Settlement and Shelter Rehabilitation Programme 2006 - 2010

UN-HABITAT United Nations Human Settlements Programme Regional Office for Africa and the Arab States

LIBERIA: SETTLEMENT AND SHELTER REHABILITATION PROGRAMME 2006 - 2010

PARTNERS 2 LIBERIA: SETTLEMENT AND SHELTER REHABILITATION PROGRAMME

CONTENTS

Foreword 3 About Liberia 4 Programme Aim & Coverage 4 Methods 4

Reintegration, Settlement & Slum Upgrading and Economic Growth 5 • Reintegration of war-affected persons 5 • Settlement & Slum Upgrading in Monrovia 6

Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Management 7 • Water Delivery Improvement 7 • Feeder Road Rehabilitation 8 • Solid Waste Management Improvement in Monrovia 8

Urban Governance, Management and Institutional Capacity Building 9 • Building national and local authority capacity 9 • Land Governance and Management 10 • Urban and Housing Policy, Shelter Plan and 11 Institutional Reforms

Overall Framework of Interventions 12 Institutional Arrangements and Programme Financing 14 UN-HABITAT 15

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries, or regarding its economic system or degree of development. The analysis, conclusions, recommendations of this report do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme or its Governing Council. 3

Foreword

ne of the major challenges facing the Government and people of Liberia is dealing with the spillovers from the unprecedented Ogrowth of urban centres that occurred during the war years. These spillovers are manifested in two mutually reinforcing areas that have critical implications for improved and sustained human development. Firstly, the unplanned growth of at least 300 urban centres, scattered around the country, has intensified the poverty problem. The incapacity of the urban centres to provide gainful employment in the public and private sectors has worsened the living conditions of our people and plunged them into poverty. The second spillover from war-years urban growth is a mismatch between the number of urban dwellers and basic social services, which is largely associated with poor urban governance and management. Continuous failure to improve ur- iberia has not gone unnoticed in the African and world media. ban governance and management systems/processes has given rise to During the past decade, news on Liberia frequently featured the current imbalance between the number of dwellers and the avail- looting, destruction, displacement and refugees. More recently, L ability of safe drinking water, basic health services and shelter, an im- media coverage has become more positive and now focuses on “Mama balance which in turn deepens the poverty problem. Africa” – Africa’s first woman president and the hope of 2.9 million Liberians, Her Excellency, Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. These two areas of concern are those Her Excellency, the President, Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, has continuously marked out as integral I am proud to introduce this outline of the “Liberia: Settlement and parts of Liberia’s national reconstruction and development agenda. Shelter Rehabilitation Programme”, Its development was based on Therefore, as it maps out a strategy the Government would do well to information collected through a broad-based participatory process include measures to deal with the spillovers of the country’s fast-grow- of rapid urban sector profiling of the cities of Monrovia, Gbarnga ing unplanned urban centres. In the national strategic framework, the and Kakata, representing a large, a medium and a small-size city “Liberia: Settlement and Shelter Rehabilitation Programme” provides a respectively. This consolidated proposal elaborates on the needs that viable entry point to this major endeavour on the country’s agenda. were prioritised during a series of consultations conducted under the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and in coordination The thrust of the programme and its constituent projects are largely in- with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs. The consultations formed by the findings of a Rapid Urban Sector Profiling for Sustainabil- brought together the relevant Ministries and the National Habitat ity Study conducted in 2005 thanks to UN-HABITAT. Also inspiring the Committee, local authorities, civil society, UN agencies, the EU and programme were the Liberian MDG Report, the GoL-World Bank Joint World Bank representatives and other national counterparts. Assessment Study of 2004, the draft Human Development Report 2006 and the RFTF. It is worth noting that the programme is in harmony with This current consolidated proposal includes eight different but the objectives and expected outcomes of Liberia’s Interim Poverty Re- inter-related project proposals, each including capital investment duction Strategy (IPRS) as designed for the period July 2006- December targeting the MDGs and the most urgent settlement needs of the 2007, which focuses on programmes and policies for stimulating job population. The projects enhance urban management to build the creation, broad-based growth and effective service delivery. human and institutional capacities of national and local partners for effectiveness and efficiency. They also improve urban governance to As always, the formulation of a strategy such as the “Liberia: Settlement support the development of policies, laws, regulations and guidelines and Shelter Rehabilitation Programme” is a necessary but not a suffi- that will constitute the legal framework for sustainable and gender- cient condition for optimum result. Political will and commitment on mainstreamed human settlement development in Liberia the part of all domestic and international partners are fundamental to the achievement of the desired results. In practical terms, the required resources must be mobilised and used effectively. In addition, programme activities must be linked and harmonised with complemen- tary projects and efforts if we are to avoid counter-productive results. The will, the commitment and the coordination required must be har- Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka nessed as we undertake the programme. Moving our people out of Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, poverty, and ensuring that they stay out of poverty, is a task that cannot and Executive Director, be abandoned. UN-HABITAT August 2006 Toga Gayewea McIntosh Minister, Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs, Liberia August 2006 4 LIBERIA: SETTLEMENT AND SHELTER REHABILITATION PROGRAMME

