Pakistan has called for the expansion of technical assistance to developing countries, including training and capacity building, to improve the lives of slum dwellers.
Another strategy involved identifying disaster-prone areas and formulating mitigation and rapid-response strategies for post-disaster and post-conflict situations, Pakistan's delegate Asad Khan told the General Assembly's economic committee.
He was participating in a debate on Implementation of the Outcome of the Second UN Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat-II) and strengthening of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) on Friday.
"Pro-poor policies with a focus on tenure security, in particular for slum dwellers, and access to affordable housing are needed more than ever before," he said. "This, in our view, can be realised through an integrated approach to Human Settlement Development, water and sanitation, with the full involvement of all stakeholders".
Asad Khan much work remained to be completed, in efforts to improve the lives of the world's 100 million slum dwellers by 2020. As concluded at the 2005 World Summit, accelerated and concerted international efforts, as well as increased resources, were imperative.
He briefed the committee about the series of measures taken by the Pakistan government to overcome the "serious challenges" of urbanisation, including regularisation of slums and slum upgrading programme through the granting of ownership rights to dwellers; involvement of local communities in development of physical infrastructure in slum areas; establishing new housing projects for middle and low-income groups; and encouraging private sector to invest in the housing sector.
The Pakistan delegate also stressed the need for sustained technical assistance for reconstruction efforts, and he thanked United Nations agencies for their efforts, since the October 2005 earthquake, in northern Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.
UN-HABITAT should expand its role in recovery efforts, through greater involvement in the long-term rehabilitation process, by mainstreaming shelter and disaster-risk reduction.