101. Resettlement in Northern Iraq: Up to 0.5 million Iraqi Kurds were displaced from over 4,000 rural villages between 1975 and 1987 as a result of the war with Iran and as part of an urbanization campaign. After the civil strife in the region in 1991, and the massive displacement of families some spontaneous rural resettlement started as former villagers, who were able to resettle on their own, were encouraged by the new, protective arrangements by the United Nations. Following an initial period of uncoordinated resettlement efforts, a new comprehensive strategy was implemented in 1993. The new integrated resettlement approach in northern Iraq, together with enhanced coordination and cooperation between UN agencies, donors, NGOs, the local "authorities" and village committees, encouraged and enabled 17,000 families to resettle both during 1994 and during 1995. Contact: V. Wahlroos, Deputy UN Coordinator in Iraq, Canal Hotel, Baghdad. Tel: 1 212 963 3010. Fax: 1 212 963 3009.

102. Palestinian Housing Council: The political, economic and social crises of the past three decades have caused major housing problems. Emerging from war and looking toward peace, improvement of living conditions and housing are essential for a permanent and lasting peace. According to official and independent Palestinian figures, an estimated 360,000 apartments will be required to solve the current housing shortage and demand for the next five years. The main objectives of the Palestinian Housing Projects are: (i) to find practical solutions to the housing problems in the Palestinian territories; (ii) to provide production of self- help housing for middle-and low-income households; and, (iii) to improve the living conditions for middle- and low-income groups. To date, more than eight thousand people in Gaza and more than three thousand people in the West Bank either have new homes or will have new homes in the coming year. Contact: Palestinian Housing Council, 9 Ali Bin Abu Taleb St., Jerusalem, P.O. Box 17128. Tel: 02 271666. Fax: 02 271357.

Asia and Pacific Region

103. Housing Settlement Project, Shanghai, China: A 1985 survey revealed that nearly one half of Shanghai's 1.8 million households were overcrowded: 216,000 households had an average per capita living space of under 4 square metres, and of these, over 15,200 households had less than 2 square metres. To date, the City has resettled over 47,000 households living in homes under 2.5 square metres and created 1.8 million square metres of housing at a cost of 1.8 billion yuan. Moreover, during the course of the City's infrastructure and urban renewal projects, over 74,000 households with less than 4 square metres of living space have been resettled, with the entire project scheduled for completion by the year 2000. Contact: Mr. Li Siming, Director of Shanghai Municipal Housing Settlement Office, 170 Jingxi Road Middel. Tel: (8621) 329 5495. Fax: (8621) 321 1598.

104. Post-Calamity Reconstruction of Anhui Province's Rural Areas, China: During the disastrous flood of 1991 in Anhui Province, one-half million households were made completely homeless and a total of 2.78 million rooms were lost. Anhui Province adopted a unified planning strategy that incorporated the victims themselves, the wider society and the State itself in order to accelerate and consolidate the project's achievements. In terms of project implementation, the construction of winter shelters was actively tied into the construction of permanent housing. Steps were also taken to reduce the randomness of traditional building styles which scattered a few thatched huts over wide tracts of land. Post- disaster reconstruction has improved the look of villages and has integrated housing construction with the development of the `courtyard economy'. Contact: Shan Deqi, Professor of Architecture, Institute of Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084. tel: (8610) 256 4174. Fax: (8610) 256 4174.

105. Urban Community Development for the Resettlement Area of Ein Helwan, Cairo, Egypt: The 1993 earthquake left 2,800 re-settled slum dwellers in Ein Helwan with severe social and economic problems. In 1993 UNICEF and the Integrated Care Society launched a community development initiative to improve living conditions through community participation and training. Locally elected leaders discuss problems, consult with government officials and find solutions. Women's programmes include: female representation on all committees, vocational training, credit for economic activities, seminars on legal rights, a women's cultural centre, advice on health, family planning, nutrition and, literacy classes (also for drop-outs). A key element of sustainability is the institutionalization of communication channels between the community and government officials through district committee meetings. Contact: Ms Iman Bibars, Programme Officer, UNICEF, 8 Adnan Sidki St, Dokki, Cairo. Tel: 202-3499154/700815. Fax: 202-3605664.

Source:
UNITED NATIONS
UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE Distr. ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS GENERAL (HABITAT II) A/CONF.165/CRP.3 11 April 1996
Istanbul, Turkey 3-14 June 1996 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH