Globally this year World Habitat Day was celebrated on 6 October 2014 (First Monday of October). As the date happened to be the public holiday in Nepal for Dashain, Nepal Government has announced the date (13 October 2014) to celebrate the World Habitat Day stating that the whole October month shall be celebrated as Urban October.

 

Coinciding with government decision to celebrate World Habitat Day 2014 as 'Urban October' in Nepal, LUMANTI Support Group for Shelter in association with different government and non-government line agencies, stakeholders and partners initiated to conduct series of programs throughout the month of October under the theme 'Voices from Slums'.

 

To contribute to the understanding of the extreme living conditions of the hundreds of millions of slum dwellers in the world, United Nation has put forwarded a line ‘Voices from Slums’ as this WHD's theme.

 

National Workshop on 'Voices from Slums'

 

A day long National Workshop on 'Voices from Slums' 

 

ended in Kathmandu with the manifesto highlighting the demand of the marginalized communities, informal settlements and slums on 10 October 2014. No forced eviction, identification of the endanger and risk free zone for possible relocation and renovation with land title, providing access to basic services like water, sanitation, education, health etc are the key points of the manifesto produced from the National Workshop.  

 

The National Workshop was jointly organized by Department of Urban Development and Building Construction in partnership with LUMANTI Support Group for Shelter, UN Habitat, Practical Action, Nepal Basobas Basti Samrakshan Samaaj (NBBSS), Nepal Mahila Ekata Samaaj (NMES) and Community Women Forum (CWF) to mark the World Habitat Day 2014. Around 100 people representing government and non-government line agencies working in the sector of urban development, human rights activists, community people and media professionals participated in the workshop

 

The National Workshop was inaugurated by Senior Citizen from the informal settlement Mina Koirala. The Chief Guest Koirala delivering her inaugural remarks expressed her happiness on United Nation's decision of selecting the theme of WHD this year that has incorporated the marginalized community like informal settlements and slums. We have been struggling for our rights since the past many years but we no-one-else were there to join our hands. Now with the integration  of our issues as the theme of the global event, we feel that the national and international agencies have started to think about us, she added.

 

Speaking on the occasion, Program Manager of UN Habitat Padma Sundar Joshi said the theme this year has definitely added value for the organizations and people who are working in this sector. Urbanization is the usual process of civilization and it’s the great challenge to cope it, he added. He stressed the need of improving shelter condition of the urban citizen to cope with rapidly growing urbanization. He further added, legal and economic aspect or thinking while handling urban issues is not sufficient; there are lots of social aspects to be checked. He also urged the participants to interact and discuss on finding the solutions to settle informal settlements rather than just putting forward the demand. 

 

Chief of Program in Practical Action Nepal Sirish Singh, addressing the gathering said the initiation made till date for addressing the urban challenges is relatively not sufficient.  He stressed the need of huge investment and effective plan of action from the government.

 

President of LUMANTI Support Group for Shelter Prafulla Man Singh Pradhan highlighted the importance of critical monitoring every action made by the government in line with the national urban policy for effectively settling down the urban challenges. He also stressed the need of self evaluation by the communities and settlements so that they can develop plan of action.

 

Other speaking on the occasion are Acting President of NBBSS Laddu Khadka, President of NMES Bimala Lama and President of CWF Bindu Shrestha. They highlighted the problems and challenges that they have been facing in the communities and expressed their confidence that the workshop would be fruitful for producing effective solution to address the challenges that they have been facing.

 

Executive Director of LUMANTI Support Group for Shelter Lajana Manandhar highlighted the objective of the National Workshop. The primary objective of the workshop was to raise the issues and challenges of the poor and marginalized communities, informal and traditional settlement in the Kathmandu valley through discussions and interactions by inviting the community leaders from all 5 regions in the workshop. The workshop was also aimed to develop a manifesto to propose it to the government so as to influence it while formulating the national urban policy on the management of slums and informal settlements.

