The operational activities of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) are focused on supporting governments in the formulation of policies and strategies to create and strengthen a self-reliant management capacity at both national and local levels. Technical and managerial expertise is provided for the assessment of human settlements development constraints and opportunities: the identification and analysis of policy options; the design and implementation of housing and urban development projects; and the mobilization of national resources, as well as external support for improving human settlement conditions. This national capacity-building process involves not only central government institutions but also stakeholders such as community-based and non-governmental organizations, universities and research institutions, as well as local governments and municipalities. Emphasis is also being placed upon strengthening governments’ monitoring capacities in human settlement management.

In accordance with its work-programme, UN-HABITAT’s operational activities are focused on the following priorities: (i) Promoting shelter for all; (ii) Improving urban governance; (iii) Reducing urban poverty; (iv) Improving the living environment; and v) Managing disaster mitigation and post-conflict rehabilitation. Acting as a catalyst in the mobilization of technical co-operation, UN-HABITAT is supporting the implementation of the Habitat Agenda at the local, national and regional levels. Lessons learned from operational activities are also being used to formulate global policy options and guidelines, particularly in the framework of the two Global Campaigns for Secure Tenure and Good Urban Governance.

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) in Serbia is steadfast in supporting Serbia in the ongoing national reform process of the housing sector and in planning, in its effort to develop adequate policy and institutional framework in line with preconditions for integration to the European Union.

SIRP – Settlement and Integration of Refugees Programme in Serbia

SIRP Programme is rooted in the 2001 pledge from the Government of Italy to support the sustainable settlement and integration of refugees and vulnerable households in Serbia. The Government of Italy signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UN-HABITAT in September 2002 for the formulation and implementation of the Euro fifteen million project.

Partners:

• Donor: Government of Italy
• National counterpart: Ministry for Capital Investments of the Republic of Serbia
• Local Authorities: Municipalities of Cacak, Kraljevo, Pancevo, Stara Pazova and Valjevo, and Cities of Kragujevac and Nis

Duration: July 2003 – October 2007

Civil wars and the subsequent emergence of newly independent states in the Balkans region led to the displacement and impoverishment of thousands of people in Serbia. In 2003, there were about 279,000 refugees in Serbia, mainly from Bosnia and Croatia, and 205,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Kosovo and Metohija.

SIRP Programme aims at supporting sustainable settlement and integration of refugees and other vulnerable groups in Serbia by combining direct delivery of housing units and social integration schemes with policy development, institutional building and other capacity-building activities in the areas of social housing and integrated planning for development, with a view to ensure future scaling-up and sustainability and facilitating harmonization with EU standards.

Main activities include:

• Providing financial and technical support to beneficiary municipalities for direct delivery of 670 sustainable housing solutions for refugees and other vulnerable households and to the Serbian Government and municipalities to establish appropriate instruments and policies in the social housing sector;
• Providing financial and technical support to municipalities and their local partners to facilitate integration of vulnerable populations in local labour markets, to improve civic behaviour and to develop appropriate social schemes; and
• Assisting municipalities to develop tools for integrated planning for development and municipal information systems.