1. Local Partnerships for Urban Poverty Alleviation Project (LGED/UNDP/UNCHS Project BGD/98/006) Urban Poverty – the rapidly changing context

2. Local Partnerships for Urban Poverty Alleviation Project (LGED/UNDP/UNCHS Project BGD/98/006) During these 15 years, many cities in Africa and Asia will nearly double in population.

3. Local Partnerships for Urban Poverty Alleviation Project (LGED/UNDP/UNCHS Project BGD/98/006) Population figures from Census 2001 Project figures from Sept 2005 Progress Report

4. Local Partnerships for Urban Poverty Alleviation Project (LGED/UNDP/UNCHS Project BGD/98/006) Who are these new urban residents ?  More than half will be born in cities  The balance will be poor migrants in search of a better life

5. Local Partnerships for Urban Poverty Alleviation Project (LGED/UNDP/UNCHS Project BGD/98/006) Urban poverty is multi-dimensional, complex and dynamic  Insecure  Unsanitary  Unserviced

6. Local Partnerships for Urban Poverty Alleviation Project (LGED/UNDP/UNCHS Project BGD/98/006) The urban poor are trapped in an informal, illegal world Slums not reflected on maps often situated on marginal and dangerous land taxes are not paid public services are not provided. Officially, often, they do not exist Their “local authorities” are usually the slumlords or local mafia

7. Local Partnerships for Urban Poverty Alleviation Project (LGED/UNDP/UNCHS Project BGD/98/006) The new urban poor Where will they live? Which land should they use? Which schools will their children go to? Where will they get their water? How will their rubbish be collected? Where should they vote? Who will protect them?

8. Local Partnerships for Urban Poverty Alleviation Project (LGED/UNDP/UNCHS Project BGD/98/006)  recognising urbanization as an inevitable and positive  highlighting the importance of cities and local authorities in the social and economic success of a country  conferring upon the urban poor a full and meaningful urban citizenship, engaging slum dwellers as partners not problems, and  adopting realistic, long-term planning frameworks In many countries, a new vision is developing...

9. Local Partnerships for Urban Poverty Alleviation Project (LGED/UNDP/UNCHS Project BGD/98/006) the urban poor :  formal institutions have failed to serve them  show enormous resilience  ingenuity in mobilising and organizing themselves  increasingly positioning themselves as active participants in development  they are a growing electoral force influencing urban policies and public investments

10. Local Partnerships for Urban Poverty Alleviation Project (LGED/UNDP/UNCHS Project BGD/98/006) Potential of Partnership  Fully involve the community  Open “space” for dialogue with authorities  WIN - WIN situations are becoming much more common

11. Local Partnerships for Urban Poverty Alleviation Project (LGED/UNDP/UNCHS Project BGD/98/006) In Bangladesh...... there is a major untapped potential of the urban poor as developmental agents rather than recipients of assistance