HIC

The policies of modernization, support and promotion of the so-called free market, and economic globalization, are implying not only a high social cost, but are also canceling rights achieved through the struggles of the people and closing spaces of individual and collective freedom that previously allowed the people to themselves resolve the satisfaction of their basic needs.

Authoritarianism, the centralization of decision-making, and the abandonment by governments of their responsibilities to society have been key factors of this process, which has provoked the growing [divergence] between the "development” project—imposed by minority sectors linked to economic and political powers—and the real world in which the majority of the world's inhabitants live.

HIC develops its work within this context, oriented by precise objectives and by a clear policy that defines its commitment with the social groups that aim to obtain a shelter or more dignified habitat conditions.

In the perspective of the plural world and the different working styles and levels of development of our regional networks and principal programs, the HIC structure in place since 1987 has maintained organizational forms that, even though they operated in a very decentralized manner, still reproduced formal [decision-making structures] that seldom represented the work carried out.

In response to the growth of our activity and the sharpening of the global trends pointed out [above], the 1993 HIC General Assembly, which met in Manila, the Philippines, adopted the decision to call for a new review of our principles, operation criteria and organizational structure.

Through the direction of the Board and under the coordination of the extended Executive Committee, several meetings and internal consultations were carried out between late 1993 and late 1996 which led us to undertake a profound revision of the philosophy that guides us and the principles that orient both our external activity and our internal operation. Based on this process of group reflection, a series of organizational objectives and guidelines was prepared

orient the revision of the HIC structure. Based on those guidelines, a new structure proposal was developed that, in addition to reflecting more transparently the values and principles that orient us, was able to respond more effectively to the challenges we currently confront.

Before the legal establishment of the new structure, many of the proposed changes were put into practice with good results. The best ways to incorporate organizational practices and new initiatives developing within many of the regional and thematic bodies were also studied.

Finally, in the Board meetings held in Valle de Bravo, Mexico in October 1996, the final organizational proposal was prepared, and the recommendation of the Board to proceed with the presentation of the proposed Constitutional amendments to the following General Assembly for its consideration was approved by the Assembly held in Mexico City, on 29 October 1996.

The linkage of the group of bodies that forms the Coalition should be based on sets of principles, values and objectives known and shared by its members. The Coalition aims to be a decentralized structure, prioritizing substance over form, and emphasizing autonomy, freedom, and flexibility over undue bureaucracy, hierarchies and rigid controls.

The operating structure of HIC should reflect and comply with the following key principles adhered to by the Coalition. The principles are focused on characteristics of a new democratic and participative organizational model, while incorporating positive aspects of more traditional organizational structures when appropriate.

A number of other concepts to orient the operation of the Coalition also were identified. The bodies that make up the structure should be action-oriented and be coordinated by motivational leadership based on the generation of ideas, creativity and strong commitment. The structure should be multicentric, with decentralized responsibility within a simple, flat organizational model. The structure also should be self-regulating through democratic and participative processes that carry out continuous evaluation, including of concrete impacts. The structure should be organic, in that it should mold to the environment and circumstances, with a minimum of bureaucratic rules, standards and procedures. While it is not a federation, the structure should be based on a federative group of autonomous bodies that form the whole

External policy: governments and multilateral institutions

Within the perspective provided by these principles and objectives, our Coalition works to compel fulfillment of the following demands presented to the governments and multilateral institutions. These challenges are the basis of our interaction with them.

i. Governments should recognize that the measures to provide adequate housing for all have been incomplete and unsuccessful,

ii. Governments should recognize that the population, through different expressions of the civil society, has in fact the greatest impact on the resolution of human settlements and housing problems through its own various forms of production and improvement of living conditions of houses and cities.

iii. Governments should recognize the current environmental and habitat crisis and declare a state of emergency to be confronted together with the principal actors.

iv. Civil society expressions must be recognized as contributions to dialogue and negotiation in all levels of decision-making in housing and habitat development. The housing sector must be fully democratized, with civil society organizations as full counterparts in dialogue.

v. Governments and multilateral development agencies must recognize that the structural adjustment measures and the modernization and privatization policies that constitute the first steps in the strategy of economic globalization, instead of opening conditions that guarantee access to land and adequate housing for all, are increasing the cost of shelter production and closing spaces to peoples' initiatives, thus increasing the shelter crisis and forcing more people to resort to so-called "illegal" options to fulfill their housing needs.

