Urban Inclusive Policies towards Social and Spatial Inclusion of Migrants

1. Urban Inclusive Policies towards Social and Spatial Inclusion of Migrants UNESCO/ UN-Habitat joint research project: Urban Policies and the Right to the City: Rights, responsibilities and citizenship 19/20 March 2009, Venice International Conference ‘Migrants demand for the city’ Brigitte Colin Architecture and Cities Section of International Migration and Multicultural Policies Division of Social Sciences, Research and Policy UNESCO

2. Urban Policies and the Right to the City: Rights, responsibilities and citizenship • UNESCO/ UN-Habitat joint programme launched in March 2005 by UNESCO Director General Mr. Koichiro Matsuura and Mrs Anna Tibaijuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director UN-Habitat • Rights based approach to urban development and social inclusion (UN Secretary General Declaration September 2005) • Challenges: - Widening citizenship rights and responsibilities - Promoting urban legal reforms to increase democratic urban governance

3. MOST Publication 2008 by Alison Brown and Annali Kristiansen: Capitalization of UNESCO/ UN-Habitat public debates from 2005 to 2008 with more than 40 international experts, Cities associations and inhabitants NGO’s. www.unesdoc.unesco.org Defining Right to the City • Benefits of city lifeaccessible to all inhabitants - Transparent, equitable and efficient city government - Participation: citizens have rights & responsibilities • Celebrating diversity in social and cultural life • Reducing poverty, social exclusion and urban violence

4. Rationale for UN involvement in the Right to the City The Right to the City has a foundation in the Rights Based Approach endorsed by the UN. However, it extends the rights based concept to incorporate notions of a political contract that may or may not involve legal reform and a social contract based on common values agreed between governments and citizens.

5. Urban Public Policies towards the Right to the City “Ethical position from which to address contemporary urban conditions based on a regard for the legitimate need of, and right to, a just, peaceful and secure existence of citizens worldwide, in equal measure, based on a set of principles capable of being shared by civic-minded people in all parts of the world” (Michael Safier, DPU, 2001) Towards the inclusive city A place where everyone, regardless of wealth, gender, age, race or religion, is enabled to participate productively and positively in the opportunities cities have to offer. Inclusiveness is not just about legal rights, policies and processes (although these are essential). These have to be underpinned by ethical values shared by governments at all levels and civil society about urban residents’ rights and responsibilities.

6. UNESCO/UN HABITAT/ISSC Common Initiative on « Urban Policies and The Right To The City: Rights, responsibilities and citizenship » Main objective: To increase the UN contribution to the promotion of inclusive cities through multi-disciplinary research, capacity-building, demonstrative case studies and advocacy UN HABITAT/UNESCO MoU commits both agencies to: - Contribute to international knowledge on social transformations underlying urban development and urban public policies - Create a strong link between research and policy practice - Share methodologies and ’best practices’ - Strengthen the capacities of urban practitioners Finalized example: UNESCO/ UN-Habitat tool kit « Historic Districts for All: a social and human approach for a sustainable revitalization » (November 2008 WUF4 China: English, French, Chinese)

7. Specific entry points: 1. UNESCO Chair ‘Social Sustainability in Historic Districts’ (Seoul, Yonsei University) - multidisciplinary research - elaboration of a specific glossary • support local professionals on a social and human approach for sustainable revitalization of historic districts 2. UNESCO Chair ‘Urban Policies and Citizenship’ (Lyon University) - the tools towards urban democracy - access to “common goods” • cultural diversity and its consideration by public urban authorities • empowerment

8. 3. UNESCO Chair ‘Social and Spatial Inclusion of International Migrants: Urban Policies and Practice’ (Venice University) - identify policies and practices that promote urban inclusion - support local governments in integration of migrants - disseminate the experiences: basis for policy exchange (good practices) 4. UNESCO Chair ‘Growing up in Cities’ (New York, Cornell University) • Urban planning for youth development fostering health and well-being, ecudation and environmental sustainability • Realized manual for participation: Creating Better Cities for Children and Youth => empowering young people in cities

9. 4. UNESCO/ UN-Habitat joint project ‘Urban Inclusive Policies towards Social and Spatial Inclusion of Migrants’ • Constraints- Actual and perceived inequality - Physical and psychological insecurity - Fear of unknown and prejudices - Intergenerational poverty - (Un)intended exclusionary policies or lack - Lack of inclusive policies, good governance and political will on local level - Lack of access to information - Lack of participation or lack of representative participation (gender) • Challenges- globalization - increasing migrationan and urbanization: from multiculturalism to cosmopolitan - climate change - internationial economic and financial crisis