About Liberia n 1989 Liberia entered a long period of civil strife that devastated the country, destroying social and economic in- frastructures and causing displacement of the majority of the population, especially from rural areas. In October I2003, with immense international support, a Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed that ushered in a two-year transitional government. The transitional period ended with general and presidential elections in 2005 and brought into office Her Excellency, Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, as Liberia’s 23rd President and the first female Head of State on the African continent. This event opens up fresh opportunities to accelerate and consolidate the gains made during the transition period, and to launch reform programmes and systems that will enhance Liberia’s structures and provide enduring peace, development and progress. During recent years, Liberia has witnessed unprecedented urban population increases. As a result, Liberian cities feature a wide range of deficiencies in spatial concepts, rural-urban linkages and the role and effectiveness of urban governance and management. These deficiencies result from a lack of the basic governance capacities and structures that define cities’ role as engines of economic growth and development. Policies and legal instruments for urban growth and development, regional planning, gender mainstreaming, access to land and secure tenure and environmental awareness are needed if Liberia is to be on course for achieving the MDGs, especially Goal 7, target 11 regarding the reduction of the number of households living in slums.

Programme Aim & Coverage he global objective of the consolidated proposal is to contribute to the social and economic recovery of Libe- Tria by addressing its immediate needs in terms of human settlements. These immediate needs include infrastructure and shelter to accommodate and integrate war-affected persons. They will be met through provision of urban governance and management instruments that are conducive to equitable growth, enhanced financial sustainability, improved access to land and services, as well as more democratic decision-making, public accountability and transparency. The programme recognises the many development problems, challenges and constraints faced by the residents of urban centres and rural areas. In response to the immediate reconstruction, rehabilitation and development needs of human settlements in Liberia, the programme details a comprehensive five-year strategy that focuses on three priority intervention areas: (1) reintegration, upgrading of settlements and slums, and economic growth; (2) infrastructure rehabilitation and management; and (3) urban governance, management and institutional capacity-building. Under each of these priority intervention areas, the programme proposes projects for implementation over periods of one to four years.

Methods olicy-oriented projects and those focusing on governance and institutional capacity-building will rely on participatory consultations in order to include key partners and stakeholders at local and national level and to Ppromote a culture of democratic governance and management. Technical guidelines and procedures will be produced for capacity-building among stakeholders, including NGOs, CBOs and civil society. Action-oriented projects for the reintegration of war-affected persons and projects for slum and settlement rehabilitation will combine skills training with managerial capacity-building among institutions and staff, effectively treating settlement rehabilitation as an integral part of the broader governance and institutional capacity-building process. 5

REINTEGRATION, SETTLEMENT & SLUM UPGRADING AND ECONOMIC GROWTH he Reintegration Plan and Slum Upgrading component comprises two projects: one assisting in the reintegration of war-affected persons within their places of preference, and one on improvement and reduction of Tslums in the city of Monrovia. UNHCR estimates the number of IDPs at 260,000 and returnees at 42,000. Rein- tegration localities require physical planning, basic services and economic opportunities if they are to absorb these arrivals in sustainable conditions. Slums are more predominant in Monrovia than in the rest of the country, with seven major slums and vast areas of the capital requiring improved access to water, sanitation facilities, adequate (i.e., not overcrowded) living areas, improved structural quality and durability of dwellings and enhanced security of tenure, as well as social and economic opportunities.

Reintegration of war-affected persons in the Lofa, Nimba, Maryland and Grand Gedeh counties Objective: To rehabilitate and upgrade settlements and basic services for re-/integration of war-affected persons through: (a) training communities and war-affected persons in infrastructure construction skills; (b) provision of livelihoods for men and women through local economic development; and (c) building the capacity of the Libe- ria Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC).

Expected Results: • Settlements upgraded, basic services rehabilitated and war-affected persons reintegrated in Lofa, Nimba, Maryland and Grand Gedeh counties. • Communities and war-affected persons trained in infrastructure construction skills. • Local economies improved through the development of livelihoods for both male and female beneficiaries. • Enhanced capacity for the LRRRC.

Activities: • Reintegration of war-affected persons, provision of training and economic opportunities; • Training of war-affected persons and community members in infrastructure construction skills and business creation; • Improve local economies, including male and female beneficiaries in cities/towns of reintegration; • Build the capacity of the LRRRC.

