Phnom Penh Urban Poverty Reduction Project (Completed)

It is estimated that squatters, and other urban poor, constitute 25% (or about 250,000 people) of the current population of Phnom Penh. The Phnom Penh Urban Poverty Reduction Project was launched in November 2000 as the follow up to the first phase project started in 1996, and aimed to institutionalise the lessons learnt from working with urban communities in the past, and to strengthen the capacity of the Municipality of Phnom Penh in implementing the Phnom Penh Poverty Reduction Strategy. The central theme of the project is to introduce innovative urban governance mechanisms to improve the living conditions of some 150,000 urban poor through slum upgrading and securing their tenure.

Improving 100 settlements per year

Building on 2002 activities, more focus was given to upstream policy interventions in line with the recommendations made by the evaluation mission held in 2002.Institutional mechanism was further strengthened for pro-poor governance. Urban Poverty Reduction Unit collaborated with a wide range of Municipal departments and Ministries in addressing the issues on urban poor. Community Development Management Councils (CDMC) as a mechanism to engage policy dialogue between poor communities and the MPP have been further strengthened. Community Action Planning has now become the main tool for community mobilisation. During the year, there was a breakthrough in the Government Policy by the Prime Minister committing to upgrade 100 slum-settlements per year over the next 5 years. Eviction by the MPP is no longer a threat and four land sharing sites were identified which are in the process of implementation with advise from the project. Linkages were made with the NPRS and SEILA with a view to further decentralise the CAP operations to Sangkhat levels. Urban Governance and Land Management experts were fielded to provide specific inputs to the project.