Diana Mitlin

Despite four decades of development planning, at least one third of the urban population of Africa, Asia and Latin America remains poor. Over 600 million live in 'life and health threatening' homes and neighbourhoods because of poor housing and inadequate or no piped water, sanitation and health care. But even as the shortcomings of government and development programmes become more apparent, so do the untapped abilities of low-income groups and their community organizations to develop their own solutions. This book analyses the conditions necessary for successful community initiatives and includes case studies of 18 intermediary institutions (most of them Third World NGOs) who provide technical, legal and financial services to low-income households for constructing or improving housing. Many also work with community organizations in improving water, sanitation, drainage, health care and other community services. Through the analysis of innovative financial systems for income generation, house construction and service provision, Funding Community Initiatives considers the feasibility of loans for addressing current urban housing problems. It also considers how to increase greatly the scale and effectiveness of support going to low-income households and community organizations. This book will be of interest to students and professionals concerned with urban development in Africa, Asia and Latin America, especially those concerned with low income shelter and community finance.

Urban areas in the Global South now house most of the world’s urban population and are projected to house almost all its increase between now and 2030. There is a growing recognition that the scale of urban poverty has been overlooked – and that it is increasing both in numbers and in the proportion of the world’s poor population that live and work in urban areas. This is the first book to review the effectiveness of different approaches to reducing urban poverty in the Global South. It describes and discusses the different ways in which national and local governments, international agencies and civil society organizations are seeking to reduce urban poverty. Different approaches are explored, for instance; market approaches, welfare, rights-based approaches and technical/professional support. The book also considers the roles of clientelism and of social movements. Case studies illustrate different approaches and explore their effectiveness. Reducing Urban Poverty in the Global South also analyses the poverty reduction strategies developed by organized low-income groups especially those living in informal settlements. It explains how they and the federations or networks they have formed have demonstrated new approaches that have challenged adverse political relations and negotiated more effective support. Local and national governments and international agencies can become far more effective at addressing urban poverty at scale by, as is proposed in this book, working with and supporting the urban poor and their organizations. This book will be an invaluable resource for researchers and postgraduate students in urban development, poverty reduction, urban geography, and for practitioners and organisations working in urban development programmes in the Global South.

Urban areas in the Global South now house most of the world’s urban population and are projected to house almost all its increase between now and 2030. There is a growing recognition that the scale of urban poverty has been overlooked – and that it is increasing both in numbers and in the proportion of the world’s poor population that live and work in urban areas. This is the first book to review the effectiveness of different approaches to reducing urban poverty in the Global South. It describes and discusses the different ways in which national and local governments, international agencies and civil society organizations are seeking to reduce urban poverty. Different approaches are explored, for instance; market approaches, welfare, rights-based approaches and technical/professional support. The book also considers the roles of clientelism and of social movements. Case studies illustrate different approaches and explore their effectiveness. Reducing Urban Poverty in the Global South also analyses the poverty reduction strategies developed by organized low-income groups especially those living in informal settlements. It explains how they and the federations or networks they have formed have demonstrated new approaches that have challenged adverse political relations and negotiated more effective support. Local and national governments and international agencies can become far more effective at addressing urban poverty at scale by, as is proposed in this book, working with and supporting the urban poor and their organizations. This book will be an invaluable resource for researchers and postgraduate students in urban development, poverty reduction, urban geography, and for practitioners and organisations working in urban development programmes in the Global South.

One in seven of the world’s population live in poverty in urban areas, and the vast majority of these live in the Global South – mostly in overcrowded informal settlements with inadequate water, sanitation, health care and schools provision. This book explains how and why the scale and depth of urban poverty is so frequently under-estimated by governments and international agencies worldwide. The authors also consider whether economic growth does in fact reduce poverty, exploring the paradox of successful economies that show little evidence of decreasing poverty. Many official figures on urban poverty, including those based on the US $1 per day poverty line, present a very misleading picture of urban poverty’s scale. These common errors in definition and measurement by governments and international agencies lead to poor understanding of urban poverty and inadequate policy provision. This is compounded by the lack of voice and influence that low income groups have in these official spheres. This book explores many different aspects of urban poverty including the associated health burden, inadequate food intake, inadequate incomes, assets and livelihood security, poor living and working conditions and the absence of any rule of law. Urban Poverty in the Global South: Scale and Nature fills the gap for a much needed systematic overview of the historical and contemporary state of urban poverty in the Global South. This comprehensive and detailed book is a unique resource for students and lecturers in development studies, urban development, development geography, social policy, urban planning and design, and poverty reduction.