ACTION PLAN BUDGET (US$) MONTHS Project personnel 816,200 Activities 1-6 7-12 13-18 Sub-contract/works 1,408,000 Reintegratation of war-af- Training 279,400 fected persons Equipment 286,000 Train on skills/business Miscellaneous 63,800 Improve local economies Total 2,853,400 Build capacity of LRRRC 6 LIBERIA: SETTLEMENT AND SHELTER REHABILITATION PROGRAMME

REINTEGRATION, SETTLEMENT & SLUM UPGRADING AND ECONOMIC GROWTH Settlement & Slum Upgrading in Monrovia: Logan Town; Randall, Lynch Streets and Soniwein areas; Clara Town; and West Point In consultation with the Monrovia City Corporation, Objective: To upgrade four epidemic-prone slum areas UNICEF, and the Government, the following cholera in Monrovia in order to improve public health in the ar- epidemic prone slum areas were selected: Logan eas and the city as a whole through: (a) training com- Town, Randall, Lynch Streets and Soniwein areas , Clara munities in infrastructure construction skills; (b) water Town, and West Point.. The selection criteria included improvement; (c) provision of livelihoods for men and overcrowded slums; degree of congestion and potential women, through local economic development; (d) hy- spread of diseases; periodic flooding; lack of access to giene awareness campaigns; (e) building the capacity of safe drinking water, toilets, garbage disposal system, and the Monrovia Corporation; and (f) dissemination of les- basic services; and low standards of living and health sons learned. threats posed to surrounding areas. Expected Results: • Improved public health in four epidemic-prone areas in Monrovia as a result of upgrading. • Community provided with infrastructure construction skills. • Water availability improved in targeted slums. • Livelihoods of slum communities (including men and women) improved through local economic development and training. • Hygiene awareness campaigns conducted in targeted slums areas. • Slum upgrading institution in Monrovia Corporation enhanced and strengthened. • Lessons learned evaluated, documented and disseminated.

Activities: • Conduct detailed socio-economic surveys, slum mapping and result analysis; • Assess institutional and local setup for slum upgrading; • Design action plans for slum upgrading and institutional BUDGET (US$) support; Project personnel 1,290,300 • Design projects, tewchnical details, costs, bill of quantities Sub-contract 3,823,600 and other details of project implementation; Training 39,600 • Implement projects in each selected slum area; • Evaluate, document and disseminate results and lessons Equipment 172,700 learned and outline a slum upgrading methodology; Miscellaneous 80,300 • Build capacity of community members and local/national Total 5,406,500 institutions. ACTION PLAN MONTHS Activities 1-6 7-12 13-18 19-24 Conduct surveys and result analysis Assess institutional and local setup Design action plans for slum upgrading Design projects for implementation Implement projects in each selected slum Evaluate, document and disseminate results Build community’s and institutions capacity 7

REINTEGRATION, SETTLEMENT & SLUM UPGRADING AND ECONOMIC GROWTH INFRASTRUCTURE REHABILITATION AND MANAGEMENT he Infrastructure, Rehabilitation and Management component involves three projects that will contribute to the broader aims of building skills and capacities for the re-engineering process, enhancing policy formula- Ttion, and improving service delivery and good urban governance. Two of the projects – Water Delivery Im- provement and Feeder Roads Rehabilitation – are for implementation at the county level; the third one – Solid Waste Management Improvement – addresses a priority need in the capital. Water Delivery Improvement in Kakata, Buchanan, Zwedru, Greenville, Robert- sport, Voinjama, Saniquellie, Gbarnga, and Harper Objective: To improve drinkable water delivery in nine main secondary cities/towns through: (a) repair and rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure, including repair of water towers; (b) rehabilitation/procurement of water produc- tion (pumps and generators); (c) incremental upgrading of major water distribution points and water stand points; (d) building capacity at local and community levels, ensuring participation of men and women, for the management and maintenance of the water system; (e) developing appropriate local water policies; and (g) exploring the potential for public-private partnerships.

Expected Results: • Improved potable water delivery in nine main secondary cities/towns. • Water infrastructure repaired and rehabilitated, including water elevated tanks in selected secondary cities/towns. • Water pumps and generators repaired/procured/installed in selected secondary cities/towns. • Primary water distribution points and water stand points in the nine secondary cities/towns upgraded/built BUDGET (US$) incrementally. Project personnel 1,536,260 • Enhanced capacity for management and maintenance Sub-contract 2,926,000 of water system at local and community levels. Men and Training 103,400 women trained. Equipment 256,850 • Appropriate local water policies and guidelines developed. Miscellaneous 151,140 • Potential for public-private partnerships explored and wher- Total 4,973,650 ever possible exploited. ACTION PLAN MONTHS Activities 1-6 7-12 13-18 19-24 Repair damaged water infrastructure Upgrade water distribution points Build boreholes and water distribution points Build capacity at local and community levels Develop local water policies and guidelines Explore public-private partnerships 8 LIBERIA: SETTLEMENT AND SHELTER REHABILITATION PROGRAMME

