Planet of slums
Transcript of Planet of slums
Planet of Slums
By
Austin Kruisheer
Urbanization• The number of cities is constantly growing.• 2/3rds of the global population lives in cities.• The population in the countryside has
peaked and will begin to decline in 2020.• 2050-expected population peak
at 10 billion.• Urbanization occurs much
faster in 3rd world countries.
The Rise of Slums• The reproduction of poverty in the countryside moves
people to the cities, not the promise of jobs.• The poor turn to building their “houses”.• Since 1970,slum growth has outpaced urbanization.• India and Africa see major
slum growth.• The cities of the future will be
made of crude brick and recycled materials not steel and glass.
Slums• Defined as “an area of dirty back streets, especially when
inhabited by a squalid and criminal population”• Characterized by overcrowding, poor housing, insecurity and
inadequate facilities.• The populations of slums largely go under recorded.• Many slum dwellers live on less than $2 a day.• The location of
slums in relation to wealthy cities differs from country to country.
• Many individuals squat on public lands as they can’t afford any official housing.
Slum Ecology• Slums are often located on geologically dangerous
lands.• Fires present the greatest danger for inhabitants.• Proximity to dangerous factories often expose residents
to toxins.• Most 3rd world slums have huge pollution problems.• The lack of facilities results in massive amounts of
human waste causing epidemics.• Death in children is common due
to the deplorable conditions.
Due to a lack of facilities, a man resorts to defecating in an open sewer
Exploitation• Child labor restrictions are widely ignored in slum areas.• Children play a vital role in family revenue.• Varanasi (India) over 200,000 kids under 14 years old
work in factories producing cloth goods.• Many parents sell their children to companies for small
sums of money.• Many adults have resorted to
becoming human pack animals driving rickshaws or peddle cabs.
• The organ trade has flourished in some Indian slums.
The Faces of Slums
• Slums are home to over one billion people who struggle to survive in a world of despair.