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* REPORT : 58
Report
on Cambodia
Somsook 09/07/05
I
would like to report the progress of
1.
Improvement of 100 slum policy
Since
the announcement of this policy by Prime Minister Hun Sen
in at the anniversary of UPDF in 2003, the political space for improving
urban poor communities in the city has been widely opened.
Several organizations, UN Habitat, NGOs, etc., has taken the
policy to plan for their support program and to raise fund to support
upgrading activities. UPDF
also asked for the grant from MISEREOR to support for both upgrading
activities and housing loans.
So,
although UPDF approves quite a significant number of upgrading projects
but in reality, there are also a number of upgrading projects supported
by other organizations as well. Sometimes,
in close collaboration with UPDF, sometimes in addition of upgrading
elements in the same communities of UPDF, sometimes in several other
communities, etc.,. It become a trigger off effects amid the serious tension of urban
land problems for slum dwellers in general. Today if counting together the rough number
could go beyond 100 communities.
For
UPDF, the total number of upgrading projects
approved untill 09/07/05 is in 66 communities,
covering about 6,000 families, in 5 cities (
The
name “Comprehensive Upgrading” meant for more holistic approach and
to go beyond just infrastructure, roads, toilets or single item of
environment activities. It
has involved loans for housing construction, improvement as well as
income generation activities. More importantly, the upgrading has led to the
improvement of land tenure status in several sqautter
communities. Figures to show
this improvement on land tenure status caused by upgrading will be
reported again soon.
2.
Emphasis on local partnership
The
implementing process now emphasizes partnership among communities
and Sankat (ward) administration to work
together replacing the emphasis only on SUPF process as in the past.
The new partnership process at lowest level of local authority
brought new balance into people process with acceptance and strong
support from ward officers. Therefore, upgrading activities, at some point,
help adjust the relationship between poor community people and local
authority. The upgrading procedure
ask for overall survey of communities in the ward and discussion,
selection, implementation together among communities and Sangkat
unit while funds for community upgrading will pass directly to community
organization.
Some
SUPF leaders, on the other hand, have worked closely with UN Habitat
program, being intermediaries and development agents between UN and
some communities.
3.
Regional Cities
The
work has now expanded to 14 cities with additional support from SELAVIP. In June, 7 pilot projects in 4 cities have been
approved and now under construction.
In early July, representatives from local governments, sangkat and communities in 10 more cities have visited upgrading
projects in
4.
Upgrading to get security of land,
improve housing, get proper recognition and
to organize themselves.
Although
community upgrading bring visible change physically, the real objectives
has gone beyond mere physical change.
Since this upgrading are implmented
and managed by community people themselves, it has brought many other
change to urban poor communities whom never been in any urban planning
or city development program much.
-
It brings community
people to work and manage their development together
-
Physical achievement
after upgrading brought confidence and proud to urban poor community
to be able to deliver proper, good quality, cheap, quick, communual development which can function right away.
-
It gives poor people
a sense of power to be able to manage their public development
A sense that in fact they can do and
can control their lives as a group.
-
Self management open
rooms for new leadership
-
Proper physical upgrading
always lead to question of land rights, quite a number of communities
can develop tenure rights after upgrading
-
Upgrading bring recognition
to communities
-
Upgrading create space
for communities to work with local authority while communities control
development budget and management within community
-
It help change relationship
with local authority
-
It brought friends,
assistance, solidarity with many other communities in the same ward
and city since the process emphasize linking into networks
-
Upgrading become communual
and collaborated achievement rather than single community achievement.
Many exchange visit, meetings, networking
make projects become an open cases of communual
learning and sharing of success.