INFRASTRUCTURE REHABILITATION AND MANAGEMENT Feeder Road Rehabilitation in the Grand Gedeh, Maryland, Lofa and Nimba Counties Objective: To contribute to the rehabilitation, management and maintenance of access roads through: (a) training and employing war-affected persons and community members for labour-intensive works in support of new and ongoing road rehabilitation schemes; (b) explore the potential for public-private partnerships for road maintenance and repair; and (c) develop appropriate local road maintenance policies. Expected Results: • Portions of access/street roads rehabilitated, managed and maintained through labour-intensive approaches. • War-affected persons and community members trained in labour-intensive techniques for road rehabilitation, management and maintenance approaches. • Potential for public-private partnerships explored and wherever possible exploited. • Appropriate local road policies developed

ACTION PLAN BUDGET (US$) MONTHS Project personnel 459,800 Activities 1-6 7-12 Sub-contract 660,000 Train for road rehabilitation and maintenance Training 30,800 Rehabilitate/maintain feeder roads Equipment 143,000 Explore/establish public-private partnerships Miscellaneous 34,100 Develop policies & build city council staff capacities Total 1,327,700

Improving solid waste management in Monrovia Objective: Improving solid waste management in Monrovia including improved collection, removal and disposal through: (a) raising awareness of reduction, re-use and recycling methods; (b) creating solid waste-based, income-generating opportunities for men and women; (c) exploring the potential for public-private partnerships; (d) improving solid waste management by the City Corporation; and (e) developing appropriate solid waste policies. Expected Results: • Improved solid waste management in Monrovia including collection, removal and disposal. • Higher degree of public awareness of solid waste reduction, reuse and recycling. • Creation of income-generating opportunities from waste through local economic development. • Potential for public-private partnerships explored and wherever possible exploited. • Improved solid waste management by city corporation(s). • Appropriate solid waste policies developed.

ACTION PLAN BUDGET (US$) MONTHS Project personnel 480,700 Activities 1-6 7-12 Sub-contract 66,000 Conduct studies and build capacity in City Corporation Training 48,400 Raise public awareness of on-site storage, recycling... Equipment 99,000 Create waste-based, income-generating employment Miscellaneous 36,300 Explore/establish public-private partnerships Total 730,400 Develop appropriate solid waste policies 9

URBAN GOVERNANCE, MANAGEMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING he Urban Governance, Management and Institutional Capacity Building component of the programme compris- Tes three projects: (1) building capacity for urban governance; (2) urban management;, and (3) policy formulation. All projects address the needs at national level. However, the specific field work is targeted at selected counties in Liberia. Building national and local authority capacity Objective: To strengthen the institutional, administrative and technical capacities of national institutions and local authorities, including technical staff, governance and decision-making bodies through: (a) institutional development at national and local levels; (b) training of technical staff, women, elected leaders and civil society to ensure effective and efficient governance performance; (c) provide financial management capabilities, leading to efficiency and transparency; (d) strengthen civil society’s capabilities in leadership, financial and institutional skills; and (e) train local staff and communities, ensuring women’s participation in participatory planning and decision-making.

Expected Results: • Upgraded institutional, administrative and technical capacities for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, town and city planning functions and local authorities. • Skills and capacities of superintendents, mayors, commissioners, council members and other local authorities enhanced for better local governance in Monrovia, Kakata and Gbarnga. • Enhanced local and municipal financial management capacities. • Enhanced capacities for civil society (leadership skills, institutional, human and financial development). • Enhanced capacities for local authorities and NGOs in participatory planning and decision-making. Activities: • Strengthen institutional, administrative and technical capacities of the Minis- try of Internal Affairs and Public Works with regard to town/city planning and local governance; • Strengthen institutional capacities of local authorities in three cities: Monro- via, Kakata and Gbarnga; BUDGET (US$) • Building capacity in local/municipal financial management in three cities: Project personnel 1,349,700 Monrovia, Kakata and Gbarnga; Training 327,800 • Build skills and capacities of superintendents, mayors, commissioners, Equipment 220,000 council members and other local authorities for better local governance and Miscellaneous 166,100 gender mainstreaming in Liberia; Total 2,063,600 • Strengthen civil society (NGO/CBO ) capacities in leadership skills and institutional, human and financial development; • Training in Participatory Planning and Decision-Making. ACTION PLAN MONTHS Activities 1-6 7-12 13-18 19-24 Strengthen institutional capacities Strengthen institutional capacities in 3 cities Build financial capacity in 3 cities Build local authorities in 15 counties Strengthen civil society in 15 counties Training in Participatory Planning 10 LIBERIA: SETTLEMENT AND SHELTER REHABILITATION PROGRAMME

