id21 Infrastructure

Potential of pro-poor water connection subsidies in Cambodia

id21 — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:32:29 +0000

After decades of conflict, Cambodian water planners are struggling to provide supplies to urban residents. Many households do not use water from a network connection. Instead they rely on dirty and unreliable sources. Getting poor householders connected is unlikely without subsidies and regulatory reform.

id21 viewpoint: The role of culture and the environment in sustainable tourism development

id21 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:09:04 +0000

The Millennium Development Goals are accepted internationally as a common framework for development. But even though these goals are global, they are most effective when linked to local realities. This means adapting them to make the most of local social capital, use locally available resources and get local communities involved

Millions in Cairo remain homeless while houses stand empty

id21 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:39:46 +0000

Cairo is the largest city in Africa and the Middle East. It houses over 11 million people illegally in roof-top slums and its infamous ‘Cities of the Dead’, where thousands of people live among the gravestones of cemeteries. At the same time, nearly two million apartments stand empty

Poor South Africans must be supported to negotiate in housing projects

id21 — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 11:11:22 +0000

When poor people are not united by language or a common struggle, they have more difficulty getting their voices heard in development projects. South Africa’s experience in building new houses for low-income households shows that projects should focus on supporting people and teaching them the skills to participate, not just on the physical provision of a house.

Prioritising infrastructure in post-conflict reconstruction

id21 — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 10:14:42 +0000

2005/12 - id21 [Armed conflicts have terrible consequences for the people affected by them. These conflicts also undermine and damage social and material infrastructure. Reconstructing this infrastructure is essential to sustain post-conflict recovery. Given the complexity of post-conflict contexts, developers must learn to assess situations adequately and set the right priorities]

Progress in making urban development sustainable

id21 — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:35:12 +0000

2008/08 - id21 [A modern city can only be truly successful if it can demonstrate its commitment to protecting the environment. Officials must recognise the city’s natural assets, create efficient water, energy and transport infrastructure and protect its citizens against the impacts of climate change. Sound environmental management can boost city budgets, attract investors and contribute to public health and poverty eradication]

Fighting corruption in infrastructure delivery in Nigeria

id21 — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:27:46 +0000

2008/09 - id21 [In 2003, the Nigerian government set up the Budget Monitoring and Price Intelligence Unit (BMPIU) to halt corruption and incompetence in public procurement and service delivery. Stakeholders, including contractors, suppliers and end-users, have had diverse reactions to the initiative. How has it performed and what are its strengths and weaknesses?]

Scaling up community sanitation programmes in Bangladesh

id21 — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:22:59 +0000

2008/10 - id21 [Increasing the intensity and spread, or ‘scaling up’, of a particular practice is not straightforward. Governments and donors often emphasise the expansion of programmes and institutions. The Community-led Total Sanitation (CLTS) programme, pioneered in Bangladesh, indicates that processes of spread and adaptation within communities may be more relevant]

Addressing deprivation among disadvantaged groups in rural India

id21 — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:14:54 +0000

2008/11 - id21 [India’s economy has grown rapidly in recent years but some of the country’s most disadvantaged groups remain very poor. Why do the scheduled castes (SCs) and scheduled tribes (STs) experience greater poverty and deprivation than other groups in rural India?]

Urban families under pressure in Kenya

id21 — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:02:04 +0000

2008/11 - id21 [Inadequate infrastructure and services, lack of access to financial resources and weak social networks are just some of the difficulties facing urban households in Kenya. These factors make it even more difficult for them to cope with economic difficulties and ill-health]