One in seven of the world’s population live in poverty in urban areas, and the vast majority of these live in the Global South – mostly in overcrowded informal settlements with inadequate water, sanitation, health care and schools provision. This book explains how and why the scale and depth of urban poverty is so frequently under-estimated by governments and international agencies worldwide. The authors also consider whether economic growth does in fact reduce poverty, exploring the paradox of successful economies that show little evidence of decreasing poverty. Many official figures on urban poverty, including those based on the US $1 per day poverty line, present a very misleading picture of urban poverty’s scale. These common errors in definition and measurement by governments and international agencies lead to poor understanding of urban poverty and inadequate policy provision. This is compounded by the lack of voice and influence that low income groups have in these official spheres. This book explores many different aspects of urban poverty including the associated health burden, inadequate food intake, inadequate incomes, assets and livelihood security, poor living and working conditions and the absence of any rule of law. Urban Poverty in the Global South: Scale and Nature fills the gap for a much needed systematic overview of the historical and contemporary state of urban poverty in the Global South. This comprehensive and detailed book is a unique resource for students and lecturers in development studies, urban development, development geography, social policy, urban planning and design, and poverty reduction.

New edition of Environmental Problems in Third World Cities Cities in Africa, Asia and Latin America contain some of the world's most life- and health-threatening human environments. Environment-related diseases and injuries cause millions of preventable deaths each year. In many squatter settlements, children are 40 to 50 times more likely to die before the age of five than they would be in Europe or North America and most such deaths are environment-related. Many cities also cause serious environmental degradation to their surroundings and increasingly contribute to global warming. This updated and much expanded edition of the classic Environmental Problems in Third World Cities describes environmental problems and their effect on human health, local ecosystems and global cycles. It points to the political causes that underpin many of these problems - including ineffective, unaccountable governments, and aid agencies' reluctance to work with the urban poor. It also highlights innovative solutions such as: * High-quality, low-cost homes and neighbourhoods developed by urban poor groups working with local non-governmental organizations * Local Agenda 21s developed by municipal governments in partnership with community organizations.* In their analysis, the authors show that cities can meet sustainable development goals. There are practical, affordable solutions to their environmental problems, but most of these depend on more competent and accountable city governments and on more support for low-income households and their organizations. The book also outlines the changes needed international aid agencies to support this. PRAISE FOR THE FIRST EDITION 'It's rare to encounter a work as authoritative and accessible as this. It is a mine of useful information from cities in every corner of the Third World, which does not shy away from the immensity of the problems, but says as much about the solutions to them as about the problems themselves' Jonathon Porritt 'Well written and very accessible' The Geographical Journal 'Of value to students, teachers, practitioners, policy makers and aid agencies' Third World Planning Review 'A valuable resource for understanding the underlying problems?[this book offers] practical alternatives' Cities International.

It is now being recognised among development professionals that urban poverty is massive and growing and that rural development initiatives are no longer relevant in slowing rural to urban migration as growth has its own internal dynamic stemming from natural population increase. This book is an important tool to understanding the true level of urban poverty and the essential role that the urban poor play in supporting urban and hence national economies and therefore resulting in a more positive attitude to urban areas and the work being done by governments and NGOs.

Despite four decades of development planning, at least one third of the urban population of Africa, Asia and Latin America remains poor. Over 600 million live in 'life and health threatening' homes and neighbourhoods because of poor housing and inadequate or no piped water, sanitation and health care. But even as the shortcomings of government and development programmes become more apparent, so do the untapped abilities of low-income groups and their community organizations to develop their own solutions. This book analyses the conditions necessary for successful community initiatives and includes case studies of 18 intermediary institutions (most of them Third World NGOs) who provide technical, legal and financial services to low-income households for constructing or improving housing. Many also work with community organizations in improving water, sanitation, drainage, health care and other community services. Through the analysis of innovative financial systems for income generation, house construction and service provision, Funding Community Initiatives considers the feasibility of loans for addressing current urban housing problems. It also considers how to increase greatly the scale and effectiveness of support going to low-income households and community organizations. This book will be of interest to students and professionals concerned with urban development in Africa, Asia and Latin America, especially those concerned with low income shelter and community finance.

Describes and analyses the environmental problems of Third World cities, showing how they affect human health and the local ecology. The authors show how readily available practical solutions are, if the political means can be found.