strategy

Assessing progress on participation of women in settlements development

Implementation:
This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities. Agenda 21 recommends promoting research on women's programmes and evaluating progress made with a view to identifying bottlenecks and necessary assistance.

It was reported by Habitat (UNCHS) in 1995 that in Tanzania a group of women from both Dar es Salaam and Dodoma implemented their own survey in order to measure women's participation vis a vis men within human settlements. With the support of Women Advancement Trust, an NGO, they have used the survey to negotiate with local authorities. Similarly, in Zambia, women realized that they were the ones doing all the community work, especially fixing roads and communal water sources. They decided to remedy the situation by involving the men in the manual work as well as ensuring that women were represented in the community council. In Uganda, the women have been demanding that men be involved in community building. They also demanded training for women in construction skills and the recycling of waste.

Type Classification:
F: Exceptional strategies
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
GOAL 1: No PovertyGOAL 2: Zero HungerGOAL 3: Good Health and Well-beingGOAL 4: Quality EducationGOAL 5: Gender EqualityGOAL 6: Clean Water and SanitationGOAL 7: Affordable and Clean EnergyGOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic GrowthGOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and InfrastructureGOAL 10: Reduced InequalityGOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and CommunitiesGOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and ProductionGOAL 13: Climate ActionGOAL 14: Life Below WaterGOAL 15: Life on LandGOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong InstitutionsGOAL 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal