INTERNET RESOURCES

This section contains links to institutional and non-institutional sites concerned with urban development. It includes associative and non-governmental organisations involved in community based initiatives or/and research and providing a more local perspective.

This is NOT an exhaustive list of institutions involved in urban development.


The Department for International Development (DFID) is the UK Government department working to promote sustainable development and eliminate world poverty. DFID seeks to work in partnership with governments committed to these targets, with business, civil society and the research community. DFID also works with multilateral institutions such as the World Bank, United Nations agencies and the European Community. The website makes available most of its own publications produced since 1997, free of charge.

UN-HABITAT: UN-HABITAT, formerly known as UNCHS (Habitat), is the lead agency within the United Nations system for coordinating activities in the field of human settlements. Its mission is to promote sustainable urbanization through policy formulation, institutional reform, capacity-building, technical cooperation and advocacy, and to monitor and improve the state of human settlements worldwide. Its activities contribute to the overall objective of the United Nations system to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development within the context and the challenges of a rapidly urbanizing world.

International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED): independent, non-profit organization promoting sustainable patterns of world development through collaborative research, policy studies, networking and knowledge dissemination. The extensive website publishes relevant papers and articles as PDF files.

UNDP: UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.

Development Planning Unit (DPU): The Development Planning Unit The Development Planning Unit (DPU) is an international centre specialising in academic teaching, practical training, research and consultancy in the field of urban and regional development, planning, and management. It is concerned with understanding the process of rapid urbanisation and the policy, planning and management responses to the economic and social development of both urban and rural areas.
ACHR: Asian Coalition for Housing Rights: regional network of grassroots community organizations, NGO's and professionals actively involved with urban poor development processes in Asian cities, with news updates and article

Homeless International: UK based charity that supports community-led housing and infrastructure related development in partnership with local partner organisations in Asia, Africa and Latin America. They support partners through long term development initiatives; advocate through sharing information and influencing policy; provide financial services by scaling up access to credit for the poor through loans & guarantees; organise technical assistance by providing practical forms of specialist help; and carry out research aiming to explore long term solutions to poverty. Homeless International was established in 1989 following the 1987 United Nations International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. Initially formed as a trust, the organisation became Homeless International and permanent headquarters were established in Coventry.

SPARC (Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres): registered NGO/Non profit organisation set up in 1984 to create new and innovative partnerships with communities of the poor and professionals who wish to work with them on issues of social justice and equity. The alliance works in 36 cities in six states of India. This means there is an ability to get at least 10-15 settlements in each city to work together, participate in exchanges and so on. The depth and range of activities and the maturity of the alliance differs in each city. Over the last 15 years these communities have expanded in the number of areas of activities they undertake and the depth of engagement of various other actors in development. No area is outside the scope and instead becomes the area for exploiting new learning whenever communities see new priorities emerging in their lives.

Urban Resource Centre: The URC was set up in 1989. Its founders were urban planning related professionals, representatives of NGOs and grass-root community organisations and teachers at professional colleges. They felt that Karachi's official development plans ignored the larger socio-economic reality of the city and as such were unworkable, unaffordable and environmentally disastrous. They further felt that workable alternatives were required and these were possible only with the involvement of informed communities and interest groups. To promote its objectives the URC identifies the actors and factors that are involved in shaping Karachi's development along with their relationships with each other and with relevant state agencies. In addition, it carries out research on all proposed major urban development projects and analyses them from the point of view of communities and interest groups.

Cities Alliance: is a global alliance of cities and their development partners committed to improve the living conditions of the urban poor through action. It aims to foster new tools, practical approaches and knowledge sharing to promote local economic development and a direct attack on urban poverty. Its activities support the implementation of the Habitat Agenda. Cities Alliance.

Public-Private Partnerships for the Urban Environment (PPPUE): UNDPs PPPUE facility supports the development of innovative partnerships at the local level. Focusing on assisting small and medium-sized cities, PPPUE works with all potential stakeholders, including investors, providers, regulators, users, and experts to meet the challenge of providing basic urban environmental services. Participation, local ownership and shared responsibility are important aspects of PPPUEs innovative approach. This complementary approach, with a unique international network, flexible design and a constant feedback mechanism, contributes to the success of Public-Private Partnerships.

World Bank: The World Bank Urban and City Management Program provides city officials with a platform with which to learn and explore in great detail key aspects of urban management. The program consists of core courses targeting city managers, local level policymakers, urban planners and directors of training institutes. The objectives are to advance their knowledge and understanding of the broad range of urban issues and to present the tools they need to plan, manage and govern their cities.

Localising the Habitat Agenda: The Habitat Agenda is the internationally agreed framework for urban policies, providing a key tool for urban poverty reduction through local development. The aim of this research is to explore the most effective forms of practice in local development for urban poverty reduction. It is being conducted in partnership with researchers in Brazil, India, Indonesia, Kenya and Pakistan. (Completion date: September 2004) The City Poverty Website has been built as part of this project.

Shackdwellers' International: The SDI network is a voluntary association of like-minded people’s organisations committed to a shared process of grassroots organisation, problem solving, and solution sharing. An SDI Secretariat helps to co-ordinate these activities, but the primary focus of the network’s activities is emphatically local.