Background
A workshop was held at the Habitat for Humanity Egypt National Office (HfH Egypt), on October 23rd 2023, to discuss different understandings of – and approaches to – enhancing urban resilience in informal and unplanned areas in Egypt and other countries in the Arab region.
The workshop, hosted by the HfH Egypt as part of their project under HfHI’s global “Home Equals” campaign, and co-organized by the UHPH-MENA, brought together 26 practitioners and specialists in different areas of urban planning and development to discuss understandings, challenges, opportunities, and tools and approaches.
Purpose
The workshop’s purpose was to i) unpack the relationship between the terms climate resilience, urban resilience, and community resilience, as applied in the various contexts represented by the different participants; ii) to discuss some of the common resilience-related challenges and opportunities facing informal and unplanned settlements in Egypt and the Arab region; and iii) to share different approaches and tools used by the participants so as to put together an urban resilience toolbox of sorts.
Structure
Session 1: Towards a shared understanding of “urban resilience” (Chair & Facilitator: Dr. Meryem Ait Ouali, Associate Professor, USMBA, Morocco)
Session 2: Addressing climate-related challenges & risks facing unplanned and informal settlements: HfH Egypt’s Home Equals Project (Chair & Facilitator: Dr. Deena Khalil, MENA Urban Policy & Advocacy Manager, HfHI) (Speaker: Eng. Maha Akrouk, Senior Program Manager, HfH Egypt)
Session 3: What are the climate risks/challenges, and the main obstacles in the way of strengthening the resilience of unplanned/informal settlements in an effective way? (Chair & Facilitator: Mohamed Salem, Senior Program Manager, HfH Jordan)
Session 4: What tools, best practices, and lessons can support the process of increasing climate resilience? (Chair & Facilitator: Wafaa Attia, Advocacy Specialist, HfH Egypt) (Speakers: Bassam Kalka, Shelter & Settlements Advisor, Catholic Relief Services Iraq/MENA; Rasha Emad Eddin, Founder, Benaa Foundation for Sustainable Development; Samar Farhat, Urban Recovery and Advocacy Specialist, HfHI)
