The Asian Coalition for Housing Rights is a regional network of grassroots community organizations, NGO's and professionals actively involved with urban poor development processes in Asian cities. When ACHR was formed in 1988, there was no common or regular forum for urban social activists, NGOs, professionals and especially for grassroots or community groups working in Asian cities to meet and ex
change ideas. During the UN International Year for Shelter for the Homeless in 1987, several regional processes were organized which encouraged groups to share their experiences in addressing issues of urban poverty and housing and to discuss regional collaboration. At that time there was a shared recognition that new ideas and actions were needed to tackle the upsurge of forced evictions in Asia and to develop opportunities for organizations of the poor to gain due recognition and a meaningful role in city management and planning. In the early years of ACHR (1988-1990), emphasis were given to housing rights and problems of evictions in Asian cities; International Fact Finding Missions that put pressure on governments were organized to South Korea (twice), Hong Kong and Philippines with positive outcomes. The third stage centred on the Training and Advisory Program (TAP) supported by DFID (UK) (1994-2000). TAP was a comprehensive package of support activities for ACHR partners with cross country learning, exchange visits, regional workshops, training from key regional projects, new country action programs and research. This added significantly to the knowledge and capacity of the regional intervention process. The fourth stage, from 2000, represents a more mature process and a broader scale of intervention. This included the introduction of community savings and credit activities and the development of many Community Development Funds which have been able to influence new forms of development change in Lao PDR, Cambodia, Vietnam, Nepal, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Philippines and India. Regional responses to the Tsunami devastation have developed with the promotion of community-driven relief and rehabilitation. In terms of policy advocacy, the contribution of ACHR key activists has increasingly been recognised with requests to meet and share knowledge with policy makers including government Ministers. This reflects increasing interest in possible collaboration and support for urban community development and/or community upgrading programs. City-wide and country-wide slum upgrading in Thailand and India has been used to boost and support learning for structural change in other countries. Some ACHR interventions and support have been integrated into government policies, while others have been successfully up-scaled without government support. The upgrading of 100 slums per year in Cambodia and the community savings and credit groups initiatives in Lao PDR and Mongolia have developed into large-scale programs. Other activities include the production and widespread dissemination of international publications including the Housing By People series, Eviction Watch, and Understanding Asian Cities; also the work on protecting the heritage of cities by the participation of poor communities, the Young Professionals Program and regional information activities. ACHR is the Asian branch of the Habitat International Coalition and an executive Committee member of CITYNET. It also works closely with Slum/Shack Dwellers International (SDI) and collaborates with UN Habitat, UN-ESCAP, UNDP and the World Bank. Key members of the Coalition include:
Pakistan: Arif Hasan (OPP, URC), Perween Rahman (OPP), Anwar Rashid (OCT), Muhammad Younus (URC)
India: Sheela Patel (SPARC), Jockin Arputham (NSDF), Kirtee Shah (ASAG), Rabial Mallick (PROUD), Sandeep Virmani (Abhiyan). Jayaratne (Sevanatha), Nandasiri Gamage (Women's Bank), Upali Sumithre (Women's Development Bank Federation)
Nepal: Lajana Manandhar (Lumanti Support Group for Shelter), Prafulla Pradhan (UNESCAP)
Indonesia: Johan Silas (KIP), Wardah Hafidz (UPC and UPLINK in Jakarta)
Philippines: Denis Murphy and Ted Anana (Urban Poor Associates), Bimbo Fernandez (Pagtambayayong Foundation), Jing Karaos (ICSI and Ateneo, Manila), Ana Oliveros (FDUP), Fr. Norberto Carcellar (PACSI and Homeless People's Federation), May Domingo (PACSI / ACHR)
Cambodia: Mann Chhoeurn (UPDF/Phnom Penh Municipality), Somsak Phonpakdee & Sok Visal (UPDF)
Vietnam: Tran Minh Chau and Bang Anh Tuan (ENDA-Vietnam)
Lao PDR: Monthaa Ajchariyakul (ACHR), Kanthone Phamuang (Women and Community Empowering Project), National Women's Union. Mitsuhiko Hosaka (Nihon Fukushi University), Prof. Uchida Yozo (Tokyo University), Fr. Peter Shimokawa (Sophia University, Nojiren), Fr. Jorge Anzorena (Selavip, Sophia University), Mr. Etsuzo Inamoto (SHARE)
Mongolia: Enhe Tsedendorg (Urban Development Resource Center, Ulaanbatar), CHRD
Fiji Islands: Semiti Qalowasa and Fr. Kevin Barr (ECREA)
Thailand: Somsook Boonyabancha (CODI), Human Development Center, Human Settlements Foundation
