The Friendship Bench is a community-based mental health counselling programme in Zimbabwe. Dr Ruth Verhey reflects on the contributions of such programmes to liveable communities for all.
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.
Youths in Lagos face significant challenges regarding access to quality sexual and reproductive health education and services. Since 2011, Youth Development and Empowerment Initiative (YEDI), an adolescent health organisation, has been working to improve the health and wellbeing of adolescents and their communities in Nigeria.
Many diseases are caused by environmental risks – and it is our youngest and most vulnerable who need utmost protection. Yet, they are not getting what they deserve, says Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Director of Air Pollution and Urban Environment at ISGlobal. A plea for urgent change.
When thinking about political activism in urban settings, feminist strategies for increasing access to safe abortion provide important insights into how different kinds of spaces can be used for political action — particularly when it comes to issues that cannot be fully addressed through public protest. Discussing strategies of abortion activism in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Lea Happ illustrates why we have to think about private and digital spaces as important for political action.
City region food systems are affected by diverse shocks such as a pandemic. It is therefore essential that cities develop respective resilience strategies, argue Isabella Trapani, Guido Santini, and Roman Malec from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The pandemic has been especially challenging for the agricultural sector. But a new farmer-owned online marketplace puts sustainable produce on the table and creates jobs for rural communities. By Rosa Rodriguez
Smart city initiatives have played an increasingly prominent role in urban planning. However, there remains a fundamental gap between data driven urban governance and promoting inclusivity. Jaideep Gupte argues that cities that prioritise citizens over technologies are likely to be the ‘smartest’ and most liveable.
Dana Omran from the Resilient Cities Network and Dr Nazmul Huq from ICLEI present the Resilient Cities Action Package (ReCAP).
To achieve the economic, social and environmental benefits of mass public transport, we need long-term sustainable public investment in systems which are accountable to citizens and workers. Social and climate justice must drive the Covid-19 recovery and guarantee that the future is public transport, argues Alana Dave.
Anna Walnycki and Alice Sverdlik present the new framework co-created by the IIED's Human Settlements Groups and key urban stakeholders.
Despite scientific evidence of the relation between air pollution and premature deaths, cities are hesitant to take bold action for clean air. Mark Nieuwenhuijsen and Sasha Khomenko on reasons and perspectives.
Amman's infrastructure is not accessible to everyone. This has far-reaching consequences for people with disabilities – their everyday lives, their education, and their employment. Asia Yaghi analyses challenges and options.
Meelan Thondoo showcases how citizen participation in cities of low-and-middle income countries can contribute to sustainable urban transport policies and better urban living.
Cities have become the main culprit behind environmental degradation. Yet, what if urbanisation was a restorative act of the land, no longer synonymous with ecosystem destruction? Deema Assaf highlights how mini-forests have taken root in urban areas, with the potential of rejuvenating local ecology at an unprecedented speed.
