Economic Development

Sparking Transformation Towards Inclusive Cities in a Post-Pandemic World

By |2021-04-27T11:03:33+02:00April 27th 2021|

The global pandemic presents us with many challenges. But the current digital transformation may also be a powerful tool for inclusive city planning. Ramola Naik Singru from the Asian Development Bank highlights key learnings.

Local Value Addition in India’s and Indonesia’s Construction Raw Materials Sectors

By |2021-01-26T07:54:03+01:00January 26th 2021|

Construction raw materials are a source for local value addition – if their potential is fully tapped. The sector project "Extractives and Development" of the “The Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources" (BGR) presents its research results – and emphasises the need to pay special attention to labour rights and environmental protection.

Smart City: Is Africa Ready? Echoes from African Urban Slums

By |2020-11-30T15:12:19+01:00November 12th 2020|

Everyone wants to go smart. But Emana Nsikan-George warns against creating a new class of unfit-for-smart-city urban dwellers, especially when African cities are still struggling with fundamental development goals. A thought-provoking tale of smart fantasies and urban realities.

It’s Time to Change the Housing Conversation

By |2020-10-06T09:29:06+02:00October 6th 2020|

Safe, affordable housing is not an end in itself but should be interwoven with other interventions to improve access to related services and benefits. As the pandemic exacerbates shortcomings in housing programmes around the world, Vidhee Garg on the need to re-think housing and to look beyond its purely quantitative aspects.

Urban Development in Mumbai and its Effect on Coastal Communities

By |2020-09-08T15:48:07+02:00September 8th 2020|

Coastal regions have always had significant historical and socio-political value, making them the target of ambitious urban development plans. Amit Devale zooms in on the situation of Mumbai’s indigenous coastal tribes and their relationship with the city – and how local government plans affect their lives.

What Are Effects of Integrating Heritage Conservation Into Urban Planning? A Case Study From Battambang, Cambodia

By |2021-11-05T12:43:18+01:00February 27th 2020|

A country influenced by a history of colonial rule, totalitarian regimes, and civil war, urban planning in Cambodia has to be considered within its specific context. Looking at the city of Battambang, Milena Wald analyses the role of heritage conservation in urban planning processes.

Connecting Systems of Secondary Cities: The Role of Infrastructure and Inter-City Collaborations

By |2020-02-25T08:53:23+01:00February 25th 2020|

Secondary cities perform essential sub-national functions within national economies as centres of government administration, education, health, resources, and industry production. Both national policies and international programmes need to be adapted accordingly, write Rene Peter Hohmann and Brian Roberts.

How Can Social and Economic Development Spring from Art? A Case Study from Halle (Saale), Germany

By |2021-11-05T12:51:38+01:00February 11th 2020|

In Halle, a collective of urban planners, teachers, artists, students, and volunteers painted a whole district with street art and graffiti, demonstrating that these techniques can lead to positive social, cultural, and economic impact in shrinking and neglected areas.

Urban Settings Need New Approaches

By |2021-02-23T14:48:17+01:00December 12th 2019|

The traditional relief-rehabilitation-development paradigm does not hold true in urban conflict zones. A combined approach of long-term support for systems reinforcing short-term support for individuals would meet people’s needs, secure development gains, and represent value for money. The cost of failing to adapt is simply too high, argues Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Urbanisation in Fragile Societies: Thinking about Kabul

By |2019-12-04T15:56:19+01:00December 4th 2019|

As part of the Blavatnik School of Government's “Challenges of Government” Conference, the International Growth Centre's Cities that Work team put together a panel on identity and legitimacy in Kabul. The discussion highlighted the importance of building legitimacy in fragile contexts, particularly given the emergence of fragmented identities and new networks of solidarity, resistance and governance in urban contexts affected by conflict.

An Untapped Pool of Talent: Young Women in Latin America

By |2020-06-22T12:26:06+02:00February 26th 2019|

Across Latin America, software developers are urgently needed. Laboratoria, an organisation launched in Lima, Peru, focusses on meeting this demand – and, at the same time, opens urban labour markets for women.

Act Globally, Act Locally

By |2020-06-22T12:48:04+02:00February 14th 2019|

An oft mentioned phrase in development parlance is “think globally, act locally”. Yet, when the change we seek is improved livelihoods globally, is local action enough? Doug Ragan, Rolf Wichmann, and Raphael Obonyo claim that local action is critical yet can’t be done in isolation of national and international realities. In their article, they explore different interventions that can be utilised to address the issue of improving youth livelihoods through interventions from the local to the global.

More Than Income: How Selling Household Items Can Transform Slum Communities

By |2020-06-22T12:48:14+02:00February 12th 2019|

"LivelyHoods" forges economic opportunities for youth and women in Kenyan slums – while at the same time promoting clean energy. What are the project's success factors and what challenges does it face?

Youth Employment in Lagos, Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities

By |2020-06-22T12:43:43+02:00February 7th 2019|

In Lagos, youth are believed to constitute about 50 per cent of the population, equalling over 10 million people. Facing high rates unemployment and an ever-growing population, decision-makers need to understand both the challenges and the opportunities that characterise youth employment in Lagos, argues Oje Ivagba

Rural-Urban Migration and Youth Unemployment in Nigeria: Why Public Programmes Fail

By |2020-06-22T12:43:52+02:00February 6th 2019|

With many young Nigerians relocating from rural to urban areas, unemployment is on the rise. Charles Ogheneruonah Eghweree and Festus Imuetinyan sketch out possible policy responses.

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