Third World Cities: Urbanization Trends

Third World Cities: Urbanization Trends
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Third World Cities: Urbanization Trends
Introduction
In several developing countries, urban growth and urbanization has expanded rapidly especially over the last few decades. 37% of the total population across the world lived in cities by 1970. This figure rose to 45% by 1995, and experts estimated that by 2005, it would be over 50% (UN, 1995). Urban populations have been expanding at a high rate, and this includes 3.3% in Northern Africa, 2.5% in the Caribbean and Latin America, 5% in Africa and 4% in Asia. Despite the fact that natural population in several third world cities is a significant contributor to urbanization, another important factor is rural-urban migration (Stephens, 2005). The flow of internal migration tends to be complex, diverse and changes constantly, and this includes rural/urban, urban/rural, rural/rural and urban/urban. Trends of urbanization also depend on the immigrant’s level of education, age, and the permanency of migration.
Income differential between the rural and urban areas is a major factor which determines the rate of urbanization. This is because people living in rural areas which are relatively poorer compared to urban areas tend to migrate in search of a higher income. In addition, since the standards of living in urban areas are high and there is more employment opportunities, rural people tend to migrate to urban areas (Hardoy, Mitlin & Satterthwaite, 1992). There are several factors which affects the economic conditions of rural areas compared to urban areas. For instance, migration tends to be influenced by land ownership, crop prices, diversities in agricultural technologies as well as crop mixes in near and distant areas. Lastly, urbanization also depends on household and individual structures, economic, political and social forces.
Urbanization and housing
Trends of urbanization are highly dependent on the availability of housing in urban areas. People are more likely to move to urban areas if there is availability of housing and it is cost affordable. One basic factor of urban poverty is unavailability safe and secure housing. Close to 600 million people living in urban areas in Africa, Latin America and Asia live in overcrowded and poor quality houses (Wratten, 1995). The rate of urbanization has been so high such that there is inadequate provision of water, drainage, sanitation, garbage collection, thus exposing their lives to high risk (World Urban Forum Bulletin, 2006). Housing is an essential asset when it comes to urbanization since access to credit for investment purposes depends on property ownership. The cost and presence of land for development significantly affects housing prices. In addition, these factors lead to the development of informal and illegal land market such that people have a limited ability to pay.
Gender-specific factors play a major role when it comes to the quality, quantity, tenure and accessibility of the housing as a result of urbanization. Gender dimensions and gender-related constraints to renting and owner-occupation tend to differ between men and women. Research studies have revealed that house-holds which are headed by women are likely to be women instead of owners. In Bangladesh, households which are headed by women tend to be concentrated in vulnerable and poorest conditions (Stephens, 2005). These features are replicated across several if not all urban areas in third world countries. Experts say that the poor living conditions in several urban areas are caused by the high rate of population growth, migration and poor urban planning. Women are adversely affected compared to men since in most cases they are left as sole bread winners and work in low paying jobs.
World Urban Forum
The Third World Urban Forum (WUF3) is convened after every two years and it analyses the issue of rapid urbanization and its effects on communities, economies, cities and policies. In 2006, the Forum was held in Vancouver, Canada, bringing together over 100 countries under the theme “Sustainable Cities – Turning Ideas into Action.” Human settlements, which one of the most important factors when it comes to effects of rapid urbanization, was among the themes discussed in the forum. The first UN Conference on Human Settlement was held 30 years ago and WUF3 was marking this anniversary. The first (WUF) was convened in Nairobi, Kenya, from 29 April to 3rd May 2002. Sustainable development was the overall theme of the forum (Stephens, 2005). The discussions concentrated on some of the major factors which are experienced in urban areas. These factors include infrastructure and basic services; effects of HIV/AIDS on urban residents; provision of sanitation and water; violence against women; and the need for secure tenure.
A World Summit on Sustainable Development held in South Africa in 2002 revealed that there are more than 100 million slum dwellers living in urban areas. This is as a result of rapid urbanization and the forum aimed at creating conditions that will lead to improvements in the lives of slum dwellers. Different stakeholders were urged to create conditions that will uplift the living conditions of slum dwellers. Some of the conditions have for several years been neglected by the government as well as the city councils thus leading to squalid conditions in the slums (World Urban Forum Bulletin, 2006). The forum urged for increase in decent employments, adequate basic services and housing, and improvement of property and land access. In addition, the government was urged to eradicate unnecessary regulations as well as obstacles to microenterprises and to establish slum upgrading programs in their frameworks of development plans.
Public infrastructure
As the rate of urbanization continues to increase beyond the capacity which can be managed effectively by the government, public infrastructures are depleted by the high population (Stephens, 2005). In Africa, many people began to move to the cities from 1970s in search for employment. As the number of people living in urban areas continued to expand, the government failed to invest in urban infrastruct...