Strategic Project For the Year 2004-2007

Between 2004 and 2007, AUICK's new project is focusing on nine selected medium-sized cities, representing nine Asian countries. Under this plan, AUICK is continuing to organize training programmes, but is also seeking to coordinate with national and local programs conducted by UNFPA country offices. Our vision is to train personnel who will play key roles in the urban development and improvement of their respective cities, which in turn will lead to a decrease in population growth and related problems. AUICK also envisages developing these cities, which we shall call AUICK Associate Cities (AACs), into successful models in Asia, thus forming a circle of South-South cooperation. As the need arises, collaboration is also sought between AACs and local universities, research institutions and non-governmental organizations.

Implementation is being achieved in the following ways:

1. AUICK serves as a forum for sharing experiences and lessons learnt in incorporating population issues in urban planning among the urban planners and administrators of medium-sized cities.


2. AUICK is focusing on the following nine AUICK Associate Cities (AACs): Chittagong (Bangladesh), Weihai (China), Chennai (India), Surabaya (Indonesia), Kuantan (Malaysia), Faisalabad (Pakistan), Olongapo (Philippines), Khon Kaen (Thailand), and Danang (Vietnam).


3. AUICK is developing models of good urban planning that integrate population, reproductive health and gender issues, by developing a pool of professionals in cities through research and training. AUICK is organizing the following conferences and training programmes:
   
   
   • Mayors Conference – to be held every four years to obtain their political commitment to population issues especially within their cities and to set a four-year program goal, including the establishment and strengthening of the AACs Network;
     
   
   
   • Seminars on Specific Themes – held twice every year to improve the knowledge, awareness, and understanding of senior city planners and administrators on specific issues of population and urban development; and
   
   
   • Monitoring Visits – AUICK staff visit each AAC every year to monitor the results of training and to observe how administrators have applied what they learnt in seminars.
   
   
4. AUICK explores developing linkages among these cities to build South-South cooperation, and between cities and universities/institutes/NGOs, as appropriate, for long term sustainability of the activities.


5. AUICK focuses training on those components of the programs that could help achieve the MDGs and the ICPD POA goals, particularly on the issues of HIV/AIDS; poverty; education, particularly for girls and women; the conditions of slum dwellers; reproductive health among adolescents; water and sanitation; the environment and ageing.


6. AUICK disseminates successful experiences and projects to other cities (beyond the model cities) through South-South cooperation by building an inter/intra country network of cities, close relationships with UNFPA country and regional programmes, and through them, with the central governments.


7. AUICK prepares case studies of successful strategies of urban planning in different sectors and shares their results with trainees and administrators everywhere.


8. AUICK publishes a newsletter and maintains and develops the user-friendly website for effective and timely dissemination of information/knowledge to other planners and administrators.

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