Links

Policies and Best Practices

Best Practices - General

The Peacekeeping Best Practices Unit (PBPU) assists in the planning, conduct, management and support of peacekeeping operations by learning from experience, problem solving and transferring best practices in United Nations peacekeeping. To this end, the Unit undertakes a broad range of activities and work, including: (i) knowledge management; (ii) policy analysis and development; and (iii) lessons learned. The overall goal is to develop and support a culture of best practices in United Nations peacekeeping by helping to establish and develop the mechanisms and working habits to share knowledge.

Best Practices International Resource Centre is a site hosted by the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, containing information on reform and innovation in the public sector and its relations with the civil society. The site has examples of the use of information technologies to improve access to and the delivery of government services and information on Best Practices and innovations together with excellent links to other Best Practices Awards sites, web-sites and information. It is also a learning resource addressed to promote better governance and more efficient provision of public services in developing countries.

National Governors Association Center for Best Practices is a bipartisan national organization of, by, and for governors of USA. It is based in Washington, DC with a mission to identify and share best practices and innovations, provide expert customized technical assistance and identify emerging issues and assist in producing creative and effective responses in several issues ranging from economic development, welfare reform, education, environmental justice to youth development among others.

Innovative Practices in Addressing Urban Issues in Eastern Europe and the New Independent States is hosted by United States Agency for International Development as guide to provide information on the implementation of the innovative practices and results for cities to learn from other cities that are facing similar problems and adapt the approaches for their communities. It lends itself to updating and improvement and is intended to be an easily accessible regional reference resource for municipal and national government officials and for businesses and non-governmental organizations working with local governments to solve community problems.

Best Practices - Cities

Cities of Today, Cities of Tomorrow is a web site by the United Nations CyberSchoolBus containing teaching modules using Habitat II Best Practices to raise awareness of urban issues. It offers a curriculum providing a systematic and interactive study of cities for primary, middle and secondary schools around the world. It contains an interdisciplinary curriculum designed to help students develop analytical, and descriptive skills, and to appreciate the global dimensions of urban issues.

The United States Conference of Mayors is an official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more in the United States. The site has a searchable Best Practices database with projects including, cities and sports, city livability awards, employment and training, environment, health and HIV/AIDS, housing human services, international, legal advocacy, management, improvement, mayors leadership institute, and sustainable communities.

Local Sustainability is a Good Practice Information Service developed and operated by the EURONET environment planning and development and ICLEI. It provides services aimed to benefit urban environment professionals, city managers and administrators, as well as elected representatives in cities, who are working to develop sustainability initiatives. It disseminates and makes accessible the good practice experiences of European cities, towns, counties and their associations, national and regional governments, research and educational institutions, and Directorate Generals of the European Commission.

Best Practices - Rural Development

Best Practices in Community Development site is hosted by the Center for Business Research, an affiliate of Idaho State University, U.S.A. The site contains downloadable “Best Practices” reports on rural community development. It also offers rich links to other sites on rural and community development.

Cheltenham Observatory Directory of Sustainable Rural Initiatives is a site for Sustainable Rural Initiatives maintained by Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education, UK. It includes 50 case studies of sustainable rural initiatives selected from more than 500 potential initiatives whose focus range from Localizing Agenda 21, Integrated Development, Regeneration, Job Creation to Informal Economies. The site also has links to external information.

Best Practices - Community Development

John J. Gunther Blue Ribbon Practices in Community Development is a site hosted by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. The site contains identified best practices in such areas as community revitalization, community partnerships, community development block grants, housing opportunities for persons with AIDS, and home investment partnership grants. The best practices are meant for practitioners to look to as models of innovation and success.

Sustainable Development Center of Excellence of United States Department of Energy is a site containing a menu of information and services on how communities can adopt sustainable development as a strategy for well-being. Users are able to read about other communities that have discovered the benefits of sustainable development, and can locate technical and financial resources and access model codes and ordinances that other communities have used to implement sustainable development. It offers a number of sustainable development success stories in areas such as sustainable communities, environmental protection and economic revitalization from communities across the United States. It is also equipped with a searchable resources database.

The Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) is a grassroots non-profit organization that links together ecovillages and related projects around the world. GEN promotes and supports models of sustainable living globally, in order to inspire and encourage the creation of more viable lifestyles on this Earth.

The Impumelelo Innovations Award Trust rewards exceptional examples of service delivery in the public sector that enhance the quality of life of the poor in innovative ways. Approximately Rand 1 million is distributed annually to award winning projects, which focus on a range of issues from crime prevention to employment creation to the delivery of basic services.
Our goals are to:

• Assess and publicise examples of innovative poverty relief in South Africa;
• Recognise the achievements of dedicated public officials and civil society staff;
• Offer information that helps to provide better services;
• Present award winning projects as models to other service providers;
• Promote replication of successful projects to other contexts

Best Practices - Crime

The International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC) was created for the purpose of assisting cities and countries to reduce delinquency, violence and insecurity. In order to contribute to the resolution of local crime and insecurity problems, ICPC encourages the use of best practices in crime prevention gleaned from Europe, North America, and other regions of the world.

Best Practices - Transfers

United States Agency for International Development: Lessons Without Borders is about bringing together people trying to solve similar development problems, through dynamic exchanges that allow people and groups to explore what are the best practices in areas such as: health, economic empowerment, education, family planning, disaster assistance, agriculture and the environment.

Best Practices - Housing

Solutions and Best Practices is a web site by the United States Department for Housing and Urban Development .The site highlights Housing Authority successes in the areas of provision of housing of choice, affordable homeownership, services to the elderly and disabled plus non-emergency transportation medical services for residents. Some of these practices have won the John J. Gunther Awards for Best Practices, for example, Community Residence for Persons with AIDS and Home Partnerships among others.

Best Practices - Asia and Pacific

Asian Institute of Technology: The site includes edited versions of the Asian Best Practices submitted for the Habitat II Conference in 1996 following a standard format: problem, approach, and impact. It also lists the 1998 recipients of the Dubai International Award for Best Practices.

The Asia-Pacific Cities Forum (APCF) is an Action Partnership promoting Business Citizenship in Urban Developments.
The Vision: Better managed and more livable cities in the Asia-Pacific, where an enlightened business sector comes into partnerships with local governments and other urban stakeholders for sustainable development.
The Mission: To foster the development of partnerships, focusing primarily on strengthening links between the entrepreneurial spirit of the business sector and urban leaders, thereby creating a synergy for better decision making practices and effective management for resources in cities in Asia and the Pacific.

Best Practices - Latin America and Spain

Biblioteca Ciudades para un Futuro Mas Sostenible Hosted by the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid, Spain, the site contains a list and full descriptions of the 1996 Good and Best Practices identified during the Habitat II preparatory process. The 1998 Best Practices will soon be added. Information on the Ibero-American and Caribbean Forum on Best Practices, a regional network dedicated to the identification and exchange of Best Practices, is also available.

DelNet has been designed by the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) as a versatile working tool to promote Local Development and support for people and institutions. It is a virtual programme which provides information, training, and technical assistance in the field of local development and descentralisation.

Best Practices - Gender & Social Inclusion

MOST Clearing House Best Practices Database is hosted by UNESCO, to facilitate, at the international level, access to information about Best Practices and to establish contact between the actors participating in them. The MOST Database provides examples of Best Practices for policies and projects in Poverty Eradication, Social Exclusion/Integration, Women and Gender Equality, Homelessness and Housing, Economic Development, Community Participation and Urban Governance, and Crime Prevention. The Database is of interest to all organisations and individuals dealing with social exclusion and poverty alleviation.