URBAN GOVERNANCE, MANAGEMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING Land Governance and Management in Monrovia, Kakata and Gbarnga Objective: To support a land reform process and management system through: (a) establishing a land reform process and management system that promotes gender-equitable access to land; (b) establishing a consultative system for resolving property disputes; (c) developing standards and codes with equal rights for men and women; (d) building capacities of national and local authorities’ land management units; (e) installing land information/geographical information systems and building institutional capacities; (f) completing land occupancy registration based on GIS; (g) establishing a valuation system for urban land and property; (h) improving the overall municipal revenue system; (i) introducing land planning instruments, tools and manuals; and (j) restructuring and strengthening local planning departments. Expected Results: • Land reform & management established promotes gender equitable access to land; • Consultative systems for resolving property disputes established; • Land standards and codes with equal rights for men and women developed; • National and local land management units’ capacities built; • Manuals prepared/adapted and published; • LIS/GIS in place and institutional capacities built; • Land occupancy registration based on GIS systems in place, municipal staff trained and occupancy registration conducted in major neighborhoods; • Urban land and property/occupancy valuation systems established; • Operational manuals produced and training completed; • Municipal revenues system improved. Manuals prepared and staff trained; • Planning instruments, tools and manuals introduced, training completed; • Planning departments strengthened. Mechanisms for participatory local planning established and training completed. Activities: • Undertake land reform, enhance management system and build capacities; • Establish consultative systems for resolving property disputes; • Introduce planning instruments, tools and manuals, develop planning and building standards and codes; • Establish mechanisms for participatory municipal planning and management; BUDGET (US$) • Install administrative and financial management systems and provide manuals; Project personnel 4,243,800 • Install LIS/GIS and build institutional capacities; Sub-contract 880,000 Complete land occupancy registration based on GIS systems; • Training 194,700 • Establish urban land and property valuation system, establish improved urban land and property taxation systems and improve overall municipal revenue; Equipment 236,500 • Undertake strategic plans and area plans for city development; Miscellaneous 349,800 • Restructure and strengthen planning departments. Total 5,904,800 ACTION PLAN Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Activities 1-6 7-12 1-6 7-12 1-6 7-12 1-6 7-12 1-6 Establish land reform Establish property dispute systems Introduce planning standards Install financial management systems Install LIS/GIS and build capacities Register land occupancy Establish land valuation system Produce strategic plans for cities Strengthen planning departments 11

URBAN GOVERNANCE, MANAGEMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING Urban and Housing Policy, Shelter Plan and Institutional Reforms Objective: To develop urban and housing policy, legal and institutional reforms, and supporting national and local housing institutions through: (a) developing a national housing policy; (b) developing a national shelter implementation plan; (c) studying, proposing and implementing institutional reforms in the housing area; (d) conducting institutional capacity-building and on- job training; and (e) establishing a nationwide observatory of human settlements and shelter.

Expected Results: • Housing survey completed, consultation with national stakeholders held and housing policy prepared; • Housing studies completed, consultations with national stakeholders held and shelter implementation plan prepared; • Assessment completed, and institutional reform of housing proposed and implemented; • Housing institutions strengthened and training completed; • A human settlement and shelter observatory established.

Activities: • Develop a National Housing Policy, assess housing stock, conduct a housing/socio-economic survey, evaluate policies and assess housing policy compo- nents. Identify and assess prevailing problems and prepare a draft national housing policy do be dis- cussed in a consultative workshop and prepare the housing policy document for submission; • Develop a National Shelter Strategy, define standards and unit costs, conduct affordability analyses, analyse economic factors; • Support the local legal, policy and institutional setup for the housing and human settlement sector, assess the institutional set up, propose alternatives and ra- tionalise human settlements and urban governance BUDGET (US$) functions; Project personnel 354,200 • Establish observatories of national and local hu- Sub-contract 22,000 man settlements to monitor urban development Training 24,200 and MDG implementation, assess monitoring Equipment 16,500 mechanisms, design institutional set-ups and build capacities. Miscellaneous 27,500 Total 444,400

ACTION PLAN MONTHS Activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Develop a housing policy Prepare a shelter implementation plan Support the housing institutional set-up Establish human settlement observatories 12 LIBERIA: SETTLEMENT AND SHELTER REHABILITATION PROGRAMME Overall Framework of Interventions Projects Expected Results REINTEGRATION, SETTLEMENT & SLUM UPGRADING AND ECONOMIC GROWTH Reintegration of war-affected • Settlements upgraded, basic services rehabilitated and war-affected persons reintegrated • Communities and war-affected persons trained in infrastructure construction skills persons • Local economies improved through the development of livelihoods for women and men • Enhanced capacity of the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC)

