AUICK Second Study Course on Specific Fields of Urban Policy 1997

THEME

Population and Housing.

BACKGROUND

With support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the city of Kobe, the Asian Urban Information Center of Kobe (AUICK) was founded in 1989. Since then it has been engaged in the study and research of urban problems commonly facing Asian cities. In addition, through the "Group Training Course on Integrated Urban Policy" established in 1994, AUICK has introduced the urban policies that Kobe and other Japanese cities have implemented toward various urban problems, such as housing, environment, public transportation, and health and medical services. Thus, AUICK has been contributing to Asian cities in finding clues that help solve their urban problems.

AUICK established the "Study Course on Specific Fields of Urban Policy" in 1996 with the aim of studying specific urban problems facing medium-sized cities in Asia. AUICK will invite one participant each year for three consecutive years from the same city. Each year a participant will be selected from a different field based on that year's theme.

AIM

The theme of this year's course was "Population and Housing." In the study courseparticipants exchanged opinions on the housing problems in Kobe and countermeasurestaken by the Kobe City Government, including the experience of the Great Hanshin-Awai Earthquake, as well as its future, tasks.

This course was also aimed at building a network to promote the interchange of persons and exchange of information among the participating cities AUTCK and the, city of Kobe.

The study was carried out by holding workshop style meetings where participants can study urban issues through the exchange of their expertise knowledge and experience under the coordination of lecturers.

PARTICIPANTS

The course consisted of participants from 9 target cities (countries): Chittangong (Bangladesh), Tianjin (China), Surabaya (Indonesia), Faisalabad (Pakistan), Pusan (South Korea), Olongapo (The Philippines), Singapore, Khon Kaen (Thailand), Haiphong (Vietnam).

Mohammed Abu Taher
Superintending Engineer, Chittagong City corporation, BANGLADESH

Shouyi Hao
Vice Director, Tianjin Urban & Rural construction, Supervise Committee, CHINA

Musdiq Ali Suhudi
Staff, City Planning Division, City Planning Department, Surabaya Municipality, INDONESIA

Ssajjar Hussain
Chief Medical Officer of Health, Munucupal Corporation Fasalabad, PAKISTAN

Elizabeth Simpao Zavalla
Coordinator, City Planning and Development Office, Olongapo City, PHILIPPINES

Chong Weng Yong
Head, Estate Services Section, Housing and Development Board, SINGAPORE

Yeol Choi
Senior Researcher, Institute for Policy Development, Pusan Metropolitan City, SOUTH KOREA

Woraphan Chantaramai
Plan and Pol icy Analyst, Khon Kaen Municipality, THAILAND

Nguyen Anh Dung
Chief, Planning Department, Planning Institute of  Haiphong City, VIETNAM

PERIOD

PROGRAM

REVIEW

It was decided that the special issues to be discussed during AUICK's Second Study Course on Specific Fields of Urban Policies in 1997 were to focus on housing and family in urban areas in selected countries in Asia. We recognized that family composition and living arrangement have changed radically in Asian countries, particularly in cities. As such, city administrators are facing serious problems due to an imbalance between economic growth and social development. In addition, we believe that the city adminis- trators were able to learn from the action that Kobe officials took in response to the disastrous earthquake of 1995, especially in the areas of family life and housing

It was said that the basic objective of development is to create an environment in which people can enjoy a longer and more creative and healthy life. This is the idea of human development proposed by the United Nations in 1990. We know that a longer and more creative and healthy life could be realized through appropriate housing satisfy- ing family needs. Often housing is not able to meet the changing needs of family structure. This is particularly true when cities are expanding rapidly. A tremendous increase of migration into urban areas is the major reason for the creation of the great gap between supply and demand of housing, not only in number but also in quality.

There were two important benefits for this Second Study Course. One was the opportunity for participants to learn detailed information about the housing situation as a result of the earthquake that struck Kobe in 1995 from many Kobe administrators who were actually engaged in dangerous relief activities and reconstruction projects. Another benefit was the participation of Professor Prem P. Talwar who discussed housing issues in India. Participants had a good opportunity to compare the housing situation in India with the one in their own countries and gained some insight into handling issues in the future.

Housing can be conceived as the "container" of a family. This container is relatively elastic. Demographic and socio-economic factors affect family structure and living arrangements. Demographic changes like fertility and mortality contribute to changes in family structure directly. It is very important for city administrators to pay close attention to the vital change of demographic phenomena and its effect on family structure, which must be taken into account in formulating housing policy.

I believe that the sufficiently experienced and qualified participants were able to enjoy a somewhat tight schedule and gained something new through two weeks of discussion and observation.