THIS BOOKLET DESCRIBES the Asia-Pacific 2000 programme of the United Nations Development Programme which, over the past five years, has supported a wide range of citizen and other initiatives to support civic society in the region. It also outlines the reasons for this programme, the way it operates and its many partners. Chapter 1 describes the context within which these initiatives occur – the rapid urbanization and the growth of cities of unprecedented size in the region, and the serious environmental problems that are evident in most of the region's urban centres. Although not minimizing the problems of the region, the chapter ends with an optimistic note on “the power within” communities and city dwellers to address these problems, and the need for institutional structures to respond to their priorities and capacities. Appendices list the many projects that the Asia-Pacific 2000 initiative has supported and the key NGO contacts and partners. There is a reproduction of the text of Our Cities, Our Homes, the statement which resulted from a consultation of NGOs from the region in 1995.