Settlement & Slum Upgrading • Improved public health in four epidemic-prone areas in Monrovia as a result of upgrading • Community provided with infrastructure construction skills • Water availability improved in targeted slums • Livelihood of slum communities (including men and women) improved through local economic development • Hygiene awareness campaigns conducted in targeted slums areas • Slum upgrading institution in Monrovia Corporation enhanced and strengthened • Lessons learned evaluated, documented and disseminated INFRASTRUCTURE REHABILITATION AND MANAGEMENT Water Delivery Improvement • Improved potable water delivery in nine main secondary cities/towns • Water infrastructure repaired and rehabilitated, including water elevated tanks • Water pumps and generators repaired/procured/installed in selected secondary cities/towns • Primary water distribution points and water stand points in secondary cities upgraded/built incrementally • Capacity for management and maintenance of water system built at local and community levels • Appropriate local water policies and guidelines developed • Private public partnerships possibilities explored and whenever possible established Feeder Road Rehabilitation • Portions of access roads rehabilitated and maintained through labour-intensive approaches • War-affected persons and community members trained in labour-intensive roads rehabilitation • Public-private partnership possibilities explored and, wherever possible, established • Local roads policies developed and capacities in city council built Solid Waste Management • Solid waste management improved including collection, removal and disposal • Public awareness raised in on-site storage, reduction, reuse and recycling of solid waste Improvement • Income opportunities created for women and men through local economic development • Public-private partnerships explored and established • Solid waste management at the city level improved URBAN GOVERNANCE, MANAGEMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING Building National and Local • Upgraded institutional, administrative and technical capacities for the Ministry of Internal Affairs. • Skills and capacities of local authorities and staff enhanced for better local governance. Authority Capacity • Enhanced local and municipal financial management capacities. • Enhanced capacities for civil society (leadership skills, institutional, human and financial development). • Enhanced capacities for local authorities and NGOs in participatory planning and decision-making. Land Governance and • Land reform & management established promotes gender equitable access to land • Consultative systems for resolving property disputes established Management • Land standards and codes with equal rights for men and women developed • National and local land management units’ capacities built • Land occupancy registration based on GIS systems in place, municipal staff trained • Urban land and property/occupancy valuation systems established • Municipal revenues system improved. Manuals prepared and staff trained • Planning instruments, tools and manuals introduced, training conducted Urban and Housing Policy, Shelter • Housing survey completed, consultation with stakeholders held and housing policy prepared • Assessment completed, and housing institutional reform proposed and implemented Plan and Institutional Reform • Shelter implementation plan prepared • Housing institutions strengthened and training completed • A human settlement and shelter observatory established 13 Overall Framework of Interventions Overall Framework of Interventions Budget Schedule Location Implementation Partners Beneficiaries (US$) Y-1 Y-2 Y-3 Y-4 Y-5

Lofa, Nimba, Mary- UNDP, UNHCR, Ministry of Planning and Economic Liberia Refugee Repatriation land and Grand Affairs (MPEA), Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), and Resettlement Commission Gedeh Counties MOGD, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), (LRRRC) 2,853,400 National Investment Commission (NIC) Counties, Local Authorities Monrovia: Logan UNDP, UNHCR, UNEP, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Monrovia City Corporation Town; Randall, Micro-credit institutions, Monrovia City Corpo- Counties Lynch Streets and ration, UNDP, MOGD, Ministry of Public Works MCC, CBO’s/NGO’s, MOPW, MOH, Soniwein areas; (MPW), Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation National Housing Authority (NHA) 5,406,500 Clara Town; and (LW&SC), Ministry of Health (MOH), EU, USAID, West Point World Bank, EPA, NIC

Kakata, Buchanan, Ministry of Internal Affairs Monrovia City Corporation Zwedru, Greenville, MPEA Counties Robertsport, Voin- Local Municipalities LW&SC jama, Saniquellie, MPW, LW&SC, EPA Municipal Authorities 4,973,650 Gbarnga, and Local residents Harper

Grand Gedeh, Ministry of Public Works Counties Maryland, Lofa and MIA Local Communities 1,327,700 Nimba Counties Municipal Authorities Municipal Authorities

Monrovia Ministry of Public Works Monrovia City Corporation MIA, MPEA, UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, WFP, EPA, UNEP 730,400

Nationwide UNDP, EU, World Bank, UNICEF, WHO, MPW, MIA, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Min- USAID, MPEA istry of Planning and Economic Institute of Public Administration (IPA) Affairs (MPEA),Community Resi- 2,063,600 dences, Local Municipalities, IPA

