Participatory Slum Improvements Cambodia

Summary

This submission documents the evolution of the enabling environment process and partnerships for participatory slum upgrading in urban areas of Cambodia. The approach has ongoing, and was greatly facilitated by the adoption of the National Housing Policy and the establishment of the General Department of Housing (GDH) of the Ministry of Land Management Urban Planning and Construction (MLMUPC), at national levels in 2014.

Background and Objective

One CSO the Community Development Foundation (CDF) has attempted to identify slums settlement in all urban areas in 2009 it identified 1,104 informal settlements in the capital Phnom Penh, and 26 municipal areas across the country, with 186,470 families (~932,575 people) living in them .

Actions and Implementation

Circular 03 on the resolution of informal settlements on state land in urban areas adopted in 2010, was intended to give direction on what could be done, it was initially applied by a range of civil society organisations supported by GIZ in Battambang Municipality. The Circular is made up of several steps Step 1: Data Collection on the Number of Temporary Settlements Sites Step 2: Identification, Mapping and Classification of Land of Temporary Settlements Step 3: Census on the Number of Households and Household Members in Temporary Settlement Sites Step 4: Finding Solutions Step 5: Discussion to Identify Solution Policies Step 6: Basic Infrastructure and Public Services Support Step 7: Participation of Stakeholders in Development The CSOs work through slum community organisations engaging women men and youths in the communities, they collected all the relevant information, map and document the communities and usually communicated about the Circular 03 process. Once this is completed, the information is shared with local authorities and they and the local technical department are meant to work through the possible options with the slum communities. While progress is made through the first three step relatively easily it remains difficult to proceed past step three in urban areas, as market forces have and are driving land prices ever higher and creating competition for available land. Local authorities are reluctant and unable to allocate land to low income housing without higher level approval indicating a disconnect in authority, and governance for the process, and an issue which is currently in the process of being addressed. The local authorities frequently allow affected slum communities to remain where they are. However overall progress has been limited, without higher level national support and intervention to resolve issues

Outcomes and Impacts

Where progress has been made the government is required to recognise the future ownership of the land by slum communities under the Circular resident families can claim the legal titles after 10 years. In areas where a social land concession has been applied it is five year and about a fifth of eligible communities in Phnom Penh have started the titling process but it is slow going. In other a municipalities their has been a significant drop in forced eviction, which ongoing permission to start in most location, but the future remains unclear. Communities themselves with the support of the likes of CDF have planned and undertaken numerous infrastructure improvement projects which have cumulative benefited 13, 500 families. Access to finance has and is increasing as government has progressively strengthened sub national levels to be more considerate of slum issues which has enable access to commercial financial institutions. As mentioned, women are at the centre of the slum development process and are actively involved in all stages and efforts are made to ensure inclusive development of all socio economic and cultural groups. Institutional the newly established General Department of Housing is progressively taking up it roles and creating a more enable environment for all actors and stakeholders to work with Slum communities. It is also looking at the legislative framework to review and update instruments and work out the kinks which have been limiting progress with the established processes. Consideration is also been given to more functional delegation of responsibility related to slum improvements, if acted upon these will all contribute to making more progress on participatory slum improvements in a timely manner.

Gender and Social Inclusivity

Scaling up and replicating slum improvement is possible but remains limited without additional financial support. While investments are occurring they mainly focus on more affluent areas of urban areas . The experiences gained have and are contributing to the knowledge and experience base to enable more communities to make progress and initiate activities as they can learn and see what has been achieved so far. The legal framework and tool could be adapted by other to local contexts as they outline a process. The approaches applied in Cambodia have benefits from similar situations in neighbouring countries where the regional Asian Coalition for Housing Rights have and does work. They have shared knowledge and experiences and connected communities, actors and authorities up with similar institutions in neighbouring countries.

Innovative Initiative

1. The development of legal instruments in isolation without greater consultation are likely to hinder progress on slum developments , as the development of Circular 03 show that while it give adequate guidance more is needed. 2 Functional responsibilities on who can authorise improvement related issues for slum communities needs to be clearer. At present recommendations are made but who should approved them needs to be clearer, as currently recommendations linger without approval unless higher level interventions are made. 3 Additional finances are need to stimulate and incentivise slum improvements , while private sector financing is becoming available accessing it remain difficult.

Resources devoted to delivery

No. Title Source Author Publication Title Volume Number Date Page Number 1 Policy for the Poor? Self published Sahmakum Teang Tnaut Policy for the Poor? 1 2013 50 Edit 2 Housing Policy and Circular No. 3 on Squatter Settlement Resolution GIZ Summer School Bong Hong Socheat Khemro Housing Policy and Circular No. 3 on Squatter Settlement Resolution IV 2014 20 Edit 3 “Slums”, Cambodia, How are they Defined, & What This Means in a Cambodian Context. www.academia.edu O'Leary, D., “Slums”, Cambodia, How are they Defined, & What This Means in a Cambodian Context. 1 2016 28

Conclusion

The Royal Government has and is developing and adopting a ranges of policy, strategies which are progressively giving greater consideration to address slum issues. They are also working to localise the implementation of the Sustainable Development Gaols (SDGs) which will be incorporated into the next cycle of the Rectangular Strategy (to be phase IV) and the National Strategy Development Plan (likely to be 2019-2023) Additionally the current adopted or under development sector policies such as the The National Policy on Spatial Planning (adopted by the CoM in 2011) The White Paper on Land Policy (adopted in 2015) The National Housing Policy (adopted by the CoM 14/5/2014) The National Urban Development Strategy Framework (DRAFT) National Policy on Incentive and Establishment of National Program for Development of Affordable Housing (draft). Will all contribute to making progress on improving slum conditions in urban areas