Asian Coalition for Housing Rights

Asian Coalition for Housing Rights
Name	Asian Coalition for Housing Rights
Type	Non-governmental organization
Founded	1988
Headquarters	Bangkok, Thailand
Region served	Asia-Pacific

Asian Coalition for Housing Rights

The Asian Coalition for Housing Rights is a regional non-governmental organization based in Bangkok, Thailand, that works on urban poor empowerment, community-driven housing, and slum upgrading across Asia. It collaborates with municipal authorities, grassroots federations, development banks, and international agencies to implement pro-poor urban policies and projects in countries including India, Bangladesh, Philippines, Cambodia, and Indonesia. The coalition draws on experience from landmark initiatives, pilot projects, and policy dialogues to influence urban planning, land tenure, and infrastructure finance.

History and Formation

The coalition emerged in the late 1980s following exchanges among community leaders, activists, and practitioners who had engaged with Asian Development Bank, United Nations Centre for Human Settlements, United Nations Human Settlements Programme, World Bank, and national movements such as National Slum Dwellers Federation (India), Kyunghan, and Homeless People's Federation Philippines. Founding members included representatives from federations and NGOs linked to networks like Slum/Shack Dwellers International, Urban Poor Fund International, and city-based organizations that had worked with municipal authorities in Bangkok, Manila, Jakarta, and Mumbai. Early initiatives drew lessons from projects associated with UN-Habitat, Ford Foundation, Asian Development Bank Housing Finance, and bilateral programs involving Japan International Cooperation Agency and United States Agency for International Development.

Mission and Objectives

The coalition's mission emphasizes community-led upgrading, tenure security, and pro-poor urban governance, reflecting agendas promoted by UN-Habitat, Millennium Development Goals, and later the Sustainable Development Goals. Objectives include supporting grassroots federations such as National Slum Dwellers Federation (India), fostering municipal partnerships like those in Pune, enabling participatory planning influenced by cases from Kibera and Orangi Pilot Project, and advocating policy change at forums including World Urban Forum, UN Commission on Human Settlements, and regional bodies such as ASEAN. The organization seeks to bridge local practice with international finance mechanisms exemplified by International Finance Corporation dialogues and debates at Asian Development Bank conferences.

Programs and Activities

Programs encompass community savings, incremental housing, negotiated land tenure, and citywide upgrading strategies modeled after examples like the Orangi Pilot Project, Kibera slum upgrading, and Favela-Bairro. Activities include training for community leaders drawn from federations akin to Homeless People's Federation Philippines and National Slum Dwellers Federation (India), technical assistance with municipal projects in cities like Dhaka and Ho Chi Minh City, and policy advocacy at events such as the World Urban Forum and UN-Habitat Assembly. The coalition has facilitated access to finance through mechanisms related to Slum/Shack Dwellers International savings schemes, engaged with lenders such as Asian Development Bank and World Bank affiliates, and partnered on research with institutions like Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies and International Institute for Environment and Development.

Organizational Structure and Governance

The coalition operates as a regional secretariat in Bangkok coordinating with national partners, community federations, and technical advisers similar to those in Habitat International Coalition and Slum/Shack Dwellers International. Governance arrangements involve a steering committee reflecting federations, NGOs, and city partners analogous to boards used by UN-Habitat projects and Asian Development Bank civil society dialogues. Staffing combines community organizers, urban planners, and policy analysts with affiliations to universities and institutes such as Asian Institute of Technology and Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies, while project management often aligns with practices used by Shelter Associates and NGO Forum on Cambodia.

Partnerships and Networks

The coalition maintains partnerships with grassroots federations including groups comparable to Homeless People's Federation Philippines, National Slum Dwellers Federation (India), and Alliance of People’s Organizations. It engages multilateral institutions such as the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and UN-Habitat, bilateral donors including Japan International Cooperation Agency and Department for International Development (UK), and research partners like International Institute for Environment and Development and Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies. Networking occurs through regional platforms exemplified by ASEAN, global movements such as Slum/Shack Dwellers International, and events including the World Urban Forum.

Funding and Financial Model

Funding streams combine donor grants from foundations and agencies like the Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation, project funding from multilateral lenders including Asian Development Bank and World Bank-affiliated programs, and technical cooperation from bilateral partners such as Japan International Cooperation Agency and Australian Aid. The coalition supports community savings models informed by Slum/Shack Dwellers International practice and links those savings to municipal credit lines and city development funds similar to mechanisms promoted by UN-Habitat and Cities Alliance. Financial oversight adheres to standards resembling those used by international NGOs and multilateral-funded projects.

Impact and Recognition

The coalition's work has influenced policy and practice in urban upgrading, tenure regularization, and participatory planning across South and Southeast Asia, drawing attention in forums like the World Urban Forum, UN Human Rights Council discussions on housing, and publications by International Institute for Environment and Development. It has been cited alongside case studies such as the Orangi Pilot Project, Kibera upgrading initiatives, and municipal innovations in Pune and Surabaya, contributing to dialogues involving UN-Habitat, Asian Development Bank, and World Bank urban programs. Recognition has come through collaborations with award-winning projects showcased at regional conferences and in analyses by institutions like Habitat International Coalition and Cities Alliance.

Category:Housing organizations Category:Non-governmental organizations Category:Urban planning