Description

The Decalogue arises from the alliance's efforts over the past eight months to collectively imagine a more just post-pandemic future while building a global network of collaboration and empathy. The "Synergies for solidarity" initiative evolved from the project "COiNVITE: Activating Learning for Slum Upgrading" led by Dr. Catalina Ortiz and Gynna Millan.

The coalition, convened by UCL's DPU, was formed with a number key organisations that deal with housing policy in the region, namely: COiNVTE, Global Platform for the Right to the City, Cities Alliance, Habitat International Coalition-Latin America, Techo, Urban Housing Practitioners Hub, Habitat for Humanity, United Cities and Local Governments, UN-Habitat, Red de Investigadores sobre Vivienda y Habitat de las Americas.

The partner organisations defend that the development of a renewed and participatory slum upgrading program is fundamental to respond to immediate needs and also to contribute to a long-term post-pandemic recovery based on the well-being of the population, the realization of their rights and respect for the environment. The ten guidelines presented arise from a collective process of analysis and synthesis of different documents and strategies framed in the response to COVID-19, added to the concrete knowledge generated by the inhabitants and different actors involved in the historical process of development of slum upgrading projects in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The main objectives of the Decalogue are:

• to advocate with local, national, regional and international authorities for the implementation of a structural and co-constructed programme for slum upgrading for post-pandemic reconstruction in Latin America;
• to disseminate the concept of integral slum upgrading within the framework of the right to the city and other habitat rights;
• to make visible and strengthen citizen and community action in articulations and initiatives that preceded the pandemic but have gained strength in the immediate response to the effects of COVID-19, contributing to reinforce the work of grassroots organizations and the deconstruction of the stigmatization of "barrios populares" in Latin America;
• to strengthen multi-stakeholder and multi-scalar alliances in the response to the effects of the pandemic and in the construction of long-term strategies that protect the right to the city on the continent.

The Decalogue will be presented at the assembly at MINURVI, the intergovernmental coordination and cooperation entity of the Latin American and Caribbean countries around sustainable development of human settlements where all the ministries of housing meet annually to decide the housing policy at regional level. The assembly will occur on December 2nd and 3rd and provides a space directly impact policy at regional level.

Source and more information:

• Decalogue for Participatory Slum Upgrading programmes in pandemic times produced by DPU-led alliance
• Decálogo para el mejoramiento integral de barrios.
• Decálogo | SinergiasSolidaridad