Strengthening Urban and Regional Planning in KR-I (01-09-2014– 29-02-2016; USD 1,070,950)

This project aimed to better understand the existing planning capacities of KR-I and its priority planning needs and enhance them through a training programme and on-the-job learning at regional and governorate levels. The project further aimed to establish urban planning units in Erbil Governorate and within Ministry of Municipalities and Tourism, to improve the capacity of staff so that they can perform planning duties according to modern urban design principles. Essential components of the planning process include participatory planning approaches and cross cutting issues of gender and environment. »

Outputs:

Technical trainings at regional and governorate level conducted

Relevant IT skills enhanced and on the job learning for administration staff conducted

Capacity in UP project management, supervision and implementation enhanced

Local Area Development Programme II (1/1/2015 – 31/12/2017; USD 2,101,048)

The project aims to strengthen good governance in Iraq by improving the delivery of public services, through improved planning and implementation UN-Habitat participatory planning process processes at governorate level. »

Outcomes:

The capacity of institutions, private sector and civil society to provide equitable and quality public and civil services strengthened

National and sub-national government capacities for evidence-based decision making enhanced

National Programme for the Rehabilitation and Regularization of Informal Settlements and IDP Areas in Iraq – Phases I and II (01/09/2014 – 31/08/; USD 2,000,000)

The project was designed to address the challenges faced by IDPs in Iraq following the sectarian violence of 2006, including lack of access to housing finance, lack of a coherent and multi-sectoral strategy for assistance, and lack of institutional and legislative means to address issues surrounding informal settlements.

The project also aims to address challenges faced by the rapidly increasing number of IDPs since the IS onslaught and resulting crisis. The overall objective of the project is to enable IDPs and vulnerable people residing in informal settlements to have increased access to affordable housing with security of tenure and basic services through the implementation of National Strategy for Informal Settlements.

Key outputs to date:

  • The project contributed to the development and endorsement of a policy roadmap by the Iraqi Council of Ministers in 2015 to enable IDPs and vulnerable Iraqi groups living in informal settlements/IDP areas to have increased access to affordable housing with security of tenure and basic services. The programme’s roadmap is based on the following components:

(1) development of legal solutions using the already existed legislation, or introducing new innovative legal solutions

(2) implementation of institutional structure by Iraqi national counterparts with distinct responsibilities and tasks

(3) innovative and implementable technical solutions based on modern and successful experiences

(4) structured financial support through special funding to assist governorates and municipalities in implementation

  • Boundaries of all informal settlements and IDP areas were delineated in 15 governorates of central and southern Iraq, and the city-level base-maps were generated based on a detailed settlements survey in collaboration with the Central Statistical Organization.
  • On-the-job training on Geographic Information System (GIS) was conducted targeting officials of the Ministry of Planning, and maps for all governorates within the GIS platform were produced.