I HEAR NO EVIL 
In other news:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailheadlines.asp?fileid=20070628.B07&irec=6
World's cities unable to cope with growth:
UNFPA
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
For the first time in the history of mankind, more than half of the
world's population, or some 3.3 billion, will live in urban areas
by 2008, a United Nations report says.
The report -- State of World Population Report 2007, Unleashing the
Potential of Urban Growth, issued Wednesday by the United Nations
Population Fund -- estimates the number of people living in urban
areas will reach five billion by 2030.
Low-income households will make up a large percentage of the urban
population, and unless clear interventions are taken many cities in
the world will be unable to cope with the rapid growth, the report
says.
Migration is expected to play just a small role in the urban
population growth, as the United Nations foresees natural growth --
more births than deaths -- dominating the population
increase.
"Urbanization is inevitable but it can be something positive,"
UNFPA's information director Safiye Cagar said in a
statement.
Poverty, according to the report, will be centered in urban areas.
Paradoxically, cities will continue to provide hope to the poor,
giving them opportunities to lift their living standards not
available in rural areas.
"Urban development has caused environmental destruction to some
extent but solutions can also be immediately offered as many
decision-makers and experts have a shared common belief that cities
will be the right place to begin a sustainable future for all
mankind," the report says.
The report sees beyond the present bitter and pressing urban
realities and suggests opportunities to make good use of the
available potentials.
Supported by civil society and urban non-profit groups, city
administrations, national governments and UN agencies can step up
"now" to make a huge difference in improving social, economic and
environmental conditions for urban residents.
The report proposes at least three initiatives that can be
adopted.
"The first one is by respecting the rights of urban poor.
Administrations have embarked on a wrong, counter-productive
approach of preventing migration by sweeping homeless from the
streets and shunning public services for the poor. That's also a
violation against human rights.
"(C)ity leaders have effective options by improving public
services, making them accessible for anyone; providing education;
also inviting women to get involved in economic developments;
focusing on women's reproductive health."
The second initiative involves long-term, far-ranging city spatial
management visions, in a bid to cut down poverty and improve
sustainability.
"Land ownership must be available for urban poor on which they can
build a proper house with access to water, waste disposal,
transportation and electricity. To be able to meet this, a fresh
and proactive approach is needed. City spatial planning thus must
be able to answer this challenge," the report says
The third initiative envisions demographic institutions and experts
playing a key role in supporting non-governmental organizations,
the international community and governments to improve cities'
expanding territory and urban dynamics in the future.
