ICPD in the Caribbean Newsletter Vol 1, Issue 3 2007 ECLAC UNFPA

7/30/2019 ICPD in the Caribbean Newsletter Vol 1, Issue 3 2007 ECLAC UNFPA

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he potential benefits of urbanisationfar outweigh the disadvantages: The

challenge is in learning how to exploit

its possibilities. This is the bold

declaration made by the latest UNFPA

State of World Population Report,

Unleashing the Potential of Urban

Growth, launched earlier this year.

The 2007 Report, which had its regional

launch in Trinidad and Tobago on July 11,

2007, says urbanization is inevitable and

urges countries to look beyond familiarchallenges of urban growth (poverty,

inadequate housing, environmental

degradation and weak local governance)

and to plan to take advantage of its

opportunities.

In 2008 more than half of the worlds

population will be living in urban areas.

Most new urban dwellers will be poor and

in the developing world. It is on this basis

that the report calls for a pre-emptive

approach by planners and policymakers toaddress urbanization.

Urbanization the increase in the total

share of the population living in urban

areas is a feature of Caribbean life, as 65

percent of the regions population is

classified as urban. Caribbean people, like

many people all over the world, are

drawn to the city or towns bright lights

and opportunities for better education,

employment and social and economic

improvement.

Historically, urban areas in the Caribbean

developed to foster interaction and trade

between colonies and the metropole.

These areas were characterised by coastal

locations to facilitate easy access to ports.

Industrial Free Zones established in urban

areas of some countries between the 1960s

and 1980s attracted workers. The

development of the tourism industry has

led to a steady stream of jobseekers from

rural areas to urban tourism centres.

Declining agriculture also drives urban

drift.

Urbanization in the Caribbean is nwithout challenges however and in a fe

countries (including Jamaica, Trinid

and Guyana) population distribution a

urbanization are issues of concern. The

challenges and concerns exist across t

developing world.

A Publication of UNFPA produced by ECLAC / CDCC November 2007 / Vol.1, Issue 3

in theCaribbeanin the

T

Caribbean

From the Editors 2

...............................................................ICPD, MDGs and Urbanization 2...............................................................

Text Box 1

Defining Urbanization 3...............................................................

ICHP - Transforming Housing into

Homes for Jamaicas Urban Poor 4...............................................................

Special Report

Moving Up But Not Out of City

Kingston 4...............................................................

Trinidad and Tobago73 Percent Urban and Growing! 5...............................................................

Text Box 2

Five Top Misconceptions about

Urban Growth 6...............................................................

Jamaica

Urbanisations Mixed Blessings

Old Harbour, Jamaica 7...............................................................

Events and Publications 8

IN THIS ISSUE

continued on page 3

Making Plans to Unleash the Potential

of Urban GrowthThe 2007 UNFPA State of World Population Report

The State of World Population Report 2007 challengescountries to plan for the challenges and opportunities ofurbanization.


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This issue of the UNFPA/ECLAC ICPD newsletter on

population and development is dedicated to Urbanization and

Development in keeping with the focus brought to this issue by

the UNFPA 2007 State of World Population Report. Our objective

is to underscore the importance that ECLAC and UNFPA attach

to urbanization globally and also in the Caribbean. Present

trends indicate that urbanization will be of unprecedented speed

and scale in the coming years. The projected growth demands

urgent action from policy makers and governments, if they are to

maximize the benefits of this process to contribute to the

achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

In this edition, we share the major highlights from this global

report and present examples of approaches adopted by various

Caribbean countries to effectively manage urbanization.

November 2007/ Vol.1, Issue 3 2 ICPD IN ACTIO

We all know that achievement of the MDGs depends on t

extent to which cities across the globe manage developmen

issues such as access to safe water and sanitation, hea

facilities, education, employment and transportation. T

newsletter provides background information to stimulate pub

discussion on the benefits and challenges of urban growth. W

hope that regional planners and policymakers will

encouraged to undertake in-depth analysis and begin

implement proactive measures to take advantage of the potent

benefits of urbanization.

Editorial Team :

Althea Buchanan - UNFPAKaroline Schmid - UN/ECLAC

Gail Hoad - Communication Consultant

The International Conference on

Population and Development (ICPD), held

in Cairo, Egypt in 1994, was the largest

intergovernmental conference on

population and development ever held.More than 180 states participated in

negotiations to prepare a Programme of

Action to be implemented over 20 years.

