(For the full text of the Istanbul Declaration contact: http://www.unchs.org/hd  at UNCHS Special Session and click on Declaration. )

We, the representatives of Governments, being guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, meeting at this special session of the General Assembly to review the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, to recognize progress, and to identify obstacles and emerging issues, reaffirm our will and commitment to implement fully the Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements [Report of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), Istanbul, 3-14 June 1996 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.97.IV.6), chap. I, resolution 1, annex I.] and the Habitat Agenda and decide on further initiatives, in the spirit of the United Nations Millennium Declaration.[Resolution 55/2.] The Istanbul Declaration and the Habitat Agenda [Ibid., annex II.] will remain the basic framework for sustainable human settlements development in the years to come

Therefore, we:

1. Reaffirm that human beings are at the centre of our concern for sustainable development and that they are the basis for our actions in implementing the Habitat Agenda;

Re-emphasize that rural and urban areas are economically, socially and environmentally interdependent, and that cities and towns are engines of growth contributing to the development of both rural and urban human settlements. Half of the world's inhabitants live in rural settlements, and, in Africa and Asia, the population in the rural areas represents a majority. Integrated physical planning and balanced attention to rural and urban living conditions are of crucial importance for all nations. Full advantage must be taken of the complementary contributions and linkages between rural and urban areas, by giving appropriate attention to their different economic, social and environmental requirements. While addressing urban poverty, it is also essential to eradicate rural poverty and to improve living conditions, as well as to create employment and educational opportunities in rural settlements and small and medium-sized cities and towns in rural areas;

. Renew and reaffirm our commitments in the Habitat Agenda concerning adequate shelter for all, sustainable human settlements, enablement and participation, gender equality, financing shelter and human settlements, international cooperation, and assessing progress;
 
 

 Reaffirm that the family is the basic unit of society and as such should be strengthened. It is entitled to receive comprehensive protection and support. In different cultural, political and social systems, various forms of the family exist. Marriage must be entered into with the free consent of the intending spouses, and husband and wife should be equal partners. The rights, capabilities and responsibilities of family members must be respected. Human settlements planning should take into account the constructive role of the family in the design, development and management of such settlements. Society should facilitate, as appropriate, all necessary conditions for its integration, reunification, preservation, improvement and protection within adequate shelter and with access to basic services and a sustainable livelihood;[Report of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), Istanbul, 3-14 June 1996 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.97.IV.6), chap. I, resolution 1, annex II, para. 31.]

 Also resolve to promote changes in attitudes, structures, policies, laws and other practices relating to gender in order to eliminate all obstacles to human dignity and equality in family and society and to promote full and equal participation of women and men, inter alia, in the formulation, implementation and follow-up of public policies and programmes;[ Ibid., para. 119 (e).]

Also resolve to empower the poor and vulnerable, inter alia through promoting greater security of tenure and enabling better access to information and good practices, including awareness of legal rights. We aim to develop specific policies for overcoming growing urban poverty;

39. Further resolve to empower local authorities, non-governmental organizations and other Habitat Agenda partners, within the legal framework and according to the conditions of each country, to play a more effective role in shelter provision and in sustainable human settlements development. This can be achieved through effective decentralization, where appropriate, of responsibilities, policy management, decision-making authority and sufficient resources, where possible including revenue-collection authority to local authorities, through participation and local democracy as well as through international cooperation and partnerships. In particular, the effective role of women in decision-making in local authorities should be ensured, if necessary through appropriate mechanisms. In this context we agree to intensify our dialogue, where possible, including, inter alia, through the Commission on Human Settlements on all issues related to effective decentralization and strengthening of local authorities, in support of the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, in conformity with the legal framework and policies of each country;

Commit ourselves to the goal of gender equality in human settlements development and resolve to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women as effective ways to combat poverty and to stimulate the development of human settlements that are truly sustainable. We further commit ourselves to formulating and strengthening policies and practices to promote the full and equal participation of women in human settlements planning and decision-making;

Affirm that, in the interest of affordable housing for the poor, it is necessary to promote cooperation among countries for popularizing the use of adequate low-cost and sustainable building materials and appropriate technology for the construction of adequate low-cost houses and services within the reach of the poor, especially in slums and unplanned settlements;

Take note with satisfaction of the ongoing housing policy formulation by many countries. We resolve to undertake legislative and administrative reforms needed to support the efforts of people, individually and collectively, to produce affordable shelter, to adopt proactive planning of land supply, to promote the efficient functioning of land markets and administration, to eradicate legal and social barriers to the equal and equitable access to land and to ensure that the equal rights of women and men to land and property are protected under the law. In implementing the above, we acknowledge the need for vigorously promoting affordable shelter and basic services for the homeless, preventing forced evictions that are contrary to the law and facilitating access of all people, particularly the poor and vulnerable groups, to information on housing legislation, including any legal rights, and to remedies where these laws are violated. In this connection, we note with appreciation and support the initial approach and activities of the Global Campaign for Secure Tenure;

 Recognizing that those living in poverty are in fact rich in innovative faculties and the importance of microcredit in eradicating poverty and improving human settlements, and following success stories of some countries in this field, we encourage Governments, within their legal framework, and both national and international financial institutions to strengthen the institutional frameworks by which it would be possible to extend microcredit to those living in poverty, particularly the women, without collateral or security;