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The Global Campaign for Secure Tenure Launched in Mumbai

Mumbai/Nairobi, July 17, 2000: Over three thousand members of the Indian National Slum Dwellers Federation, were joined by officials from Mumbai Municipality, the Government of Maharashtra, and the Government of India in launching the UNCHS Global Campaign for Secure Tenure. The launch involved slum dwellers from 23 Indian cities and from cities in Kenya, South Africa, Namibia, Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal and Vietnam. Participants at the ceremony also included a number of bilateral and multilateral agencies, amongst which were the World Bank, the British Department of International Development (DFID) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The Chief Minister, Government of Maharashtra, Honorable Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh inaugurated the launch. In his speech, the Honourable Minister emphasised the importance of partnership between the government and the various communities. He indicated his Government s support for the key messages of the Campaign, and announced the plan of the Government of Maharashtra to introduce legislation to grant secure tenure to the poor of Mumbai that had been registered before 1 January 1995. All slum dwellers that meet this condition will enjoy legal recognition by all the authorities and subsequently total protection against forced evictions or any other illegal action.

Expressing the support of the Government of India for the Campaign, the Minister of State for Urban Development and Poverty Eradication Shri Bandaru Dattatreya outlined the main points of the Indian National Housing Policy of 1998 which emphasises "the need to extend tenural rights for sustainable development". He added that "...a national shelter fund would be set up to meet the requirement of low cost funds for the housing needs of the poor and fiscal concessions would be provided to the corporate sector for contributing to this fund".

Representing, Mr. Klaus Toepfer, the acting Executive Director of UNCHS (Habitat), Mr. William Cobbett spelled out the main elements of Habitat s Global Campaign for Secure Tenure and praised the NSDF for demonstrating that the urban poor, especially women, play a vital role in urban development. Mr. Cobbett also welcomed the international and national partnerships that had been forged in Mumbai, stating that "Habitat and its partners are committed to supporting the Government of India in its creative efforts to address the problems of urban poverty and inadequate shelter".

During the launch, UNCHS (Habitat) and NSDF signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will facilitate the extension of the Campaign to cities throughout India later this year. The launch in India is the first in a series of international events to promote the Campaign. The next international launch will be the European Campaign for Secure Tenure, which is due to be launched at the offices of UNESCO in Paris on 14 & 15 September.

For further information please contact:

Sharad Shankardass, Media & Press Relations Unit, UNCHS (Habitat), Nairobi, Kenya. Tel: 254 2 623153; 623151; Fax: 254 2 624060; E-mail: habitat.press@unchs.org; Website: http://www.unchs.org

Ali Shabou, Information Manager, Campaign for Security of Tenure, UNCHS (Habitat); Nairobi, Kenya. Tel: 254 2 623141; E-mail: ali.shabou@unchs.org