BOX 4.
LOCAL INITIATIVES FACILITY FOR URBAN ENVIRONMENT (LIFE)

The LIFE project is an innovative response of the international community to the challenge of urbanization in developing countries particularly related to the need for local initiatives dealing with the linkage between urban poverty, environmental degradation and participatory governance. Within a framework of sustainable human development (SHD) and a strategy of urban development cooperation, LIFE promotes local-local dialogue among the local actors (NGOs, CBOs and local authorities) to improve the urban environment. The objectives of LIFE are to (a) demonstrate local solutions to urban environmental problems; (b) strengthen the institutional capacities of the local actors; (c) promote documentation, interchange and policy dialogue; and (d) encourage the transfer, replication and up-scaling of successful approaches.

LIFE has been able to catalyse local urban communities into action by providing a one-time grant not exceeding $150,000 as seed money to get a process moving. The small-scale projects deal with a wide range of urban environmental issues, including environmental management, garbage collection in slum communities, organization of women traders, canal rehabilitation, sewerage improvement, low-cost sanitation, micro-enterprises involving recycling, establishment of cooperatives, creation of green zones and environmental education. The programme has been successful for the following reasons:

- Consultation during design stage. The programme design for LIFE was developed through a consultative process involving mayors, NGOs, urban associations and bilateral and multilateral agencies. Initiating missions to eight pilot countries were conducted, involving discussions with over 260 persons and the setting up of preparatory committees.

- Careful selection of local actors/stakeholders. Initial careful identification of the key beneficiaries and local actors - local authorities, NGOs and CBOs - and the recruitment of competent national coordinators who act as the chief animators of the LIFE process have contributed to better project performance. Beneficiaries participate actively and feel a great sense of ownership of the project at the local level.

- Identification of priorities through local consultation. Local/national strategy and project selection is done through a national consultation workshop, involving local authorities, NGOs, CBOs and donors. In each pilot country, the national selection committee, composed of experts, government officials, NGOs, and community groups, rates projects according to set criteria.

- Effective backstopping by UNDP. The programme has benefited a great deal from strong and effective backstopping by the UNDP Management Development Programme and UNDP country offices, the national coordinator and a network of professionals and university professors.

- Promotion of the interchange of experience. The programme's capacity-development strategy includes documentation and dissemination of successful approaches of urban environmental improvement at the national and international levels in order to share the lessons learned, ensure more coordinated activities and initiate upstream policy dialogue based on project findings.

The LIFE project shows the scope that exists for UNDP to innovate, experiment, and break new ground in working with local communities in different regional and country settings and to open up new avenues for achieving SHD.