Planet of the Slums

By:

Sophie Ludel

Urban Climacteric• The earth has urbanized faster than originally predicted. By 2015 it is estimated that there will be over

550 cities with a population of over one million• The worlds labor force has doubled since 1980• This new urban order will increase inequality within and between cities with different sizes and

economic abilities• Urbanization, the rapid growth and migration to large cities, is greatly affecting the world and is

happening very fast• The image below shows the urbanized population by country as of 2006

Slums• A slum is defined by overcrowding,

poor/informal housing, inadequate access to safe water and sanitation, and insecurity

– People are often characterized as being illiterate and unemployed

• It was found by the UN-Habitat that the highest percentages of slum-dwellers are in Ethiopia, Chad, Afghanistan, and Nepal

• The fastest growing slums are located in the Russian Federation

• Slums are often seen as breeding grounds for crime, drug addiction, alcoholism, mental illness, and suicide

Pirate Urbanization• Pirate Urbanization = the privatization of squatting

– Squatting is the possession of land without sale or title– Squatting reached its peak in the 1970s in Latin America, the Middle

East and Southeast Asia• Houses are normally self constructed without permission• Below is the international symbol for squatting

The World Bank Approaches to The World Bank Approaches to Urban SlumsUrban Slums

• They look at adaptive structuresThey look at adaptive structures– Focuses on the appropriate methods and approaches that need to be followed in an effort to Focuses on the appropriate methods and approaches that need to be followed in an effort to

improve the living conditions of people living in urban slumsimprove the living conditions of people living in urban slums• Proactive approachesProactive approaches

– They try and figure out how to take charge when planning the measures that need to be taken They try and figure out how to take charge when planning the measures that need to be taken when urbanization occurs in developing countries, so that it does not compel migrants and urban when urbanization occurs in developing countries, so that it does not compel migrants and urban dwellers to live in slumsdwellers to live in slums

• They look at case profilesThey look at case profiles– Work with governments from countries such as Brazil and EcuadorWork with governments from countries such as Brazil and Ecuador

• Tropical DiscussionsTropical Discussions– The World Bank interview a range of key stakeholders to understand topics and perspectives The World Bank interview a range of key stakeholders to understand topics and perspectives

that are critical to the issue of slumsthat are critical to the issue of slums

Structural Adjustment Project (SAP)• Is used to describe the policy changes that the International Monetary Fund

and the World Bank use in developing countries to create policy changes– A country must follow these policies to qualify for loans

• SAP requires that countries deflate their currencies against the dollar, life import and export restrictions, balance their budgets and not overspend, as well as remove price controls and state subsides– Thus their goods will be cheaper for foreigners to buy, and thus hopefully, make

their foreign imports more expensive

• This has gained negative attention