IHC Weekly Update
January 22, 2016
In this Update 
 

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IHC-CitiScope Article: Inclusive Development in Informal Settlements

IHC CEO Judith Hermanson authored a commentary that was featured in Citiscope this week. The article focuses on the challenge and potential of informal settlements as drivers for more equitable urban development. As part of Citiscope's "Toward Habitat III" series, it discusses the opportunity that the global community now has in this regard. With 860 million people worldwide living in slums and informal settlements, she suggests a new "urban lens" and a comprehensive approach drawing together the strengths of civil society, the private sector and governments.

She argues that with the advent of Global Goal 11 focused on the resilience, safety sustainability and inclusiveness of cities, the new global urban strategy that will result from Habitat III should reflect a practical policy-led programmatic path to achieve those results at a city level, supported by national governments and the global community.

The article ends recommends some tangible steps and ends, reiterating that there is a tremendous opportunity for the New Urban Agenda to focus on fundamental social and economic transformation, simply by intentionally weaving the human and social capital of the slums into the fabric of the city.

Read the full article here. 

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NHC Report: Connecting Housing and Public Health in the US

IHC Member the National Housing Conference released a report this week focusing on the connections between housing and the costs of healthcare and specifically how public investment in housing and housing related services can reduce public health spending.

The research team conducted a thorough review of available data on health programs connected to affordable housing, often focusing on homeless and other at-risk communities in the United States.   With  new opportunities under the Affordable Care Act and expanded Medicaid, the research calls for greater collaboration between the housing and health communities on supportive housing programs . 

Read the full report here. 
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UN Sustainable Development Advocacy Group Formed

This week, as part of the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced a new  Sustainable Development Goals Advocacy Group.  The group is being co-chaired by  Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama and Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, and is  composed of "eminent personalities actively leveraging their unique resources, networks and specialized skills to help implement the 2030 Agenda"

Advocacy and support-building will be critical to the success of the 2030 Agenda. Without sustained support from national leaders, civil society, the private sector and everyday citizens, the ambitious agenda could easily fall short. IHC is pleased to see that the UN recognizes the importance of advocacy, and looks forward to hearing more about the Group and it's Goals. 

Read about the members of the Group here. 
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CSIS Event: Beyond Aid - Integrating the Development Agenda

The new Global Goals (or Sustainable Development Goals), approved by the United Nations in September, provide a shared vision and global framework to  end poverty, promote opportunity, and address environmental degradation and climate change by 2030.

While the goals and targets have been finalized, many challenges still exist in successfully implementing the goals. The complexity and number of stakeholders, financing, and ability to monitor and collect accurate data are all potential stumbling blocks. 

Please join the Center for Strategic and International Studies for a presentation of a recent publication, " Beyond Aid: The Integration of Sustainable Development in a Coherent International Agenda."

Distinguished experts and the author of the report will share their main takeaways from the report and their thoughts on how policy coherence for sustainable development can help to achieve the ambitious global goals of the 2030 Agenda.

WHEN: Thursday January 28th, 9:30 - 11:00 AM
(Webcast available)
WHERE: CSIS, 1616 Rhode Island Ave NW
Washington, D.C.

Find more information and RSVP here. Read the publication here.
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In the News and Around the Web
  • Read a BBC article discussing cities as the countries of the future here.
  • Read an article from the World Bank about a new World Bank/United Nations High Level Panel on water and sanitation here. 
  • Read a Vox article on the rare bipartisan efforts to pass the Foreign Aid Transparency Act here. 

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