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Sri Lanka


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Urban Governance Support Project (UGSP) (Completed)

Background and Objectives

In 1999 the Government of Sri Lanka formulated a National Programme for Sustainable Human Settlements to support implementation of the Habitat Agenda, which initiated the Sustainable Colombo Core Area Project (1999-2001) and the Sustainable Sri Lanka Cities Project (2001-2003), both financially supported by the UNDP and implemented by UN-HABITAT. In the second phase the project increased its city coverage from 3 to 13, whilst diversifying its environmental management focus to include participatory urban governance and gender inclusiveness. The current third phase strengthens its pro-poor focus, and tests approaches to mainstream the MDGs into city management practices and budgets, and supported application in 4 new cities in the North and East: Jaffna, Kilonichchi, Katankudi, Batticaloa, as well as Galle in the south.

The project supports the cities in three core areas:

* Participatory Urban Governance: by creating capabilities to promote, coordinate and manage participatory governance in cities; develop the capacities of training institutions and partner agencies to support local authorities in participatory urban governance; and build the capacities of national associations such as the Mayors Forum and Municipal Commissioners Association to advocate for policy change.
* Urban Poverty: by preparing poverty profiles that identify critical economic/social disadvantages, define inequitable access to services by the poor, along with gender disparities.
* Sustainable Urban Development: by compiling environmental profiles; formulate City Development Strategies and action plans; develop capacities in improving environmental governance.

Results (2009)

In 1999 the Government of Sri Lanka formulated a National Programme for Sustainable Human Settlements to support implementation of the Habitat Agenda, which initiated the Sustainable Colombo Core Area Project (1999-2001) and the Sustainable Sri Lanka Cities Project (2001-2003), both financially supported by the UNDP and implemented by UN-HABITAT. In the second phase the project increased its city coverage from 3 to 13, whilst diversifying its environmental management focus to include participatory urban governance and gender inclusiveness. The current third phase strengthens its pro-poor focus, and tests approaches to mainstream the MDGs into city management practices and budgets, and supported application in 4 new cities in the North and East: Jaffna, Kilonichchi, Katankudi, Batticaloa, as well as Galle in the south.

The project supports the cities in three core areas:

* Participatory Urban Governance: by creating capabilities to promote, coordinate and manage participatory governance in cities; develop the capacities of training institutions and partner agencies to support local authorities in participatory urban governance; and build the capacities of national associations such as the Mayors Forum and Municipal Commissioners Association to advocate for policy change.
* Urban Poverty: by preparing poverty profiles that identify critical economic/social disadvantages, define inequitable access to services by the poor, along with gender disparities.
* Sustainable Urban Development: by compiling environmental profiles; formulate City Development Strategies and action plans; develop capacities in improving environmental governance.


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