeat of any community.

Cultural Vibrancy

Cultural vibrancy may be achieved by conserving traditional communities, historic enclaves and structures of cultural, architectural, historical, political, economic, spiritual and religious significance. The creative development of new communities and the building of new structures and cities can be inspired by these efforts. Urban centres also give birth to new, dynamic, living urban cultures : cultures manifest in daily life, on street corners, in creative works, in the songs and dramas of urban life.

Advocacy

The Istanbul Declaration adopted at the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements in June 1996 The Habitat Agenda : Goals and Principles, Commitment and Global Plan of Action provide a universally agreed set of standards and commitment of our work. It provides for all of us a common platform for advocacy, organising and making our demands. Let us use it to make us work for cities and communities. Let us localise the Habitat Agenda so that it is meaningful to people, cities and communities.

Networking

This is the age of networks. We multiply our strength and power by building alliances and drawing from each other's knowledge and strength. We have to build these alliances among those working on human rights, gender equity, environment, and other organisations. This way we will build solidarity and strength through a common vision and joint activities that create the synergy for transformational change.

Information

Information is power, information is available. Let us develop and improve our information resource centres on urban issues, and use it to strengthen our work. We also need to use the opportunities afforded by the new information technologies to develop efficient and quick modes of exchange of information and expressing solidarity. And finally, let us create "popular", easily understood, and useable materials that give ideas and support our actions in communities.

Capacity Building

People-centred institutions and organisations are the essential elements to propel communities towards positive change. Training to build leadership, communication, organisation, resource mobilisation, and management are necessary to build capacities of these organisations. such organisations can provide opportunities to envision and create alternative models for sustainable cities and communities

Resource Mobilisation

Our people and our communities are our greatest strength. Let us draw the power from within us and within our communities. Let us build the concept of sharing our resources with those that are less advantaged. Let us build partnership with those who have resources and share our vision and commitment for better cities and communities. Let us call on the UN system and other agencies to strengthen their support for civil society groups so that the people themselves can develop and shape programmes for their survival and future.

Let us all work together . . .

to make above "Ten Roads for Sustainable Cities and Communities" a tool for Action for Better Cities.

The above statement came out of the South East and East Asian consultation on "Moving Forward Towards Our Sustainable Cities" held in Tagaytay , Philippines, 22 - 26 April 1997.

For further information please contact:

Ms. Corazon Juliano-Soliman, Executive Director, Community Organisation Training and research Advocacy Institute (CO-TRAIN), 80-A Malakas Street, Brgy. Pinyahan Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines. Tel : (63-2) 926 6755; Fax : (63-2) 920 2434;
E-mail: <sanayan@info.com.ph>

Mr. Anwar Fazal, Regional Coordinator, Asia Pacific 2000, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Wisma UN, Block C, Kompleks Pejabat Damansara, Jalan Dungun, Damansara Heights, 50490 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel : (603) 255 9122; Fax : (603) 253 2361;
E-mail: <umpap@po.jaring.my>

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