About APcAd

Inclusive, equitable, sustainable

history overview

Celebrating 10 years in 2016, since being officially launched during the Regional Conference of Cities for an Inclusive Urban Society in October 2006, APCAD has served as a pre-eminent regional platform for local and national government, associations and councillors, along with other rights- based organisations to gather and discuss their priorities and commitments towards achieving societies free of racial discrimination across the region. One of seven regional Coalitions which form the newly revised International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities ICCAR effective as of June 2016 and formerly referred to as the International Coalition of Cities Against Racism conceived in 2004, APCAD possesses similar aims to ICCAR of engaging local authorities in the common struggle against racism and discrimination towards more peaceful, tolerant and equitable societies. Lead coordination of the region has advanced under the helpful guidance of Bangkok Metropolitan Agency (BMA), Thailand since inception until April 2016 and now coordinated by Auckland, New Zealand.

regional overview

Accounting for over 60% of the global population including 6 out of the 10 most populous countries in the world and yet nations, the Asia and Pacific region with its 4.37 billion people, has long been considered a melting pot of civilisations, cultures and customs. This represents a net population growth of 10.3% since APCAD and 11.6% over the past 10 years, with overall population figures in the region expected to surge to 5 billion by 2050. Emerging from this will be a critical need to address the social and human sciences and cultural aspects of development driven by the convergence of diverse Asian and Pacific populations towards increasingly dense urban agglomerations. However, with closer proximity also escalates the potential for crime, violence and discrimination as people battle the contested realities of their new social environments. Thereby, highlighting the foundational relevance of APCAD in fostering peaceful, just and equitable socities within the region.

objective

APCAD is one of the seven members of the International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities (ICCAR), launched by UNESCO, as a network of local governments with similar goals but with different priorities in different parts of the world: Africa, Arab States, Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the USA. The long-term objective of APCAD is to provide local authorities with an operational programme that will allow a more efficient implementation of policies for a greater social inclusion of their city dwellers in the full respect of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.

The Coalition of Cities against Discrimination in Asia and the Pacific (APCAD) was officially launched at the “Regional Conference of Cities for an Inclusive Urban Society” held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 3 to 4 August 2006, with the support of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific, and UNESCO.

The long-term objective of APCAD is to provide local authorities with an operational programme that will allow a more efficient implementation of policies for a greater social inclusion of their city dwellers in the full respect of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.

To tackle new challenges in the region, several keys focal areas have been identified by APCAD: inclusive responses to migration, combating HIV-related stigma, inclusive city-level responses to climate change and disaster risk reduction, the inclusion of people living with disabilities in urban areas, and the provision of affordable housing inter alia.

Gwangju City, South Korea, is currently the lead city of APCAD.

conferences

  • Bangkok, Thailand, from 27 to 29 October 2005: Experts’ Meeting to finalize the Declaration and Ten-Point Plan of Action for the emerging Coalition of Cities against Racism and Discrimination in Asia and the Pacific
 
  •  Bangkok, Thailand, from 3 to 4 August 2006: Regional Conference of Cities for an Inclusive Urban Society
 
  • Bandung, Indonesia, from 27-29 October 2009. The Conference was attended by approximately 200 city representatives around the world and issued the Bandung Declaration of the International Conference of the Coalition of Cities against Discrimination.
 
  • Bangkok, Thailand, from 20 to 21 June 2011: International Conference on the Coalition of Cities against Discrimination: Global Social Inclusion.
 
  • Metro Manila, the Philippines, from 16-17 December 2011: A Sub Regional Dialogue and Training Workshop on Reducing and Eliminating HIV-Related Stigma and Discrimination in South East Asia.
 
  • City Hall, Gwangju Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea, from 15 to 18 May 2012: International Conference of the Coalition of Cities against Discrimination: Creative Cities for Glocal (Global + Local) Security and Peace. 

Work areas

To respond to these challenges, APCAD members exchange perspectives and experiences on how to address the persistent rural-urban gap, and collaborate on the development of approaches that enable incoming migrants – both from rural areas and from other countries – to retain their senses of culture and identity, contributing to their new communities and facilitating their full integration into city life.
•Inclusive responses to climate change and disaster risk reduction at city-level
•The inclusion of people living with disabilities in urban areas
•Affordable housing
•Combating HIV-related stigma

oncerns and priorities relevant to APCAD’s mission

  1. The spatial expansion of cities in the past few decades has resulted in blurring the urban-rural divide, merging of previously distinct municipalities and the conversion of surrounding ecosystems with subsequent environmental impact.
  2. The region has had a largely positive, upward economic trajectory with steady increases in national GDPs and a growing middle class, however inequality persists and the standard of living in many impoverished communities remains low. Equity and social inclusion need to be prioritized as urbanization trends continue across the region.
  3. Economic policies on infrastructure and housing, linked with urban planning, are necessary to address current and growing challenges of sprawl, inequality and sustaining economic growth. Inclusive policies and programs to address these economic, institutional and structural aspects of inequality, especially housing and land tenure are the foundation of improving the livelihoods of the most vulnerable urban dwellers.
  4. Marginalized communities, including women, youth, the elderly, migrants, and ethnic minorities, need to be involved in the development of policies and implementation of programs and policies to ensure that their needs and priorities are addressed.
  5. Cities need to focus efforts to build resilience on the most vulnerable areas but should have the opportunity to yield multiple benefits as interventions to add resilience can also address issues identified as necessary for improved social inclusion.
  6. Inclusive, participatory governance is fundamental to improving urban planning so that cities are accessible and functional for all residents.
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