Improved Livelihood Perspectives through Inclusive Slum and Urban Upgrading in Africa

The event will bring together African and Arab States countries and international agencies which are exemplary in implementing initiatives on slum and urban upgrading on policy and programmatic level focusing on supporting resilient communities.Thereby the Governments of Niger and Egypt highlight their past, present and future approaches on slum upgrading for inclusive urbanization. In these processes two issues became evident for the success of slum and urban upgrading: 1) participation and the role of communities in the process and; 2) the connection of physical upgrading to improvements in livelihoods for communities. Participation is seen as essential to address the multi-sectorial task. This is between government organizations and other relevant stakeholders but foremost in emphasizing the role of the community in planning, prioritizing, designing, implementing, monitoring and maintaining slum upgrading interventions. Communities often express best their needs as well as solutions which are best adapted to the local circumstances. Communities would also link slum and urban upgrading more logically with improving livelihoods focusing on building resilient communities. This is as unemployment, underemployment, underpaid informal jobs and subsistence based small businesses are daily experiences. Creating conditions in their neighborhood which not only improves the housing and living condition but also the economic prospects is therefore key in slum and urban upgrading projects. Both governments are thereby supported from development partners. Niger is mainly partnering with UNHabitat implementing the Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP) and Egypt is partnering with GIZ implementing the Participatory Development Programme in Urban Areas (PDP). Both programs aim at building capacities on national, city and community level addressing slum upgrading in connection with livelihood improvements on policy, strategy and program level funded by the European Union. The efforts are in line with the aims of the SGD and address SDG Target 11.1 “By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums”. Further it will be shown how slum and urban upgrading can in addition address several other SDGs as well as delivering on social inclusion and livelihoods following two of the principles spelled out in the New Urban Agenda.