Addressing the World – an Address for Everyone” Initiative © United Nations Photo Library / Kibae Park

for everyone the world– An address Addressing The white paper white The

© Didier Ruef “Urban development, economic growth “A quality address infrastructure must be and the provision of basic services considered as an essential part of a are inextricably linked to the existence country’s socio-economic infrastructure, of sound address infrastructures in which not only improves public urban and rural areas alike. services, but also facilitates business, My hope is that the governments of trade and, consequently, national member states and other agencies world development. wide will commit themselves to this Given the potential of addresses to initiative aimed at improving addressing improve people’s lives, I am convinced of infrastructures, which in turn supports the importance of raising governments’ individual rights and sustainable cities. awareness of this global issue.” Now is the time to act.” Edouard Dayan Professor Anna Tibaijuka Director General, Minister of Lands, Housing and International Bureau, Human Settlements Development Universal Postal Union in Tanzania – Special Ambassador (UPU) to the “Addressing the world – An address for everyone” initiative © United Nations Photo Library / Kibae Park

Executive summary

Karial slum, Dhaka, Bangladesh

An address infrastructure is an essential public Since 1999, the Universal Postal Union has good. Addresses facilitate the provision of public assisted national authorities in assessing their and private services, improving the response of addressing needs, including the design of speci- aid and emergency services in tackling disease fications and address dissemination methodolo- and natural disasters for example, while foster- gies, to enable interoperability at the international ing social and economic development in general. level. In 2009, the UPU launched an ambitious Benefits extend across borders, contributing to initiative, “Addressing the world – An address for the global well-being. As such, address infra- everyone”. This initiative received the full support structure can serve as a basic foundation for the of the United Nations System Chief Executives attainment of the United Nations Millennium Board, chaired by UN Secretary-General Ban Development Goals and other global aims. Ki-moon. The aim is to create synergies between When included as part of a nation’s infra- international stakeholders and tackle a myriad of structure, an address helps to provide social addressing challenges. To ensure the success of and legal identity. In its report Making the Law this initiative, there is a need for commitment at Work for Everyone, the Commission on the Legal the national level, synergies between countries Empowerment of the Poor identified that four and organizations at the international level, and billion people are excluded from the rule of law. public and private sector support. The report claims that a large majority of these This white paper aims to enlighten political lead- people cannot enjoy their full rights as citizens ers on the importance of address networks. It is because they often lack an identity. As a person’s accompanied by a solemn declaration that serves identity is often tied to having an address, various as a call to governments to endorse and commit UN organizations and other international organi- to the implementation of policies that strengthen zations support initiatives to strengthen national national address infrastructure. Prepared in coop- address infrastructures. eration with several UN organizations and other

3 partners, and featuring an innovative analysis There is no doubt that addressing – the network of theory and practical perspectives, this paper of road names and house numbers – constitutes supports the need for a better understanding of a key element of functioning societies. While a the role of address infrastructure in social and single address in itself does not constitute a pub- economic development. It aims to help govern- lic good, the national address infrastructure, of ments conceptualize the addressing problem so which it forms a part, is an essential public good, that the goal of an address for everyone can be and through interoperability with international achieved. systems the totality of addressing networks can be determined as a global public good. Address infrastructure provides access to the rights and Address infrastructure as duties of citizens from the local to the interna- a global public good tional level, as well as providing businesses with Societies are formed to ensure their common access to markets. All echelons of society should welfare, and the basis of this welfare is the thus have equal access to address infrastructure in provision of certain essential elements, or public order to capture the social and economic benefits goods. Two key characteristics distinguish public at the local, national and international levels. goods from private goods: their non-rival and non-excludable properties. Once provided, goods with non-rival and non-excludable properties The practical benefits allow individuals to utilize the goods in question of addresses without reducing their availability for others and Addressing policies at the national level are often without impeding their use by others. pushed aside in favour of more immediate policy Since the link between types of usage, benefits needs. However, by providing a fundamental and supply cannot be clearly identified, public knowledge base to inform decision making and goods have unclear property rights, which rep- action, addresses help to develop, implement and resents a fundamental difference between them support other critical national policies. and private goods. As a result, the free market cannot ensure the efficient supply of public goods, Governance such as national peace and security. For example, Identifying citizens, reinforcing the rule of law, a national security system is a “pure public good” expanding electoral participation and implement- as it protects all inhabitants of a nation, without ing e-government are features of good gover- exclusion, and cannot be exhausted by the addi- nance, all of which are supported by an address tion of new inhabitants. Such is the case with infrastructure. Without an address, it is harder address infrastructure. for individuals to register as legal residents. They With the advent of globalization, public are excluded from access to public services and goods have increasingly acquired cross-border institutions, and denied the rights of citizenship. significance. These global goods are determined This includes access to democracy. Addresses through international cooperation, consensus and allow individuals to register to vote and permit convention, such as the Millennium Development governments to map voter districts and popula- Goals – for which address infrastructure consti- tions, aiding appropriate policy development and tutes a significant enabler. transparency.

