Developing nations push for housing at U.N. meeting

June 3, 1996
Web posted at: 5:00 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT)

ISTANBUL, Turkey (CNN) -- Developing nations want the world to recognize housing as a human right, but they may get a debate from nations such as the United States.

Organizers of Habitat II, the United Nations conference that opened Monday, say dealing with the fate of the world's mega-cities -- including the issue of housing -- is urgent business.

Urban ills, including housing shortages, poor sanitation and pollution are spreading "with the speed of a plague," Wally N'Dow, conference secretary-general told thousands of delegates. "No country can be a success if its cities are a failure."

As the two-week conference began in Istanbul, speakers including N'Dow, U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros Ghali (211K AIFF or WAV sound) and Turkish President Suleyman Demirel said the task is finding a humane vision of the future that will be increasingly dominated by urban culture.

Urban agenda

By the time the conference ends, U.N. members will have agreed on an agenda for action that governments around the world can use as a guide for improving the life of city residents.

The only controversy expected as the final document is drafted is whether every person has a legal right to have housing.

"We need housing desperately," said a member of the Bangladesh delegation.

But Habitat officials said the U.S. is wary of categorizing housing as a specific human right for fear of legal obligations to the world's homeless.

Habitat II also is expected to sound some of the same themes as six other major U.N. conferences over the past four years -- population, development and discrimination.

What's different about it, however, is the participation of local political and business leaders -- the people who may actually carry out what is approved in Istanbul.

"For cities and governments around the world, this is the most important international event in years," says Drew Hogna of the International Union of Local Authorities.

In related developments:

• Taiwan's state-run Central News Agency accused the United Nations Monday of restricting media freedom after what it said was the world body's repeated refusal to accredit the country's reporters to cover U.N. conferences. The agency said the U.N. had declined to accredit its correspondent to cover Habitat II. China, Taiwan's rival since a civil war split the two in 1949, actively blocks Taiwan's membership as a sovereign state in all international forums. Beijing took China's U.N. seat from Taipei in 1971.

• The World Bank said some of the world's worst city slums could be turned into livable communities with an investment of about $100 per person, community involvement and sound government policies. In a report released to coincide with start of Habitat II, the World Bank also said cheaper basic services, such as communal latrines, gravel roads and inexpensive drainage, would allow money to reach more people in impoverished regions.

Correspondent Richard Roth and Reuters contributed to this report.

Related Stories

• Is housing a human right? - June 2, 1996
• Turkish forces kill 19 Kurdish rebels - April 20, 1996
• Rebel Kurd chief tells forces to lie low - April 12, 1996
• Kurds seek home of their own - March 21, 1996

Related sites

• Habitat II
• Internet town meeting on Habitat II
• Turkey (CIA World Fact Book)
• World Bank

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