The Huairou Commission begins and ends with women who live and work in houses, high rises and lean-to's, in rowhouses and compounds; under bridges and branches; in favelas, jampungs, ghettoes, gecekondos; in markets and malls; alongside alleys, streets, superhighways, roads, tracks and trails. The Huairou Commission institutionalizes its allegiance to its grassroots source. The core of its Coordinating Committee is made up of representatives from international women's network organizations.

Best Practices - Urban Environment

Das Best Practices Hub - Wien ist die Anlaufstelle für Anfragen und Anregungen auf dem Gebiet städtischer Umwelttechnologien weltweit. Mit Hilfe des weltweiten Best Practices Netzwerk der UN-Habitat vermittelt das Best Practices Hub - Wien zwischen lösungssuchenden Gemeinden und ExpertInnen. Darüber hinaus veranstaltet das Best Practices Hub - Wien Seminare und Konferenzen in verschiedenen Kooperationen.

Best Practices - Local Government

Local Government Examples of Good Practice is hosted by Brent Council, U. K. containing information on UK Local Government Web sites together with links to examples of good practice in the areas of Business and Employment, Government and Democracy, Community, Leisure and Recreation, Education, Public Services, Environment and Transportation.

Best Practices - Local Agenda 21

The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) is an association of local governments dedicated to the prevention and solution of local, regional, and global environmental problems through local action. Over 300 cities, towns, counties, and their associations from around the world are Members of the Council. ICLEI was launched in 1990 as the international environmental agency for local governments under the sponsorship of the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Union of Local Authorities (IULA), and the Center for Innovative Diplomacy. ICLEI maintains a formal association with IULA and has official consultative status with the United Nations through which it advocates the interests of local government before international bodies.

Best Practices - Business and Trade

Social Venture Network Europe (SVN Europe) is an association of companies and individual business leaders who believe they can - and must - make a significant contribution to solve social and environmental problems locally and globally. The organisation was launched in Amsterdam in 1993 with the support of Social Venture Network (SVN) established in the US eight years earlier by business leaders committed to creating a more just, humane and sustainable world. Four other direct offspring organisations of SVN are Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), The Investor's Circle, Students for Responsible Business (SRB) and a Latin American Network.

The International Federation for Alternative Trade (IFAT) is a global network of Fair Trade organisations and the only network devoted to the whole Fair Trade chain from production to sale. Its 140 Members in 47 countries are committed to improving the livelihood and well-being of disadvantaged people in developing countries and to changing unfair structures of international trade.

UNDP’s Public-Private Partnerships for the Urban Environment (PPPUE) programme helps bring together government, private business and civil society to pool their resources and skills to address the urban environmental challenges of the 21st century. It supports the efforts of cities, municipalities and communities in the developing world to improve the lives of their citizens through private sector participation in critical environmental services.

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a coalition of 125 international companies united by a shared commitment to the environment and to the principles of economic growth and sustainable development. Its members are drawn from 30 countries and more than 20 major industrial sectors. The objectives of the WBCSD are to promote Business leadership, participate in Policy Development, to demonstrate progress in environmental and resource management in business and to share leading-edge and best practices and to contribute through our global network to a sustainable future for developing nations and nations in transition.

The Asia Urbs Programme is a cultural programme supported by both the development and economic funds of the European Commission. Its main activity is to fund two-year development projects, or six-month studies, which seek to improve living and environmental conditions for those living in urban areas. As one of its aims is to strengthen 'decentralised co-operation', these projects must be designed and implemented by local governments in Asia together with others in Europe. The projects can be in any area of urban development and should focus clearly on a geographical area. Those addressing two or three urban issues, particularly if they seek to improve the situation for disadvantaged groups of society, have better chances of qualifying for funding. The Asia Urbs Programme strongly encourages the integration of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), academic or educational institutions, associations, and business to be a part of the projects it funds. Towns and cities in the 15 members of the European Community and in selected countries of South and South East Asia are eligible to apply to Asia Urbs for funding.