Monrovia, Kakata UNDP, World Bank Ministry of Lands, Mines and and Gbarnga Ministry of Internal Affairs Energy Ministry of Justice Ministry of Finance EU, MPW, IPA, MPEA Monrovia City Corporation 5,904,800 Governance Reform Commission (GRC) Counties Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo Information Local Residence Services (LISGIS) NHA, Municipal Authorities Nationwide National Habitat Secretariat Ministry of Planning and Eco- UNDP, MIA, MPW, NHA, EPA, GRC nomic Affairs (MPEA) NHA, Ministry of Lands, Mines and 444,400 Energy, MPW, Private Sector

Priority projects Necessary projects 14 LIBERIA: SETTLEMENT AND SHELTER REHABILITATION PROGRAMME

Institutional Arrangements and Programme Financing

his Liberia Settlement and Shelter Rehabilitation Programme is placed under the aegis of the country’s Na- tional Habitat Committee, chaired by the Minister of Planning and Economic Affairs and assisted by other min- Tistries responsible for the various sub-sectors together with other members of the National Habitat Committee of Liberia (NHCL). The programme will be executed by UN-HABITAT in cooperation with the Government of Liberia. However, concomitant support from local authorities will be particularly crucial, since the majority of the projects included in this Programme are to be implemented at municipal level. Therefore, plans are to set up a Project Steering Committee (PSC) in each municipality, with the county superintendent act as chair and the mayor as secretary. The National Habitat Secretariat of the NHCL at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs will coordinate and monitor programme activities of the PSCs and serve as a clearing house. The Steering Committee will comprise the county superintendent, city mayor, council members and representatives of government departments, NGOs, CBOs and the private sector and civil society representatives including, where applicable, traditional authorities. The Steering Committee will meet quarterly to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the programme. In municipalities where the United Nations County Support Teams (CSTs) are located, these will also be represented. Direct responsibility for the implementation of the various projects outlined in this Programme will be shared among a number of partners which include: local communities, relevant government departments, NGOs, CBOs, the private sector and civil society. Technical and project management support will be provided by the UN-HABITAT Project Implementation Unit (PIU) which is currently established under UNDP. The PIU already is providing support in the implementation of Reintegration and Rehabilitation Programmes under the UNDP DDRRP Trust Fund and a UNHCR- supported shelter delivery project. Further strengthening of the PIU and backstopping support from UN-HABITAT headquarters will be provided to facilitate effective delivery of assistance to the various implementing partners.

Financing Modalities The principal financing institutions for the programme are the donors (bilateral and multilateral) through grants, and the Government of Liberia. Financial contributions from these sources will require the establishment of a financing mechanism that will be both operational and efficient. This will be achieved in the following ways: 1. Through the conventional machinery of bilateral/multilateral cooperation: each financing agency selects projects proposed in this Programme and takes care of their financing/execution in accordance with their own procedures, either directly, or with technical assistance from UN-HABITAT, or through UN-HABITAT; 2. Though a financing institution allocates funds for a particular category of activities without having to specify or evaluate individual projects, it will retain ownership of the funds. The disbursements and financial accountability remain with UN-HABITAT; 3. A financing institution that prefers to divest itself of the responsibility for both disbursements and financial monitoring may use the Trust Fund established and managed by UNDP; 4. The Government of Liberia may provide its own contributions in kind and/or monies through its Development Budget either directly to the project, or to UN-HABITAT, or through the UNDP Trust Fund.

Options two, three, and four may imply the establishment of two types of mechanisms: a local approval committee and a Trust Fund 15

