As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries requested their citizen to ‘stay at home’ to stay safe. Not for everyone home is actually a safe place. Housing conditions and density of informal settlements often do not allow residents to follow basic hygienic measures or to keep the minimum social distance to reduce spreading the virus.

This joint UNECE - FIG online workshop looks at the situation of informal settlements in the pan-European region and ways to formalize informal developments. The Guidelines for the Formalization of Informal Constructions will be launched and illustrated by case studies from the region. The publication was developed jointly by UNECE Working Party on Land Administration (WPLA) and the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG). It is a brief, practical and easy-to-read guide, explaining how to structure a program for the formalization of informal constructions.

As countries are preparing for post-COVID recovery, these Guidelines may be of particular interest. Benefits from formalizing informal settlements could contribute to economic recovery by integrating them into land markets, with clear ownership titles and registration. Security of tenure, right to ownership of land and property provides access to credit and environmental, planning, construction, and utility-provision improvements can be initiated to a standard where people can live in adequate and healthy homes.

The publication was planned to be launched at the FIG Working Week 2020 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands at a special joint UNECE - FIG session. As the Working Week was cancelled, the launch has been converted into this online workshop. The workshop will take place online via WebEx. To participate, please register through the following link http://indico.un.org/e/informal.settlements

When registering you may also ask already some questions to be answered by speakers during the session.

Agenda

Provisional agenda (as of 11 June)

Background information

• Guidelines on the formalization of Informal Constructions
• COVID-19 Guidance Note Protecting residents of informal settlements by the Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing
• Formalizing the Informal: Challenges and Opportunities of Informal Settlements in South-East Europe (2015)
• Self-Made Cities: In search of sustainable solutions for informal settlements in the UNECE region (2009)

Presentations

For more information, please contact: Ms. Maike Salize at housing-landmanagement@un.org