Background

Recognizing the fact that poverty in terms of low income, health and education, as well as lack of access to basic services, deprevation of knowledge and communication are wide-spread in the Asia Pacific Region as stated in the establishment of APMCUD, it is very important to enhance community empowerment for sustainable urbanization, in particular in the midst of climate change and the global economic crisis.

Community empowerment in Indonesia has been implemented for many years and there are several best practices that can be shared with other countries in Asia Pacific Region, for example:

• Community empowerment in urban slum upgrading by improving local housing infrastructure, local economic condition and local human resources development through Kampong Improvement Program or KIP.
• Community empowerment response  to global economic crisis by improving community income and creating job opportunities for local community. This kind of community empowerment has been implemented all over the country under the program called PNPM Mandiri, or National Program for Community Empowerment.
• Community empowerment in the provision of basic infrastructure for community, such as water supply (Pamsimas Program) and Sanitation (Sanimas Program). These programs are implemented in 110 cities covering 5000 villages in the country.
• Community empowerment in the process of local infrastructure planning and development by improving Mid Term Investment and Development Planning, or RPIJM, which combines investment and development plan by central government, local government, private sector and community.
• Community empowerment in the response of climate change by promoting community awareness and campaign in sanitation and solid waste management with the concept of 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle).
• The  enhancement of community empowerment in housing and urban development would require the support of knowledge management in housing and urban development and capacity building of related stakeholders.

Objectives

The main objectives of the regional meeting are to have a comprehensive policy dialogue and to share experiences on:

1. the relationship between cities and climate change and the  challenges posed by the climate change and economic crisis to the development of cities
2. ways and means to turn the challenges into opportunities;
3. the possible formulation and implementation of policies and strategies to empower communities for sustainable urbanization.
4. The issues would be discussed in five parallel Working Groups, namely

Working Group 1 on Urban and Rural Planning and Management
Working Group 2 on Urban Slum Upgrading
Working Group 3 on Delivery of MDGs for Water and Wastewater
Working Group 4 on Financing Sustainable Housing – enhancing affordability and quality of low-income housing
Working Group 5 on Development of Sustainable Urbanization with a Focus on Climate Change

Participants

1. Ministers and senior officials responsible for Housing and Urban Development from around 67 Asia Pacific developing countries ;
2. Representatives of regional organizations;
3. Local governments, academics, researchers and civil society organizations concerned with housing and urban development

Agenda

Day 1 and 2 Senior Officials Meeting (SOM)
Day 3 Minister's Meeting


About the Host City

Surakarta, also known as Solo is located in the province of Central Java, Indonesia. With a population of about 600.000 people, Solo has become the center for Javanese culture, tourism, traditional crafts and agriculture.  Surakarta is one of the Javanese Kingdoms, part of the Mataram Kingdom that was divided into two in 1755. The city is built around a a large palace (kraton). Notable landmarks inlucd the Sultan’s palace (built in 1745) and the Dutch Fort Vastenburg (built 1779). Within the city there are pockets of traditional resi

Since 2005, the city has been progressively moving forward, focusing mainly on improving people welfare with an inclusive approach in urban development. As an example, the street vendor management program has not only improved the livelihood of the poor, but also incrased the city revenue while also supporting city tourism and city beautification. The peaceful movement of illegal street hawkers from the Monjari Park to the new market in Semanggi sets an example for other cities to follow.

The Solo City Walk provides the city was greenery as well as a safe pedestrian for citizens, and place for street vending. Solo also prides itself on the Bengawan Solo Relocation Program, which relocates residents along the riverbank to safer areas.

Solo has received many awards for its achievements in urban development. Among them The Public Works Award for Infrastructure Development, the National Habitat Day Award 2007 for Community Inclusion in Urban Development and the State Ministry of Women’s Empowerment Award for Providing a Safer City for Women and Children.

International flights are available to Solo Adi Sumarno Airport from Kualalumpur, Singapore and Dubai . The conference will be held at the Diamond Conference Center located in the heart of Solo.


Further Information

Please contact Seknas Habitat 62-21-722 6530 or

email: seknashabitat@gmail.com