The role of women special reference self-help groups in urban development with to housing development:

Abstract

The call for an enabling role by Government to meet shelter needs has its origins in a number of factors. First, the resource constraints with whi.chmost Governments of developing countries are faced with make it difficult for them to implement housing programmes for the poor on the scale r e qu i. r·ed . Seeondly, t.he administrative resources 0f most Governments are so limited that they cannot cope with large numbers of (especially small) projects. At the same time, current; legislation and administrative procedures make it impossible for the poor to take shelter provision into their ownhands in a recognised way. Building codes and regulations prohibit the types of structures that the poor can build and afford. It is almost impossible to obtain support from financial institutions for community initiative projects that are not r-ecognised..by Government. Land markets place "legal" servi.cecisites beyond the financial reach of the poor. The thinking behind enabling policies is that resources of the ponr could represent a major contribution towards the Lmp rovernent. of human settlements conditions, if" 0ffie LI.i " policies can be a eveloped in such a way that they promote the involvement of the poor in their own development.