LIVEABLE CITIES
Ingredients for Inclusive and Effective Urban Reform
Sumaya Saluja from The Asia Foundation on inclusion, equality and participatory governance for liveable cities.
URBAN LABS AND INNOVATION
Building A Home For Bicycles In Langa
The bicycle hub in Cape Town's township of Langa started as a small community initiative that delivered medicine to bedridden people in the neighbourhood. Within just two years, it developed into a local enterprise that shapes mobility patterns in Langa. Founder Mzikhona Mgedle shares a story of success.
URBAN LABS AND INNOVATION
Urban Living Labs in Bangkok: Potential for Thai Cities
Traditional, top-down urban planning has failed to meet the needs of urban dwellers in Thailand. Pongpisit Huyakorn, director of Bangkok-based Urban Studies Lab, makes a case for urban living labs as a more people-centred approach.
URBAN LABS AND INNOVATION
For Cities With The Courage To Try, Anything Is Possible: Small-Scale Test Actions Towards A More Circular Economy
Many cities carry out small-scale test actions, seeking to accelerate their transition to a more circular economy. Eileen Crowley reflects on the limitless advantages and opportunities provided to cities that are willing to embrace a culture of experimentation.
WOMEN IN CITIES
The Future (and Past) of Cities is Female
Who defines our cities? And what are the consequences of these definitions? Katrina Johnston-Zimmerman shares some reflections.
WOMEN IN CITIES
Female Leadership in Local Government
Half of the world’s population is made up of women, but their representation in decision-making bodies at the local, national, and international level leaves much to be desired. Macoura Dao Coulibaly, Mayor of Foumbolo, Côte d'Ivoire, on strengthening women in local government.
DIGITALISATION AND GOVERNANCE
Participation and Digital Tools Fulfil the Quest for Better Quality of Life in Cities
Lack of communication between citizens and municipal administrations can seriously hinder the sustainable development of urban environments. Digital tools are here to help, to increase people’s participation in co-creating more liveable, human-centred cities.
DIGITALISATION AND GOVERNANCE
The 5 Biggest Obstacles to E-Government
Despite its many benefits, the digital transformation of the public sector is progressing slowly in many countries. Abdoul Malick Tapsoba shares critical insights into some of the biggest obstacles to digitalising public administration in Burkina Faso.
digitalisation and governance
Intelligent and Inclusive: The Smart City of Poznań
Meet the award-winning smart city of Poznań! By Michal Lakomski, Director of Digitalisation and Cybersecurity of the City of Poznań.
digitalisation and governance
How to Build the Intelligent City of Tomorrow
Citizens everywhere are increasingly demanding that their cities become more ‘intelligent’ and intuitive. Michal Lakomski, Director of Digitalisation and Cybersecurity of the City of Poznań, on building the smart city of tomorrow.
DIGITALISATION AND GOVERNANCE
Have Digital Maps Altered Our Experience of Urban Surroundings?
For many of us, digital maps have become an integral part of everyday life. As common as they have become, we should be aware that they change how we experience cities, argues Matthew Hanchard.
DIGITALISATION AND GOVERNANCE
How To Do Digital Government: Experiences From E-Mongolia
Almost a year ago, Mongolia launched the e-Mongolia platform to streamline public service delivery. The goals were to reduce bureaucracy, decrease duplication of effort between government organisations, and counter citizens' frustration with inefficient public services. Bolor-Erdene Battsengel on learnings and successes.
To Advance Water Justice, We Need Data Justice
Set in the desert and with large numbers of unregistered citizens, water justice is a major concern in Lima, Peru. Fenna Imara Hoefsloot outlines how the city's digital water infrastructure excludes parts of the population from reliable water supply.
Community Engagement in Accra: Playgrounds Meet Markets
With children spending their days at their parents' market stalls, how can we turn markets into safe places for them, where they are free to learn and play? Amowi Phillips from the Mmofra Foundation shares an inspiring example of community engagement in Accra, Ghana.
Cities are Key to Changing Course and Transforming Education
The world is at a turning point. The COVID-19 pandemic has acted as an accelerator of technological disruption and inequalities, interlocked with the existential threat of the climate crisis. The only way forward is to transform our future. This is no less than a universal educational project to empower every person from the earliest age and throughout life with the knowledge, competences, and attitudes to live in dignity and act for the common good. Since more than half of humanity lives in urban areas, cities have a major role to play in realising the right to education for citizens throughout the world.