These demands present us with a series of considerations and challenges for the integration of an organizational structure that allows us effectively to promote changes toward the reversal of the degenerative global trends.

Three fundamental elements for the revision of the HIC structure are as follows:

The new HIC structure is based on the following guidelines which are grouped according to the six proposed objectives.

b) In relation to the second and third objectives: associative structure and democratic procedures

i. The HIC structure should be based on the concrete activity that it develops, and not in abstract and formal representations. It's bases are:

ii. The building of a Coalition can happen only if processes are put into place that will instill confidence in the workings of HIC.

iii. One of the main challenges facing the development and effectiveness of an associative structure is the ability to oversee communication and cross-facilitation among the range of activities with which it is .involved.

iv. All activity recognized by the Coalition should have a reference within the organizational structure:

v. Once mature, the regional processes and permanent programs may constitute autonomous bodies such as HIC Regions and Committees that should:

vi. The peoples' social processes that are significant in different regions (movements, networks, fronts, dialog or exchange groups) and that are linked to the activity of HIC may be represented in the Board.

vii. Spontaneous initiatives related to the main concerns of HIC should also influence the development of the HIC organizational structure. This will allow HIC to respond to new manifestations of realities.

viii. All bodies and representatives that integrate the HIC structure should be accountable to their members and to the Coalition as a whole.

ix. The same principles that orient this proposal should be applied as appropriate within each region and program.

i. The building of a coalition implies linking diverse persons, institutions, processes and initiatives that share common purposes. This demands of us:

ii. Priority and greater attention should be given to fields of action and types of activity according to:

iii. Communication via a shared strategy should be given higher priority over simply information sharing. This strategy-sharing implies:

i. Definition of mechanisms of coordination, interaction and mutual support among the diverse bodies that make up the Coalition.

ii. Definition of terms of reference for all of the directive, support and action bodies of our Coalition, including:

i. Procedures for the nomination of candidates and the designation or election of those responsible for directive, support and executive positions must be properly adapted to the new structure and organizational criteria.

ii. Definition of a minimum of conduct rules that guarantee fair play among HIC entities, between these and their members, and among members themselves to avoid:

iii. Minimum regulation to avoid operative problems and unnecessary costs such as:

The new HIC structure distinguishes three levels of operation among the different bodies that make up the Coalition.

The purpose of the Coalition is to support the social processes that act in the habitat field. More than an organization that works to the service of its members, the members are the ones who, organized locally, nationally, regionally and internationally, aim to serve the social sectors that suffer needs or violations of their human rights in the habitat field.

For that reason, the base and the first level on which the new structure is built is the operative level that links the territorial and thematic bodies that work directly linked to the social processes.

In a second level are located the support bodies, whose main task is to manage the coordination among the diverse operational bodies. The support bodies work for the mutual strengthening among the operative groups, motivating them, promoting them before third parties, facilitating and supporting their operation and interaction, keeping them informed, helping them to overcome conflicts that prevent them from reaching higher organizational levels and to obtain greater strength to confront their challenges, promoting solidarity in critical situations and, above all, helping them, while respecting their autonomy, to work more effectively within the shared objectives and strategies.

The support bodies are also guarantors of the fulfillment of the strategies, plans of .action and programs agreed upon by the steering bodies.

The third level is made up by the steering bodies, which direct the collective process, developed by the Coalition at the global level. The steering bodies help to give congruency, direction and strength to the operative base, and to guarantee greater effectiveness to an open and flexible structure oriented by principles of autonomy, decentralization, respect for different approaches and operating styles, respect for diversity and cultural plurality, flexibility, adaptability, complexity, democratic participation and creative freedom, a minimum of norms and bureaucratic regulations and free flow of information.

The joint formulation of strategies and general and programmatic plans of action, supported through a vision provided by the best informed and most committed persons in the diverse fields of activity of the Coalition, guarantees a strategic and democratic steering of the Coalition. This responds to another set of principles oriented to give coherence, consistency and, thus, greater effectiveness to the international work of the Coalition. In this regard stand out the principles of prudence, solidarity building, efficiency, coresponsibility, accountability, transparency, stability, equity, confidence, motivational and committed leadership, and permanent revision and evaluation of the activities and results and of the operative structure itself.

This dialectical interaction among the operative .and the directive or steering levels .demands radical changes in the selection criteria of the members of the Board to guarantee that those who occupy a position in the Board represent the concrete work developed by the Coalition in support of the social processes.