4 © United Nations Photo Library / Kibae Park

Busan, Korea

Urban development and management living in an area without an address prejudices the Over the last few decades, developing countries procurement of formal employment or quality have witnessed an explosion in rural to urban education. In countries that lack address infra- migration, posing a myriad of problems for structure, many businesses are unable to register governments. The result has been the growth of themselves because they lack mandatory informa- informal settlements, which, according to some tion, such as an address. As a result, they are estimates, comprise a third of urban populations forced to remain informal, and they are barred in developing countries. These areas house the from accessing finance, banking, other supports urban poor, who are excluded from basic services and payment of duties. like water and sanitation, and subject to weak infrastructure. Addresses help to map areas that Security are often overlooked, while providing a platform Unidentified and inaccessible areas within the for vital census data gathering and infrastructure national territory provide a breeding ground for planning. crime, insecurity and violence, which contribute to the internationalization of organized crime, Migration and social integration affecting both the national and global welfare. In areas that suffer from isolation and exclusion, Spatial organization data, including addresses, an address promotes peace and social cohesion provides governments with the ability to identify, by fostering exchange between communities and locate and access marginalized areas in order to the government. Furthermore, the identification incorporate them into the nation. of culturally important areas can generate com- munity awareness of shared culture, thereby ensuring their preservation. More fundamentally,

5 Economy and commerce routes, labelled streets and identifiable houses, When linked to governance, law, social policies which facilitate the creation of practical strategies and planning, addresses help to ensure protection for delivering goods and services when natural of investments for individuals and the private sec- disasters or disease outbreaks strike. tor. By creating a reliable environment for public and private sector transactions, a secure address infrastructure benefits the economy and com- Partners in the initiative merce, by improving the transfer of goods and Eight international organizations (African Union services from producers to consumers, nation- (AU), EURopean ADdress INfrastructure (EURADIN), ally and internationally. This is especially true for International Organization for Standardization postal businesses, which benefit immensely from (ISO), International Telecommunication Union the development of delivery points, increasing (ITU), United Nations Development Programme their ability to reach more customers and provide (UNDP), United Nations Educational, Scientific and truly universal service. Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) and the Information and technology World Bank (WB)) and five countries (Costa Rica, The right of all people to access ICTs is a Denmark, India, Korea (Rep.) and Tanzania) have Millennium Development Goal. However, bar- contributed to this white paper by providing riers to the access and expansion of networks insights into the individual challenges and oppor- remain. In this respect, addresses continue to tunities they face in the fulfilment of their activi- serve an important role as a universal means of ties with or without sound addressing systems. communication between individuals and governments. Address infrastructure supports ICTs in three ways: (1) as an infrastructure upon which Conclusion to build other systems; (2) as a complementary Individuals, governments and businesses are all information system; and (3) as an alternative to hi- stakeholders of address infrastructure. Investing tech systems, which may be unevenly distributed. in address infrastructure is a fundamental step in connecting people to public and private services, Environmental sustainability and risk and human rights. But beyond the individual sig- and disaster management nificance, address infrastructure enables the good As cities grow, efforts must be taken to make them of the nation and the global population by setting environmentally sustainable and resilient to disas- the foundation on which critical national policies ters. Cities that grow beyond their set boundaries can be built. However, building this infrastruc- often infringe on fragile ecosystems, increasing ture requires a common awareness and action their vulnerability to disease and natural disasters. plan that is supported at the local, national and Address infrastructure can support the mapping international levels. Political willpower is the key and appraisal of risk areas and national resources, to guaranteeing that an address infrastructure is by identifying and confirming the location of developed for the benefit of all. vulnerable areas and populations. Additionally, correct addressing provides for a system of clear

New Delhi, India

“It is essential that this work reach those “We must recognize the critical impor- who need it most … To be effective, tance of interconnection and convergence national governments must step up their between addresses’ electronic and physi- commitment to expand access cal dimensions, and then ensure that all to information and knowledge through of the world’s people are connected, effective networks for the benefit of all.” whatever the means of communication.”

Irina Bokova Dr Hamadoun Touré Director-General, UNESCO Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

“At UN–HABITAT, we are convinced that “Recognizing the key role of addresses everyone has the right to an address. as an infrastructure …, the AU If you do not have an address, you do not Commission has decided to include officially exist.” address infrastructure in its priorities for the current and forthcoming strategic Dr. Joan Clos Under-Secretary-General, plan.” United Nations – Executive Director, United Nations Dr. Elham M. A. Ibrahim Settlements Programme Commissioner, Infrastructure (UN-HABITAT) and Energy, African Union Commission (AU) International Bureau Universal Postal Union P.O. Box 3000 BERNE 15 SWITZERLAND T +41 31 350 31 11 E [email protected] www.upu.int