Civil society speaks as one in Habitat III process

The Partnerships for a New Urban Agenda document represents the first time civil society groups has spoken with a unified voice in the Habitat III consultative process. At United Nations Headquarters in New York, informal hearings took place today for those groups, called the General Assembly of Partners (GAP), to come together and provide further feedback on the ‘zero draft’ of the New Urban Agenda.

Nicholas You, former advisor to the Executive Director of UN-Habitat and manager of the Habitat II conference in Istanbul in 1996, currently serves as Chair of the Media Constituent Group, one of 15 issues-focused groups that comprise the GAP representing interests such as women, farmers, youth, trade unions, and philanthropies. He explained to Cities Today that the formal resolution by member states to have civil society participate in the Habitat III process is “unprecedented.” He added: “If you look at Rio, if you look at the [climate agreement] process in Paris, civil society is invited to come, but you’re either meeting in another part of the city or they are all side events.”

You noted that local authorities and the groups within the GAP will continue to pursue their own urban policy agendas, but that everyone has agreed to the principles laid out in the Partnerships document.

Eugenie Birch, Professor and Co-Director at the University of Pennsylvania’s Institute for Urban Research and President of the General Assembly of Partners, said that member states appear to be “really listening” to what the GAP have to say “because [cities are] not an area of expertise for them.”

Dr Shipra Narang Suri, Vice-President of the GAP, noted during a press briefing that of particular importance for Habitat III is the GAP’s “deliberate focus on implementation” rather than just policy. Narang Suri also said that going forward towards Quito, she hopes the GAP sets a new benchmark because including stakeholders more should be “institutionalised…not a gift” given by member states.

Dr Joan Clos, UN-Habitat Executive Director, told Cities Today that although member states are at a zero draft merely six weeks before a preparatory meeting takes place in Indonesia, he is “hopeful” a workable draft will come together on time. Dr Clos said that feedback from the GAP will certainly “enrich the content of the New Urban Agenda.”

Cities Today has a unique insight into the lead-up to Habitat III as Richard Forster, its Editor-in-Chief, is Chair of the Media Constituent Group alongside Nicholas You.

“GAP presents not only a formal acceptance by national governments of civil society’s important role in developing the New Urban Agenda, but also provides the foundation for the different groups to play a key part in implementing and promoting that agenda after the Quito meetings in October,” said Forster.

The third PrepCom meeting will take place from 25-27 July in Surabaya, Indonesia. Click here to view the Zero Draft.