HABITAT III Networking Event “Cities – Combating Urban Poverty”
19 October, Quito
                     

The Association of Social Democratic Municipalities, Turkey, in partnership with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Turkey, and the Global Diplomacy Lab was organising a networking event entitled “Cities Combating Urban Poverty” at the HABITAT III Conference.

The progressive urbanisation of the globe and increasing responsibilities of local authorities together with civil society are two trends that are shaping international cooperation. Cities are becoming centres of vastly dynamic economies. Massive population shifts to urban areas are the result. The large majority of these populations end up in poverty-stricken informal settlements, which create persistent problems regarding unemployment, exclusion and poverty.

At the event, casual labourers took the floor together with international organisations, mayors, civil society practitioners, scholars and donors to develop global agendas and local solutions on urban poverty. The essential objective of this networking event is to discuss how global cooperation and commitment to poverty reduction can be incentivised among cities. The participants considered how a commitment agreement can be developed among cities.

The exchange of views at this networking event will seek to further future cooperation in the following areas:

•    Developing models and standardised measurements with respect to urban poverty reduction
•    Encouraging cities to develop adequate administrative structures in order to undertake the necessary actions to alleviate poverty
•    Supporting cities’ efforts to develop an urban poverty action plan including concrete measures leading to urban poverty reduction
•    Using the action plan for evaluation, monitoring and verification purposes
•    Developing models to mobilise local stakeholders for the development of action plans on urban poverty
•    Ensuring that experience and knowledge are shared with other local authorities
•    Spreading the message of this initiative in the appropriate environment and, in particular, encouraging other mayors to take part
 
The networking event was scheduled to take place in room MR18 at the venue of the Habitat III Conference, Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana “Benjamin Carrion” from 4.30 to 6.30 p.m. on 19 October.

Onur Eryuce, Secretary General of SODEM and a member of the GDL, hosted the networking event, and the speakers listed below contributed to the discussion:

•    Sonia Maria Dias, PhD, WIEGO - Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing
•    Elbia Pisuña, woman waste picker from RENAREC The National Network of Waste Pickers of Ecuador
•    Jacquelina Flores, woman waste picker from CTEP – the Confederation of Workers from Popular Economy
•    Tunc Soyer, SODEM, Chairman, Mayor of Seferihisar
•    Anja Minnaert, FES - Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
•    Onur Eryuce, GDL – Global Diplomacy Lab
•    Marjeta Jager, European Commission Directorate - General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO), Deputy Director General
•    Phoram Shah, World Bank, Specialist Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience,
•    Yamina Djacta, UN-HABITAT, Director New York Office
•    Lisa Reudenbach, Cities Alliance, Urban Analyst
•    Fiona McCluney, UNDP,  the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Montenegro and senior member of the UNDP delegation
•    Judith Torokne-Rozsa, European Commission Directorate - General for Regional and Urban Policy, Head of Unit for  Inclusive growth, Territorial and Urban Development