Background and objectives:

This is the second phase of a technical assistance and capacity building project in the housing and housing finance sectors.  The project continues the process of capacity building, policy and legal reform, and will be a mechanism for supporting the Ministry of Construction and Housing to effectively participate in the International Compact for Iraq process.  The objectives were to assist the Ministry:

• With the design and implementation of a comprehensive housing information system.
• With the design of a new institutional and legal framework for the housing sector, which will include new legislation, policies and programmes in the areas of building materials and construction, housing finance and  micro-finance, subsidy mechanisms, land and  housing delivery systems, and housing market information systems.
• Support the establishment of a knowledge and training centre to provide training, advisory and information services to a wide constituency of stakeholders.

Activities:
The main activities have been:

• Consultations, workshops and regional conference.
• Advisory services.
• Training and exposure,
• Design and content development
• Procurement of equipment, software and publications.

Results:
The project witnessed significant progress in completing the training of trainers activities and the media workshop and is expected to meet all the stated outputs. Specific results are:

• Data regarding the Housing Fund and Housing Commission have been collected as part of the process of establishing the urban observatory.
• Consultancy firm to advice on Housing Policy Reform.
• Four debates and four documentaries on different housing issues broadcast on Iraqi T.V. Another documentary under preparation. Regional media workshop on housing Issues took place in June 2008 in Amman.
• Field information collected and surveys conducted on housing strategies for three selected cities. These were discussed with governorate stakeholders in April 2008.
•  TOT for 23 trainers of the Training and Knowledge Centre completed in Cairo.