As per the World Economic Forum, around a quarter of the world’s urban population lives in slums. The UN Habitat pegs the figure at nearly 100 crore people. Poverty in cities is real and countries need to address urban poverty if their cities are to become truly liveable and sustainable. UN-Habitat defines a slum household as a group of individuals living under the same roof in an urban area who lack one or more of the following: Durable housing: A permanent structure built on a non-hazardous location. Sufficient living space: A minimum of four square metres of area and a maximum of three people sharing a room. Easy access to safe water: A water source that is protected from outside contamination. Access to adequate sanitation: A facility that hygienically separates human waste from human contact and doesn’t contaminate the environment (toilets that directly discharge into water bodies or open, open defecation, etc.). Security of tenure: Evidence of documentation as proof of tenure and protection by the state against arbitrary unlawful evictions. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) A part of the MDG-7 was to bring in a significant improvement in the lives of at least 10 crore slum dwellers by 2020. Even though this target was met well in advance of the deadline, more than 8 crore people still live in slums. The SDG-11 to an extent aims to address this issue. It states: “Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.” One of the sub-goals under SDG-11 is to ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums by 2030. Growth of slums worldwide In 1990, 68.9 crore residents of developing countries lived in slums. In 2015 this number was 88.1 crore. Even though the proportion of urban residents in developing countries living in slums has reduced from 39 per cent in 1990 to 30 per cent in 2015, the absolute numbers have increased by 28 per cent. Slums are growing across the world as more and more people seek to migrate, the problems facing slums and facing cities due to slums will only compound. Since 2000, the global slum population grew on average by 60 lakh a year, an increase of 16,500 persons daily. Issues faced by slum dwellers Slum dwellers face challenges living in harsh urban environments. Cities are becoming densely populated and local governments are not able to cater to the basic requirements of their citizens. Between 2000 and 2014, more than 32 crore people living in slums gained access to improved water sources, improved sanitation facilities and durable or less crowded housing. Solving existing problems doesn’t help if governments do not have clear and unambiguous policies on rural-urban migration, availability of livelihood opportunities in rural areas, and the role people living in slums can play in the development of the urban economy. Development of slums should result in slums becoming history, not in having more developed slums or slums with improved facilities. Availability of clean water, sanitation, health and education facilities, lack of space, safety and economic opportunities are major challenges for people living in slums. The outbreak of Ebola fever in West Africa and subsequent spread from 2013 to 2015 was virulent in underserved slums of major coastal cities.