 

Media Walk to the Communities

 

A group of Journalists and media persons from Nepalese Media representing various mainstream media  like Annapurna Post Daily, Nepal Samacharpatra Daily, The Himalayan Times Daily, News24 Television participated in the Media Walk to the marginalized, deprived and traditional communities around Kathmandu City on 12 October 2014.  

 

The Media Walk was jointly organized by LUMANTI Support Group for Shelter in partnership with Community Women Forum with the motive to showcase the issues, challenges and problems of those communities and informal settlements which have been considered as the least prioritized issues from Nepalese media till date. The prime objective of the exposure program for media persons and journalists was to raise the unheard voices of the voiceless people within those communities and informal settlements through media so as to advocate the decision making level for assurance to address their issues and challenges.

 

During the walk the group of Journalists and media persons visited the traditional settlements in core Kathmandu – Kohiti and Nardevi. The team also visited Thecho and Khokana on the trip. On the occasion, the team observed the community and acquires the information on problems and challenges through close interaction with the community people.

 

Series of articles, news, features stories and reports focusing on the issues, challenges and problem related to those communities and settlements were produced, published and broadcasted through various print and electronic media.

 

Interaction Program on 'Voices from Slums'

 

LUMANTI Support Group for Shelter in partnership with 

 

Himalaya Television, on 20 October 2014 conducted an Interaction Program on 'Voices from Slums' coinciding with the celebration activities to mark the World Habitat Day 2014. 

 

More than 60 participants representing urban poor communities and informal settlements within Kathmandu Valley, government and non-government agencies working in the sector of urban development, media and human rights activists actively took part in the interaction program.

 

The panelists invited for the interaction programs were as follows:

 

1.Mr Padma Sundar Joshi, Program Manager, UN Habitat

 

2.Mr Kapil Shrestha, Human Rights Activist

 

3.Ms Lajana Manandhar, Executive Director, LUMANTI

 

4.MS Bimala Lama, President, Nepal Mahila Ekata Samaaj

 

With the motive to make the interaction program live and more effective in raising the undeard voices of the people living in slums and informal settlements, an experienced journalists working in Nepalese Media who have good understanding in the issue of urban poverty and slum, Mr Kiran Nepal was hired as the moderator for the interaction.

 

The Interaction program was conducted in Sarbanam Theatre, Kalikasthan. More than two and a half hours long interaction program was captured in video with the technical support from Himalaya Television. Later, on 22nd October 2014, Himalaya Television broadcasted the 45 minutes edited television show.

 

Marking the same event, city level interaction programs focusing on the issues and problems of urban poor communities were conducted in Ratnanagar and Dharan as well. Huge number of people representing local government, municipality, city level stakeholders including community representatives and political parties took part in the interaction program. 

 

Inauguration of Housing for low income rental families in Pokhara

 

Hon'ble Minister of Urban Development Dr Narayan Khadka

 

inaugurated a Housing in Chauthe, Pokhara  on 30 October 2014. The houses constructed were for low income rental families in Pokhara city who have been living in rent in Pokhara since the past several years. LUMANTI Support Group for Shelter initiation the housing project in Pokhara a couple of years ago in partnership with Pokhara Sub-metropolitan City along with Local Housing Management Committee.

 

Chief Guest of the inaugural program Hon'ble Minister of Urban Development Dr Narayan Khadka delivering his inaugural remarks appreciated the collaborative effort made by LUMANTI and Pokhara Sub-metropolitan City in partnership with the communities and the Laxmi Bank. He also expressed his concerned for the support by the Sub-metropolitan City for the infrastructure development in the communities.

 

Chief District Officer of Kaski District Krishna Bahadur Pant said the housing program implemented in Pokhara targeting low income rental families is the model project and is replicable. Appreciating the joint partnership CDO Pant stressed the need to scale up the project being implemented by the government.

