Journal #5: Cities without Slums

Why do urban slums exist in cities in the United States? This is a question that Namrita Talwar decided to find out. In this article she discusses why they do exist in cities and what people can do to upgrade these areas to make them more livable. “The Challenge of Slums: Global Report on Human Settlements 2003” found that urban slums were growing faster then expected. With the locus of global poverty shifting rapidly from rural areas to cities, almost one sixth of the world’s population is already living in unhealthy areas, more often then not without water, sanitation or security. The report warns that if no concerted action is taken, the number of slum dwellers worldwide will rise to 2 billion over the next thirty years (p. 414). Overall, Talwar states half of the world’s population—nearly 3 billion people—lives on less than $2 a day. She believes a major key to reducing slums lies in providing water, sanitation, storm drainage, basic access to roads, and electricity at a satisfactory level.
I know that I am a very lucky girl who lives in a decent household and I have parents who are there to help me out. After reading this article, it made me even more grateful to be blessed with all these things (water, sanitation, etc.) that I take for granted everyday. Since it is the holiday season I am always thinking of giving instead of receiving. I am glad that people are contributing to slum upgrading, even though it is a challenge to ensure that it is meaningful by investing in citywide infrastructure. The going seems tough for developing countries after reading this article, and the coming years will be a test for nations seeking slum development.