UN-HABITAT in Liberia

N-HABITAT has been a strategic partner in the effective positioning of the national reconstruction agenda in post-conflict Liberia by building capacities for adequate shelter and sustainable human settlements. To- Uwards this end, UN-HABITAT has supported Liberia in the establishment of the National Habitat Committee of Liberia (NHCL) and in the preparation of a National Plan of Action (NPA) as required by the Habitat II “City Summit” meeting of 1996. In 1998 the National Habitat Secretariat (NHS) was set up as the technical arm of the NHCL under the supervision of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs; its remit is to coordinate, monitor and evaluate partners’ programme activities in the sector, including those implemented by UN-HABITAT as outlined below: • A Reconstruction of Rural Housing Programme in Liberia was implemented during 1999-2001 in partnership with GoL and UNDP. This community-based project focused on capacity building at national, local and community levels; the objective was to turn communities into the prime movers of the reconstruction process. The project supported the development of micro-enterprises in the construction sector in order to promote local economic regeneration and contribute to poverty reduction in human settlements. Several micro-projects in water, sanitation, health and housing were delivered in two counties. • A Post-Conflict Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Ex-Combatants project was implemented in partnership with GoL and UNDP. This project commenced as the first phase of the County Resource Centre programme, which was launched after the National Transitional Government of Liberia was established in August 2003 and after UN-HABITAT had participated in a Joint United Nations/World Bank reconstruction needs assessment for Liberia. This project is contributing to the consolidation of the peace process with sustainable reintegration of ex-combatants into Liberian society as productive citizens; this is achieved through training of ex-combatants in building/construction skills such as masonry, plumbing, water supply, painting, welding, carpentry, electrical installa- tion, as well as through psychosocial counselling, literacy training, business management and micro-enterprise development. Over 1,000 men and women, including youths, have been trained under the project, contributing to employment creation and strengthening the capacity of national institutions to deliver adequate shelter. • A Capacity Building for Effective Shelter Delivery project, in partnership with GoL and UNHCR, is addressing the shelter sector, ensuring active participation of local institutions in shelter delivery in the counties of return for IDPs and returnees. • UN-HABITAT has also implemented a Rapid Urban Sector Profiling for Sustainability (RUSPS) in Liberia cov- ering urban governance, slums, gender, and environment to develop an understanding of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and their implications for the development of human settlements in the country. The profiles were conducted in Kakata, Gbarnga and Monrovia, involving consultations at local and national levels. Most of the projects outlined in this programme were identified during that exercise. Furthermore, UN-HABITAT has supported Liberia’s attendance at a number of international conferences on shelter and urban management, and facilitated the national review and update of the NPA required for Liberia’s participation in “Istanbul + 5” in 2001. LIBERIA: SETTLEMENT AND SHELTER REHABILITATION PROGRAMME

Our Mission The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-HABITAT, is the United Nations agency for human settlements. It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all.

History and Background Originally established in 1978 as an outcome of the United Nations conference on Human Settlements held in Van- couver, Canada, in 1976, UN-HABITAT is charged with coordinating and harmonizing human settlements activities within the UN system. It facilitates the global exchange of information on shelter and sustainable human settlements development, and gives countries policy and technical advice. At the second UN Conference on Human Settlements, in Istanbul, Turkey in June 1996, governments agreed on the Habitat Agenda and the Istanbul Declara- tion, committing themselves to the goals of adequate shelter for all and sustainable human settlements development in an urbanizing world. Five years later, in June 2001, the Declaration on Cities and other Human Settlements in the New Millennium, endorsed by the General Assembly, entrusted the organization, then called the United Na- tions Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat), with continued responsibility for supporting implementation of the Habitat Agenda. In 2002, the General Assembly transformed the organization into a fully-pledged programme of the United Nations and renamed it UN-HABITAT: United Nations Human Settlements Programme.

The UN-HABITAT strategic vision Urban poverty reduction strategies derive from an understanding of current conditions and trends (e.g., urbanization, globalization, the growth of slums and the gross inequities in urban life) and from the norms and principles that guide the United Nations response to these conditions. These norms and principles include, among others, sustainable urban development, adequate shelter for all, improvement in the lives of slum dwellers, access to safe water and sanitation, social inclusion, environmental protection and the various human rights. With experience and understanding also comes the recognition that urban and shelter finance mechanisms are essential to poverty reduction and, also, that very little may be achieved without collaborative effort as expressed in partnerships. With these imperatives in mind and with a sharper focus on urban poverty and, in particular, slums as the most vis- ible manifestation of urban poverty within the overall urbanization process, the UN-HABITAT strategic vision has been further refined, giving more attention to knowledge management, the financing of housing and human settlements and, particularly, to strategic partnerships. The expanded strategic vision is both forward looking and prag- matic, being consistent with social norms and political principles as well as with UN-HABITAT mandates, capabilities and partners’ objectives. Its main elements are: • Knowledge management and reporting, expanding the global understanding of urban development, shelter and poverty, and tracking progress in implementing the Habitat Agenda; • Advocacy of norms for sustainable urbanization and urban poverty reduction, carried forward through two global campaigns and a number of global programmes; • Technical cooperation in linking norms and campaign/programme goals to urban poverty reduction activities on the ground; • Innovative financing for urbanization and specific shelter needs of the urban poor; and • Strategic partnerships to leverage resources and coordinate international programme activities that work to- ward similar ends.

UN-HABITAT has over 150 technical programmes and projects under execution in over 60 countries, the vast majority of them in the least developed countries.

CONTACTS Regional Office for Africa and the Arab States (ROAAS) www.unhabitat.org P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi, Kenya Tel: (+254) 20-762 3075 Regional Director: Alioune Badiané ([email protected]) Senior Human Settlements Advisor: Alain Grimard ([email protected])