Brazil top UN-Habitat 2013 Scroll of Honour Award

The United Nations  Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat)  at the weekend announced winners of the 2013 Scroll of Honour Award. The winners were picked from as far afield as Brazil and Ethiopia, underscoring the tag that the award is truly a global one.

Speaking about the nominees, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UN-Habitat Executive Director, Dr Joan Clos, said: “As usual we have had a number of exceptional entries for the Scroll of Honour award.  The Board felt that the winners showed exemplary evidence of their work enhancing the lives of urban dwellers and promoting the new urban agenda.  The sharing of best practice from around the world is vital as we plan for the urban future we want in the run up to Habitat III in 2016.” The Scroll of Honour winners have all been informed of the decision and will presented with their awards at the closing ceremony of the World Urban Forum in Medellin, Colombia on Friday 11 April.

UPP Social Programme -Municipality of Rio de Janeiro-Brazil  that top the award was awarded for advancing the promotion of urban, social and economic development in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.UPP Social is the result of articulating efforts of various municipal agencies and integrating local initiatives developed by the state and federal governments, civil society and the private sector. It has resulted in the creation of a management model to consolidate and analyze information of the territories. UPP Social is a very sound inspiration for interventions in deprived areas in cites in middle income countries and least developed countries.

The Programme’s practices can be replicated with appropriate institutional management adjustments in situations where coordination between various public sector officials from various spheres is required, as well as the private sector and civil society.

Similarly,  People’s Government of Shouguang City -China  was awarded for improvements in infrastructure, transport and traffic systems.The People’s Government of Shouguang City has been making efforts to accelerate the construction of infrastructure facilities, to develop public green transportation and to advance integration of urban and rural traffic systems.

Following after is the Ministry of Urban Development and Construction of Ethiopia, that came third  for its groundbreaking Cobblestone – Youth Job Creation Initiative.The initiative addresses the need for infrastructure development, recognizing the need to utilize locally available, low-carbon construction materials and labour intensive mechanisms. It covers multiple sectors of urban development and is socially inclusive, focused on youth and women. The innovation includes the creation of small-medium enterprises, while creating capacity in the construction industry for pavers. The side benefits include improved urban mobility, better urban infrastructure, and creating the conditions for public transport and pedestrian accessibility. The initiative is also easily transferable.

Suwon City-Republic of Korea, was awarded for its citizen-initiated governance and participatory urban planning and budgeting. The city is awarded for its citizen-initiated governance and participatory urban planning and budgeting approach at neighborhood level and at a broader city-level. The project methodology is a refinement of participatory budgeting by allowing the creation of committees not only to propose, but to examine and monitor city budget. Innovation includes the creation of both “current” (targeting under-privileged groups) and “future” citizens (composed of the youth), with an impact at a legislative level to improve youth participation.

While Community Led Infrastructure Funding Facility-United Kingdom was awarded for enabling organizations of the urban poor to access greater resources. The Community Led Infrastructure Funding Facility has enabled organizations of the urban poor to access greater public, private and civil society sector resources to deliver adequate and sustainable housing and basic services for slum dwellers through innovative practice and influence on policy.