Apart from a dynamic economy, social indicators still highlight the insecure living conditions of Malagasy people, mainly because of inadequate social infrastructures (schools, health centers, etc.) and dysfunctional public services. In addition, living conditions differ from one location to another, but are typically more challenging in rural than in urban areas, with a definite advantage for the capital, Antananarivo, compared with the rest of the country.

Poverty is markedly more severe in the southern regions of the country. Females are more prone to poverty: 80 per cent of female-headed households are poor, compared with 60 for male-headed.

The Habitat Country Programme Document for Malawi outlines the main development objectives and priorities in the area of shelter and human settlements in Malawi. In collaboration with the Government, local and international partners, and other UN Agencies, the overall aim of this HCPD is to attain sustainable urbanisation and reduce urban poverty.

Through an analysis of seven key sectors including: Governance, Land, Housing, Water and Sanitation, Urban planning and management and HIV/ AIDS and through partnerships with the Malawi Local Government Association, the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Housing, and Ministries responsible for Land, Housing and Local Government, UN-HABITAT has assisted to identify key urban issues and areas of support to improve the urban situation in Malawi.

The Namibia Habitat Country Programme Document is the result of a collaborative effort between various agencies in Namibia, namely, the United Nations Development Programme and UN-HABITAT, in consultation and in collaboration with the government of Namibia.

This UN-HABITAT Country Programme Document was produced after a series of consultative meetings were held with the United Nations Development Programme country office and the UN-HABITAT programme. Over a two-year period, the country programme will be implemented in conjunction with the United Nations Development Assistance Framework and will coincide with the formulation of the Third National Development Plan, or National Development Plan 3.

The Habitat Country Programme Document for Nigeria outlines the main objectives and priorities for UN-HABITAT. In collaboration with the government and other United Nations Agencies, the overall aim of this UN-HABITAT Country Programme Document is to promote the Habitat Agenda. UN-HABITAT plays an active role in urban development and urban policy.

Through partnerships with the Federal Ministry of Environment, Housing and Urban Development, UN-HABITAT has assisted in identifying key urban issues, and areas needing support to improve the urban situation in Nigeria. Analysis of seven key sectors include: governance, land and housing, shelter and basic services, urban planning and management, housing/urban development and the environment, vulnerability reduction and capacity development.

The Nigeria UN-HABITAT Country Programme Document provides an overview of the national policy and the areas of intervention that Government must address in meeting its urban development challenges.

The Habitat Country Programme Document for Zambia outlines the main objectives and priorities for UN-HABITAT and the Zambian Government. In collaboration with the Government and other United Nations Agencies, the overall aim of this UNHABITATCountry Programme Document is to promote the Habitat Agenda. UN-HABITAT plays an active role in urban development and urban policy.

Through partnerships with various ministries, UNHABITAT has assisted in identifying key urban issues and areas of support to improve the urban situation in Zambia. Through an analysis of four key sectors including: HIV/AIDS, Local Governance, Housing and Basic Services and Urban Environment, the Zambia UN-HABITAT Country Programme Document provides an overview of the national policy context and the intervention areas for the Government to address urban development challenges.

The Republic of Indonesia is an equatorial archipelago of over 17,500 islands (6,000 inhabited) extending about 3,200 miles or 5,150 kilometers East to West and 1,250 miles or 2,012 kilometres North to South.

It is the largest archipelago in the world with 1,919,443 square kilometers or 741,098 square miles divided into 33 provinces.Indonesia is also the fourth largest (and the largest muslim) population in the world with 218,868,791 people (2005 census).

With an estimate of 87% of the total number of population living in urban areas (a rate higher than that of the Arab States), urbanization is considered one of the key issues facing Lebanon.

The population is distributed unevenly among regions. Around 48% of total number of the population is distributed in Beirut and Mount Lebanon regions alone, whereas only 13.6% live in Bekaa region (the largest governorate in size).

The Habitat Country Programme Document for Liberia outlines the main objectives and priorities for UN-HABITAT. In collaboration with the Government and other UN Agencies, the overall aim of the UN-HABITAT Country Programme Documents is to promote the Habitat Agenda. UN-HABITAT plays an active role in urban development and policy formulation.

Through partnerships with various ministries, UN-HABITAT has assisted in identifying key urban issues and areas of support to improve the urban situation in Liberia.

UN-HABITAT had been present in Nepal intermittently since the late 1980s engaging in a number of technical assistance programmes in the field of human settlements development. In 2005, the Water for Asian Cities was launched in the country focusing on water and environmental sanitation infrastructure and administration.

The primary governmental counterpart for this programme is the Ministry of Physical Planning Works and its relevant departments, while secondary counterparts are local authorities. As of September 2007, a Habitat Programme Manger has also been recruited to strengthen representation of the agency with government and the UN Country Team.

This UN-HABITAT Country Programme Document (HCPD) has been developed in the context of a historically significant political transition that is taking place in Nepal at present. The HCPD attempts to address key urban development challenges and priorities on the thematic areas of land and housing, shelter and basic services, capacity development and urban governance.

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is the world’s 7th most populous and second largest Muslim nation, after Indonesia, with a population of about 160 million. Current trends in urban development remain uncontrolled and unguided and are highly unsustainable.

Despite a well developed legal framework, a number of local good practices and significant national expertise, fragmentation and overlapping of responsibilities at all levels makes addressing these issues complex. Very little is achieved in implementing the existing set of policies covering human settlements and housing.

This situation has resulted in exacerbating urban poverty amidst a rapidly growing urban economy. The social unrest and instability in the cities is attributed to this gap between the rich and the poor in the urban areas.