аPolicy Papersа The Campaign is producing a series of policy papers on key issues related to urban governance.а Wherever possible, these papers will be produced jointly with Campaign partners.а A description of current and forthcoming policy papers is provided below. Current policy papers include the following: UN-HABITAT Policy Paper on Women and Urban Governance Women are often recognized as important levers for positive change in cities.а The status of urban women, however, is principally one characterized by inequality.а The Policy Paper on Women and Urban Governance (2001) promotes the policy goal of gender equality, that is, the equal involvement of women and men in decision-making and equal attention to issues of concern to both women and men.а The paper presents seven policy issues affecting women, describing current efforts to address them, constraints encountered and options for implementation: women's representation in local government; recognition and support for the activities of urban poor women; participatory urban policy; eliminating urban violence against women; capacity-building for women and community-based organisations; capacity-building for local governments; and gender budgeting.а For more information, please go to the Policy Paper on Women and Urban Governance. Local Government Working for Gender Equality In 2001, The International Union of Local Authorities, with support from the Urban Governance Campaign, developed this collection of case-studies highlighting the experience of women in local decision making.а The aims of the publication are to: illustrate the importance of equal representation of and by women in local government; to highlight the key role that women can and must play in local government policy development, service provision and deicsion-making; to supply information about concrete initiatives taken by local governments and the associations to these ends; and to emphasise the effective role being played by local government in the implementation of the UN commitments at the grassroots level, especially the Beijing "Platform of Action" and the Habitat Agenda.а For more information, please see "Local Government Working for Gender Equality." а Forthcoming Policy Papers Policy Paper on Urban Governance, Secure Tenure and Urban Poverty Reduction In response to the United Nations Millennium Declaration, UN-HABITAT is producing a policy paper articulating the policy and operational linkages between urban governance, secure tenure and urban poverty reduction. Policy Paper on Youth and Urban Governance A policy paper is planned for 2002 examining the issues of youth in urban governance. For more information, please contact: Global Campaign on Urban Governance UN-HABITAT P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi, Kenya Tel: (254-2) 623216, Fax: (254-2) 624264 E-mail: governance@unhabitat.org Website: http://www.unhabitat.org/governance а