10. Objectives Capacity building that enables local authorities to cope with the new challenges posed by urbanization and migration, in order to achieve inclusive cities taking into account: • Social cohesion for cosmopolitan urban societies • Equal opportunity for all (including on labour market) • Equal access to basic quality social services (education, health, housing...) • Access for all to the resources (including land), rights and services, necessary for a true participation in society • No social exclusion and no forms of discrimination • Dignity and respect for each and every individual regardless of their background, as a moral and legal principle/ instrument • No spatial exclusion • Safety and sense of security • Rights, responsibilities and citizenship • Participation in public affairs • Well-being of people as a policy objective • Cities as common goods and public spaces

11. Necessary politics for the elaboration of inclusive urban policies towards migrants: - Recognition of the contribution of migrants to the economic and cultural development of their host countries /cities as well as their countries of origin - Balance between cultural diversity and social cohesion within the rule of law - Strengthening social inclusion by sharing common civic values while taking into account the heterogeneous character of migrants - Fostering human rights of both legal and undocumented migrants (including refugees and asylum-seekers) • Fight against discriminations, racism and xenophobia Methodological principles to achieve migrants’ inclusion in the city: - Development of migration and integration policies on local level and implementation in different fields (housing, education, health, employment, culture, …) - Adaptation to the local situation: taking into account the specific circumstances and needs of both migrants and other social groups on local level - Transparency and equity in urban policies and uphold the rule of law - Establishment of channels for representation and participation of migrants - Collaboration with community-based organizations as cultural mediators - Creation of social institutions and mechanisms that are accessible to people and are responsive to their needs - City-to-city cooperation

12. 4. The way to achieve the objectives 4.1 Within the framework of the UN (UNESCO, UN-Habitat and UNDESA) - Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action, result from the World Summit for Social Development 1995. - Expert Group Meeting on ‘Creating an Inclusive Society: Practical Strategies to Promote Social Integration’, Paris 2007. Inclusive city: • A society for all, in which every individual, each with rights and responsibilities, has an active role to play. • A city where the needs and rights of all city dwellers, regardless of their religion, age, gender, race, economic and social status, fully enjoy urban life with all the services and advantages the city has to offer, as well as taking an active part in city management as part of their responsibilities.

13. UN Normative Tools: 1948: UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights 1969: (1965) UN International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination 1995: Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action (World Summit for Social Development) 1999: Rapporteur Human Rights of Migrants 2000: UN Millennium Declaration 2001: Durban Declaration and Plan of Action (World Conference against Racism) 2001: UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity 2000: International Migrants Day (December 18th) 2003: (1993) UN International Convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and members of their families 2004: UNESCO International Coalition of Cities against Racism 2007: (2005) UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions 2008: ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization 2009: World Day of Social Justice (February 20th)

14. 4.2. Expected output of the UNESCO/ UN-Habitat joint project ‘Urban Inclusive Policies towards Social and Spatial Inclusion of Migrants’ A. Development of a tool kit A.1. Best PracticesExisting Urban Practices and Policies (Montréal, Montreuil, Barcelona, Vancouver…) under leadership of UN-Habitat A.2. Brochure for local authoritiesTo convey in a pedagogical way the research results to local desicion-makers A.3. Guide for city professionals To sensitize and train social workers, urban planners, NGO’s B. Training sessions: city-to-city cooperation (UN-Habitat Barcelona Centre) C. Local contextualization with regional experts (UNESCO regional offices: New Delhi, Brasilia and Dakar)

15. 4.3. Milestones Undertaken steps: 09/07: Expert Group Meeting on ‘Cosmopolitan Urbanism’ 09/08: UNESCO Chair in “Social and Spatial Inclusion of International Migrants: Urban Policies and Practice” at the Venice IUAV University To achieve: 03/09: Inaugural Conference of the Venice UNESCO Chair SSIIM => creation international scientific committee to supervise UNESCO/ UN- Habitat tool kit on “Urban Policies and Practice enhancing social and spatial inclusion of migrants” 09/09: First Consultative Committee meeting on the tool kit 01/10: Finished draft of the UNESCO/ UN-Habitat tool kit 02/10: Second Consultative Committee meeting: evaluation of the draft tool kit 06/10: Final version of the tool kit and first experimental training session 10/10: Launching of the final tool kit at the Shanghai World Expo (May-October) => interactive workshop and training sessions 01/11: Launching of regional version of the tool kit during international conference

16. Forthcoming major events: - World Expo 2010: ‘Better City, Better Life’ Shanghai (China), 1 May – 31 October 2010 • World Urban Forum 5: Focus on a right based approach to urban development (Right to the City) Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), October 2010 Many thanks for your attention Brigitte Colin b.colin@unesco.org