UN-Habitat’s Best Practices and Local Leadership Program

The Program at a glance:
  • BLP is a database of 4,000 innovative, proven sustainable development projects
  • New projects added every two years after a global vetting process
  • Network of experts includes local governments, NGOs, CBOs, academics and private organizations.

UN-Habitat’s Best Practices and Local Leadership Programme (BLP) was created in 1997 in order to identify and showcase innovative, exemplary projects of sustainable development, especially in urban areas. Members of the Program vet and select nominations from around the world, ultimately choosing a handful of notable “Best Practices,” defined as programs and interventions that have “made a lasting contribution to improving the quality of life and the sustainability of cities and communities.”All Best Practices are peer-reviewed and have been successfully implemented in the field. Together with Good or Promising practices, the winning practices comprise a database of over 4,000 projects as of 2012.

The Program’s members form a global network of grassroots organizations, government agencies, and academic institutions, including specialists in housing, urban planning and development, environmental management, architecture, economic development, social inclusion, crime prevention, cultural heritage, municipal finance and management, infrastructure and social services, among others.  The contest is held bi-annually.

I2UD is a member of the BLP, and reviews nominees every two years. Below are links to the winners from 2012, and a link to the database. What programs await for you to discover?

Main database: http://www.unhabitat.org/bp/bp.list.aspx

Project Title
 Organization Type
 Country
Year
Affordable Housing for Sub-Saharan Africa
 Non-governmental Organisation
 Burkina-Faso
 2012
Chapelview Apartments
 Private Sector
 Canada
 2012
Dubai Metro Red Line
 Local Authority United Arab Emirates (UAE)
 2012
Lindfen City Public Toilets
 Local Authority China
 2012
Operation Big Blue Association
Non-governmental Organisation Lebanon
 2012
Program of Organic Vegetable Gardens at School
 Foundation
 Uruguay
 2012
Revo-Loo-Tionizing Rural Markets for Sanitation
 -
 Cambodia
 2012
Sport Inspires Me
 Local Authority Portugal
 2012
Children’s Participation as the Basis for Citizenship
 Professional Association
 Spain
 2012
Un Techo para mi Pais
 Non-governmental Organisation Chile
 2012
Water Conservator – Extrema, Brazil
 Local Authority
 Brazil
 2012
Women empowerment in harsh climatic and social-cultural environment
 Non-governmental Organisation Kenya
 2012