A home in the city : improving the lives of slum dwellers : [achieving the Millennium development goals]

A home in the city : improving the lives of slum dwellers : [achieving the Millennium development goals] / Pietro Garau, Elliott D. Sclar, Gabriella Y. Carolini.

More than 900 million people currently live in urban slums and the number is growing as rapid urbanization continues in the developing world. A Home in the City urges countries to strengthen their focus on the growing urban crisis and improving the lives of slum dwellers. Proposed are specific inves...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Garau, Pietro (Author), Sclar, Elliott D. (Author), Carolini, Gabriella Y. (Author)
Format: eBook
Language:English
Published: London : Earthscan : For UNDP, 2005.
Series:UN millennium project 2005
UN Millennium Development Library
Subjects:
Urban poor > Developing countries > Social conditions.
Urban poor > Developing countries > Economic conditions.
Slums > Developing countries.
Community development, Urban > Developing countries.
Urban policy > Developing countries.
Community development, Urban
Slums
Urban policy
Urban poor > Economic conditions
Urban poor > Social conditions
Developing countries
Online Access:Click for online access
Table of Contents:
  • Foreword; Contents; Task force members; Preface; Acknowledgements; Abbreviations; Millennium Development Goals; Executive summary; Chapter 1 The dimensions of the problem; The urban population of the world is growing; More than 900 million people live in slums; Urban poverty is severe, pervasive, and largely unacknowledged; Slums dwellers are excluded from urban life in many ways; Urban poverty is often underestimated; The benefits of the urban economy reach beyond city boundaries; The urban context is critical to meeting all of the Goals.
  • Specific actions must be taken to meet target 11Chapter 2 Recognizing the urban poor as active agents of development; Federations of the urban poor are making a difference; Community-led work in slums draws on a variety of mechanisms; Actions by federations are setting precedents and changing standards; Many criticisms of community-driven processes are unfounded; Nongovernmental organizations, governments, and international agencies can support organizations representing the urban poor; Conclusion; Chapter 3 Reaching the target through improved governance.
  • Countries around the world are adopting good urban governance practicesPeople have the right to the city
  • Planning for development can prevent slums from developing; Local strategies for improving slum dwellers' lives can address all the Goals; Chapter 4 Supporting and enacting local pro-poor policies; Land regulation and transparency in private land transactions are critical to ensuring secure tenure; Cities can provide adequate, affordable infrastructure and services to the poor; Community contracts are a good way to involve slum dwellers in improvement projects and raise their income.
  • Improving public transportation can expand options for the urban poorHealth services need to reach poor urban dwellers; Building codes and regulations need to meet the needs of the urban poor; Policy makers need to provide alternatives to prevent new slums from forming; Cities need to create regulatory and polilcy environments that encourage private sector participation; Organizations and community groups need to be empowered to participate meaningfully in planning; Chapter 5 Mobilizing resources and investments; Most of the funding for improved housing will come from local sources.
  • Land needs to be made available to the urban poorProfessionals and civil servants need to be trained to improve the lives of slum dwellers; Chapter 6 Empowering local action; Networks of people committed to improving the lives of slum dwellers need to be developed and strengthened; International initiatives for local poverty reduction strategies are needed; Creating a worldwide partnership opf ""Millennium Cities"" could advance the urban agenda; Chapter 7 Monitoring progress toward target 11; UN-HABITAT is responsible for monitoring progress.

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