URBAN SLUMS Watermill UNESCOIHE Marius de Langen July
URBAN SLUMS Watermill UNESCO-IHE Marius de Langen July 2006
Types of slum: 1. Degraded old planned urban areas 2. Unplanned informal squatter settlements Most slum dwellers in the developing world live in this type of slum
What makes a residential area a slum? The low income (poverty) of who live there? The living conditions? The lack of basic urban services? Other aspects?
UN-Habitat definition of Slums: neglected parts of cities, in which living conditions are appallingly poor
Group work set-up Analysis of a well-documented case: Two slum areas in Dhaka, Bangladesh Source: MSc study Nabiul Islam, 2006
i. e. we deal with the MDG of improving living conditions of XXX million slum dwellers by looking in detail at one case, inside one city, rather than by analyzing/discussing in general
Focus Role of basic infrastructure provision As an instrument for slum upgrading (Integrated: sanitation, access and drainage, water supply)
Steps • Studying the case • Brief literature/internet search to find comparable cases and what has been done there (with or without success) • Problem analysis workshop for the case (1 day) • Inventory of the basic infrastructure system choices that are possible for the case-study slum • Assess the attractiveness of the different infrastructure choices, and their affordability • Reflect on the implications of your findings
Selection criteria for this group work • Interest in the problem of slums and what to do about them • Interest in analysis of the details of a case, the engineering involved, and the integration between different sectors (sanitation, access, drainage, water) • Professional knowledge to make an significant independent contribution to the work
Size of the problem World population 2000 2030 (million) High-income countries Urban Rural Low(/middle)-income countries Urban Rural 800 200 900 2000 3000 4000 3000
Urban population in slums Percentage of urban population living in slums Africa (sub-sahara Africa Asia Latin America & Car. Oceania Europe, N-America 61 70) 42 32 24 6
Number of slum dwellers 2000: 920 million 2030: 2000 million ? ? MDG: improve conditions for 100 million slum dwellers (? ? )
Past strategies to solve the problem of slums 1960/70: Public housing, resettlement 1970/80: Sites and services 1980 - : Slum upgrading 1990 - : Slum networking BUT THE PROBLEMS HAVE GROWN
WHY DID PROBLEMS GROW ? • • Lack of money to do something about it? Not knowing what to do ? Lack of civil rights of slum dwellers ? Lack of interest of slum dwellers ? Resistance by slum-gangs, slum-lords ? Lack of interest of decision makers ? …. . ?
ISSUES If squatters are given tenure will others be encouraged to move to the cities ?
ISSUES Why should slum dwellers be given tenure on valuable land in a city which would be better used for commercial development ?
ISSUES Why should single story or low rise upgrading be permitted on valuable central city land which could be developed to a higher density ?
ISSUES Why not tear down slums and build new?
ISSUES If the slums are upgraded on private land, is public money being used to make the rich slumlords richer ?
ISSUES Do slum dwellers use their own resources to improve their living conditions ? Does public money need to be used ?
ISSUES What is the value to the citizens who do not live in slums, when upgrading slums rather than demolishing them?
ISSUES Better living conditions involve: - Housing, buildings - Access and drainage - Sanitation - Water supply - Electricity - Open spaces, trees
ISSUES Location: Is resettlement to distant locations far from city centers in the interest of the slum dwellers ?
ISSUES What is the role of basic urban infrastructure ? Sanitation (excreta, sullage, solid waste) Access and drains Water supply But what about improving the houses?
DO WE HAVE GOOD TECHNICAL ANSWERS ? What options do we have for: Sanitation facilities? Roads and drains ? Water supply? Are these affordable? (price tag) Are these sustainable? (keep functioning) How depend on density, soil, climate, …?
Past experience • Upgrading of slums and settlements is a viable and effective way to help the urban poor solve their need for shelter and a clean, safe and healthy living environment. • Local participation is critical. Projects need to be designed from the bottom up working with communities so that the communities decide what levels of service they receive. • Sustainability requires that consideration be given to the costs involved and to designing a level of service that is affordable to the community and to the local government. • Programs must be derived from the city level and country strategies to achieve synergies with other supporting interventions addressing poverty in the country. • Upgrading programs are most effective when led by the municipal authority and implemented at the community level through a broad set of intermediaries including community based organizations. • Experience has taught us that the problem of getting basic services to slums can be solved at very reasonable costs if done properly.
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