Publications

	Sign In Sign-Up

Home

Board

	Shelter Forum Bulletin This is a quarterly magazine that aims at documenting issues that affect access to sustainable and decent shelter for the poor, particularly vulnerable and marginalized groups such as women,children, the disabled and dispossed. Occasionally issues are topical. This issue of Shelter Forum Bulletin, focuses on challenges facing the informal sector small-scale re-cycling initiatives in Kenya. One paper discusses the findings of a survey in three towns - Nairobi, Nakuru and Kisumu - and the constraints that face small scale initiatives in these fast expanding urban centres. The findings formed the basis of a workshop held in September, 2000. Another paper argues that waste recovery and small scale recycling of solid urban waste, undoubtedly has the potential to contribute to solutions of these problems. These include inadequate waste disposal and unemployment, which will afford good prospects. Both authors agree that small scale re-cyling requires adequate technical know-how, financial resources and entrepreneurial skills, if it is to sustain its role in the waste disposal cycle and support the livelihoods of poor people who depend on it for survival.
	Vijijini Vijijini is a Swahili word, which means informal settlements. As the title of this magazine the Nairobi Informal Settlements Co-ordination Committee (NISCC) is a broad-based coalition of public, private and civil society groups concerned with improving the livelihoods of residents of informal settlements in Nairobi. The compilation of this publication is as a result of the need to provide an overall co-ordination framework amongst the various agencies in order to maximize impact on their activities. It provides the overall co-ordination on Nairobi's informal settlement matters. * Coordinate preparation/updating of the informal settlements development strategy. * Ensure that all initiatives in informal settlements are in conformity with the strategy. * Receive and review progress reports from city level on issues based on working groups.
	Shelter Forum Annual Event Report Published after every Annual Event, this report highlights the proceedings of the Annual Event and the Annual General Meeting. It also provides a summary of the major achievements, challenges and the way forward for the Forum.
	Voices From Africa This is a compilation of some key and effective lessons that can be learned from around the African continent. Summary experiences from select community initiatives are used to show how the strategic and thematic objectives of the Habitat Agenda are being implemented. These brief case studies mainly demonstrate how partnerships with civil society organizations, especially community based organizations, have been able to solve pressing social, economic and environmental problems. They are intended to demonstrate that: Poor people are primary partners in the sustainable development of towns and cities. Poor people have capacities and assets to harness Shelter is more than a house to poor people: it is integral to their livelihood. Shelter policies must match the realities facing poor people in towns and cities. The common thread throughout these stories is that the capacity within projects to reduce poverty, depends largely on their willingness to listen to people, so that they can be involved in finding solutions to the problems that affect them, and to use local knowledge and resources. The essence of the identified innovative practices lie in the creativity that has been employed in achieving implementation on a local level. These briefs have been designed to build and inform the public. Detailed information on each case study can be sought from Shelter Forum, or from the Best Practices database: www.sustainabledevelopment.org/blp
	Basin News This is a compilation that is keen on intensifying dialogue with civil society, institutions or their experiences in implementing the Habitat Agenda, and on how they value and build synergy with other partners. The desire to share information is driven by the need to enhance the quality participation towards Istanbul +5, not only for those actively involved in the intricacies of the deliberations, but also for those civil society institutions that have previously not had sufficient opportunity to make their contribution. For Basin, Istanbul+5 represents the best opportunity so far that focuses on and refines strategies needed in countering the emerging challenges in human settlements. Having been actively involved in the Habitat II process, and based on practical experiences, Basin considers the publication an opportune time to articulate their interpretation on challenges and seeks visionary, yet practical approaches to solving them. This special issue of basin news focuses on the lessons we learn from experience gained since Istanbul.
Shelter Forum Bulletin