| 2004 AWARD WINNERS
The International Jury met in Dubai from June 13 –17 to select
10 award winners from a shortlist of 40 practices previously selected
by a Technical Advisory Committee. The 2004 award winners are from
Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Iran, Kenya, Palestine, Spain,
Togo, and Uzbekistan. . In addition, the Jury recommended that the
"Association for Forest Development and Conservation"
of Lebanon and the "Flying Circus" of Mexico be given
special commendations for the outstanding creativity, energy and
continued commitment of the young people leading these initiatives.
The 2004 Awards focused on partnerships for sustainable and integrated
development at diverse scales (from grassroots to large scale),
social inclusion (self-help empowerment of women, youth and indigenous
peoples), basic needs, and innovative approaches to realizing the
Millennium Development Goals and the right to water. All practices
including Good Practices will be included on the new database on
the web. Below are short summaries of the winning practices:
Africa
Sand Dams for Water for Semi-Arid lands, Kitui District
Kenya
Kitui District with a population of just over half a million is
located in a semi-arid area, repeatedly hit by drought. The sand
dam programme undertaken by Sahelian Solutions Foundation Kenya
(SASOL) was aimed at increasing the availability of water by organizing
the construction of sand dams. A total of 376 dams have been developed
serving over 200,000 inhabitants, boosting food security in the
local communities and economic activities such as bee-keeping, brick
making and growing of fruits and vegetables have sprung up.
Business Development to Reduce poverty and Unemployment,
Togo
In Togo, poverty has led to more creative ways of developing employment
opportunities. AVEBETO, an non-governmental agency is working to
address the situation of unemployment by advocating and training
young people to become entrepreneurs. Students are encouraged to
brainstorm on various business ideas and to start a business before
the end of their training. In 1988 and 1998, nearly 10,000 university
and college graduates were trained and about 70 per cent of them
manage their own business today. This program has been replicated
in other countries in Africa.
Arab States
IT4Youth, Palestine
In the West Bank, severe movement restrictions have caused unemployment
and poverty to rise to 70 %. This has greatly affected youth who
comprise of 70% of the population. IT4YOUTH program uses an intergraded
model to introduce computer-based information technology to youth
in the West Bank, using both school based and community-based interventions
to improve learning skills and employment. With 300 computers installed
in 14 schools, the program has succeeded to develop annually over
4,000 IT-proficient Palestine youth. The program has helped engage
youth in technology through active teaching techniques in computer
basics, internet skills and advanced computer applications.
Asia and Pacific
Brownfield Remediation of the Tangshan Southern Coal Mining
Area, China
Tangshan is a major industrial city specialized in coal mining
and related industries such as power generation, steal and motor
vehicle production. Over 30 years of exploitation left the surrounding
areas of Tangshan in a devastated state, including severe pollution
and land degradation. A comprehensive remediation of the coal mining
area cleaned up 13. Million cubic metres of rubbish removed 240,000
square metres of old industrial structures and planted 1.38 million
trees and created a 607-hectare recreation park and garden. 65 hectares
of stagnant water ponds have been cleared and purified and turned
into a lake, safe for swimming and water life.
A Green Path to Sustainable Development of Marginal Drylands,
Iran
For years, poverty, desertification and drought and floods plagued
the nomads of the Gareh Bygone Plains of Iran. The program introduced
desertification control through floodwater spreading towards artificial
discharge of groundwater, employed infrastructure, reforestation,
and community education and mobilization. After 5 years, documented
results showed that 8 million cubic meters of floodwater provided
ample freshwater, fuelwood and employment opportunities, and reduced
the work burden on women and children. This led to a government
policy adopting aquifer management as a program and allocating an
annual budget.
Latin America and the Caribbean
Urban Agriculture Programme, Rosario, Argentina
The late 1990’s, early 2000’s saw Argentina undergo
economic crises that left over 60% of families in Rosario living
under the poverty level. The program promotes constructive process
of endogenous development with participation and co-operation strategies.
Over 10,000 families have been involved with the establishment and
operation of 790 community gardens involving more than 340 productive
groups and producing food for 40,000 people. The program has also
contributed to security of land tenure and the improvement of the
conditions of women.
Tomorrow’s Seed Project and Human Development Aura
Belem, Brazil
The program is an inter-sectoral initiative by the government involving
health, social assistance, sanitary hygiene, environment and cultural
policies and aims to prevent the exploitation of child through child
labor. Children and youth 7-17 are engaged in waste recycling at
the Aura landfill within Belem district. The local government in
partnership with UNICEF and local stakeholders has taken the responsibility
of eliminating child labor and expanding employment options and
income generation to adults in these poor families. Results have
included 100% child labor eradication, 32% reduction in child malnutrition,
15% reduction in skin disease and 80% reduction in stunted growth.
North America
First Nation’s Community Planning Project –
Canada
The majority of first nation’s communities of Canada have
endured discrimination and lived in poverty for many years. This
project in partnership with the government, private institutions
and universities developed the first nations community planning
model aimed at enhancing the living conditions of many First Nations
Communities. Seventeen people are currently using the indigenous
Community Planning Model to create and implement community-based
plans. Eighteen planning trainees are employed by their bands and
are leading their own planning initiatives.
Europe
An Inter-Jurisdictional Commitment to Sustainable Development of
the River Ter Basin - Spain.
The River Ter basin (located northeast of Catalonia) used to be
the economic motor of the region. Today, problems affect this territory
are varied: environmental degradation; water outflow; loss of biodiversity;
destruction of the river basin and its cultural heritage; lack of
territorial unity; and a lack of a common policy framework linked
to the river. The objective of the Alba-Ter Consortium was to pioneer
good governance as well as inter- administrative cooperation between
a good number of governmental units at different territorial levels
and aiming to put into practice the idea that the river basin should
be the "management unit" around which territorial, socio-economic
and environmental policies should converge. The number of communities
adhering to the consortium has been continuously expanding since
its foundation, covering more than 90 per cent of the riverside
population.
Poverty reduction among women through vocational training
and micro-credit, Uzbekistan
In Uzbekistan the level of female unemployment is much higher then
that of the males (62%). Women are concentrated in the lower paying
sector and earn 70% of typical male wages. The low level of self-employment
is caused by lack of necessary skills and knowledge, limited access
to credit for women (15%) and low participation in establishment
of new enterprises. To improve the situation the Business Woman's
Association, an non-governmental organisation (NGO) launched the
Integrated Program on Poverty reduction among women through vocational
training and micro financing programs in rural areas in Uzbekistan.
The initiative impacted positively on the economic situation of
the country; raised women's economic role and status, overcoming
gender barriers; provided them equal access to financial sources
through a micro credit program.
Follow this link to access the Jury Report: <http://www.bestpractices.org/blpnet/BLP/awards/awards13_d.htm>
TAC Report: <http://www.bestpractices.org/blpnet/BLP/awards/awards09c.htm>
For further please contact:
Mr. Nicholas You, Chief Best
Practices and Policies Unit,
Tel: (254 20) 623029, 624981, 624328 Fax: (254 20) 623080,
E-mail: bestpractices@unhabitat.org,
Website: www.bestpractices.org
|
