Peru: UN-HABITAT supports grassroots projects

As part of what is called Grassroots Mechanism, the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) partnering with Huairou Commission, International Land Coalition and Slum/Shack Dwellers International is providing support to four grassroots-led projects, including the following in Peru:

In Lima-Callao, many informal settlements are highly vulnerable to natural hazards such as landslides. Government programmes for disaster mitigation exist, yet implementation is hindered by a top-down process, reliant on expensive technical surveys. As an alternative, Mujeres Unidas and Estrategia have trained a network of community groups to carry out their own community hazard assessments and to initiate community-led planning, winning support and financing from government agencies. Now these agencies have expressed an interest in adopting and replicating this approach at a larger scale.

UN-HABITAT will provide technical and political support as Mujeres Unidas and Estrategia test out their approach in new communities and liaise with government agencies on developing a partnership approach and on new urban tenure-related legislation. Up-coming elections could provide a critical window of opportunity in 2010.