 

Executive Officer of Pokhara Sub-metropolitan City Mahesh Baral said the housing project being implemented by Lumanti in coordination with Pokhara Sub-metropolitan city has supported the low income rental families of Pokhara upgrading their living condition ensuing the rights to shelter. Indicating towards citizen's responsibility of paying regular tax to the government, he added, advocacy for the rights to shelter is recommendable step by the community people, at the same time they should not neglect in paying the tax to the government.

 

Constituent Assembly member Sharda Poudel from Pokhara highlighted the essentiality of the infrastructure development in the informal settlements. She stressed the need of formulation of policy to address the problems of the people living in informal settlements.

 

Program Manager of UN Habitat Padma Sundar Joshi, delivering his remarks, said, though the government has initiated housing project under Janata Aawas targeting the poor people, the investment from the government too low. He enforced the government to increase the investment stating that the housing should be considered as sensitive sector as it opens the door for other development works. Speaking about the collaborative effort, he said, the partnership with the private sector along with local government is exemplary step.

 

Other speaking on the occasion were representatives of the political parties and president of Federation of Nepalese Journalist Kaski.

 

The maximum loan amount provided per borrower is NRs.4,00,000 through Laxmi Bank Limited which is used for house construction. The repayment period is 7 years with interest rate at 8% per annum including all service charges of the bank. The modality of contribution is 50 percent from the bank and 50 percent from Lumanti as bank guarantee. The repaid amount will be used as revolving fund which will be managed by Lumanti. The fund can be allocated to support other housing improvement projects in the same or other cities after recovery. 

 

Out of targeted 279 units of houses in Pokhara, total of 104 houses are constructed till date. 29 houses in Samabeshi Community and 25 houses in Sundar Community in Chauthe, Pokhara are constructed.  The process for the construction of houses is ongoing. Each new house is being constructed at low cost basis with more resistant to natural hazard in equal plot size. Thus, use of locally available materials is being promoted, with emphasis on disaster risk reduction through appropriate settlement planning and house design.

 

Prior to the inaugural session of the housing in Samabeshi and Sundar Community in Chauthe Pokhara,  Hon'ble Minister of Urban Development Dr Narayan Khadka observed the children art exhibition titled 'Our Decent Community' in Hotel Penninsula at Lakeside and awarded the winners of the art competition.

 

Minister of Urban Development also celebrated the World Habitat Day by cutting the cakes with the children of Samabehsi and Sundar Community. Appreciating the art done by the children, he said  the children has expressed their feeling on their dream community through the art and is heart touching. He added, the children of these days are the law makers and urban planner of the future, they should be encouraged.

 

Joint Secretary of Ministry of Urban Development Suresh Prakash Acharya, speaking on the occasion, said, the housing problems and challenges of the urban poor people is hard to express. Though the government has the programs to address the housing need of the urban poor due to the rapidly escalating urban problem, the solution for the problem has become critical, he added. He further said, the single effort from the government fund to address the housing problem is not possible, collaboration and partnership with different NGOs like Lumanti and other stakeholders is essential.

 

Constituent Assembly member Sharda Poudel from Pokhara expressed her happiness for the support from collaborative effort to the low income rental families. 

 

Program Manager of UN Habitat Padma Sundar Joshi said shelter is the base of development but the government has not yet considered the housing as the priority sector. The collaborative effort for the completion of housing in Sabeshi and Sundar community is recommendable and should be replicated, he added.

 

President of Lumanti Support Group for Shelter Prafulla Man Singh Pradhan said with the completion of housing program in Sambeshi and Sundar community in Pokhara, people living in rented rooms in Pokhara have now received their own home to live in. He added, this is the appropriate opportunity for celebrating World Habitat Day.

 

On the occasion, the youth leader of the community, Kunjini 'Pyasi' highlighted the problems and challenges of the low income rental families and expressed her happiness that she is now the resident of Pokhara Sub-metropolitan City which was her utmost dream.