Funding from              European Union (16,700,000 Eur),

…………………………………   Government of Denmark (74,966,777 DKK)

Total Budget                US$ 30,674,540

Duration                       2018-2020 (2.5) Years

Implemented by          UN-Habitat

Gov Partners                MUDH, ARAZI, CRIDA, MoRR, IDLG,

Afghanistan is currently experiencing a surge in the return of both registered refugees and undocumented Afghans from neighbouring countries (Iran and Pakistan). Integrating lessons learned from the past decade of approaches to displacement in Afghanistan, UN-Habitat proposes an approach based on the allocation of well-located land in proximity to suitable livelihood opportunities as the foundation for self-reliance and integration. Following the identification of vacant, state-owned land in suitable locations, a rapid assessment and rapid allocation process will facilitate the parallel delivery of humanitarian assistance and permanent development interventions, to augment self-reliance and avoid the humanitarian/development ‘gap’.

SHURA aims to Ensure adequate, permanent access to shelter and basic services in target areas and to provide a foundation for returnees and protracted IDPs to become self-reliant, resilient and productive citizens of Afghanistan.

SHURA is working with local government partners to (i)  facilitate the integration through the provision of well-located, serviceable land with access to appropriate livelihood opportunities and in proximity to urban centers, secondary and tertiary cities and strategic district municipalities, (ii) Fill the ‘Humanitarian-Development Gap’ by facilitating the distribution of emergency assistance in locations that have been identified for durable solutions; where returnees and IDPs have security of tenure, providing a platform for self-reliance and avoiding the creation of camps/open-ended humanitarian situations, (iii) Augment self-reliance through the delivery of permanent development interventions to ensure access to shelter and basic services in appropriate sites in parallel with emergency assistance, (iv) Mitigate the negative effects of an unplanned influx of returnees and prevent further ad hoc settlement in urban informal settlements and (v) : To provide a foundation for returnees and protracted IDPs to become self-reliant, resilient and productive citizens of Afghanistan.

The SHURA project is mostly aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Goal 11: “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable” and Goal 16: “Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels”.

MAIN FIGURES/ACHIEVEMENTS

Rapid identification of vacant state land in target areas.

Identification of sites with the potential to be a platform for durable solutions based on the minimum criteria.

Rapid assessment of Sites

Rapid site planning