This newsletter, ICPD in Action,

highlights key issues raised in the ICPD

Programme of Action and examines ways

in which they are being addressed in the

Caribbean. The work of agencies such as the

UNFPA (United Nations Population

Fund) and the Economic Commission of

Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)

are also guided by the United Nations

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) -

eight goals to be achieved by 2015 that

respond to the world's main development

challenges.

The ICPD Programme of Action,

recognising urbanisations challenges and

opportunities, urges governments to build

the capacity of city and municipal

authorities to manage urban development

in ways which protect the environment

and respond to the needs of all citizens,including urban squatters. It cites personal

safety, basic infrastructure and services,

health and social problems and criminality

as challenges to be addressed in the urban

context.

MDG 7, Ensure Environmental

Sustainability, also sets a goal for

improved urban life in Target 11, which

aims to Achieve significant improvement

in lives of at least 100 million slum

dwellers by 2020.

A 2004 review of the Implementation of the

ICPD Programme of Action in the

Caribbean notes that for a few states in the

sub-region, population distribution and

urbanization are issues of growing

concern: Urbanisation creates pressures

on the environment, particularly in

ecologically vulnerable ecosystems. The

challenge is to provide infrastructure and

basic social services.

Some strategies developed by Caribbeanstates to address these challenges follow th

ICPD blueprint by: facilitating semi-urban

housing developments; regularizing

squatter communities and ensuring thei

access to basic services such as electricity

transport and water; improving access to

health and education services in rural areas

and providing incentives for rura

development.

The review concludes that Caribbean

governments need improved data collecting

systems and more data on internal

inter-regional and international migration

This should help Caribbean states better

understand and support the flows of

people within, as well as into and out of

their borders.

Editors

The ICPD, the Millennium Development

Goals and Urbanization


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November 2007/ Vol.1, Issue 3 3 ICPD IN ACTI

TEXT BOX1URBAN The United Nations defines

urban areas as settlements or localities

defined as urban by national statistical

agencies. The differences between

countries and between geographical

areas make it difficult to provideuniversal definitions of urban and

rural. Different countries often use

their own concepts in defining these

areas, making international comparisons

problematic.

URBANIZATION - is the process of

transition from a rural to a more urban

society. In statistical terms, it reflects a

growing proportion of a countrys total

population living in urban areas. Thisoccurs as a result of net rural to urban

migration, natural increase and

reclassification of rural areas as urban.

In Barbados, 53.9 percent of the islands

population is defined as urban.

Virtually the entire population of the

Cayman Islands is considered urban.

In the Bahamas 90.9 percent of the

population is described as urban.

In Jamaica where 54 percent of the

population is classified as urban, urban

areas, as defined by the StatisticalInstitute of Jamaica, must have a

minimum population of 2000 persons

and have amenities and facilities that

indicate modern living including a

tax office, post office and police

station.

In Guyana urban dwellers account for

28.2 percent of the population, andthe countrys main urban structure is

composed of six municipal centres

-the city of Georgetown and the

towns of New Amsterdam, Linden,

Corriverton, Rose Hall and Anna

Regina.

Trinidad and Tobago defines 73

percent of its population as urban.

(Definitions and Statistics taken from:

UNFPA State of World Population Report

2007)

DefiningUrbanization

The 2007 Report points out that very few

developing country cities generate enoughjobs to meet the demands of their growing

populations[and] the benefits ofurbanization are not equally enjoyed by allsegments of the population.

It notes however, that despite largenumbers of urban residents, persistentunderdevelopment and shortage of urbanjobs which produce challenging social andeconomic conditions, rural urban migrantsgenerally prefer their new life in the townsto the one they left behind (see SpecialReport, pg.4). Migrants are making a

rational decision and based on the choicesthey face, cities are the more attractiveoption. In the Caribbean, with theexception of Barbados, the majority of thepoor live in rural areas. Although urbanpoverty is more severe and more visible,the proportion of poor people in ruralareas is greater than that in urban areas.

Today, cities generally have greater

potential than rural areas for reducing

poverty. Cities are the main site of

economic growth in most countries...

[They] also have the potential to improve

peoples lives directly and at a lower cost

than rural areas[as] cities can provide

much cheaper access to basic

infrastructure and services to their entire

populations the 2007 State of World

Population Report explains.

It concludes that taking advantage of

urbanisations opportunities requires:

Preparing for the urban future in ways

that respect the rights of the poor to the

city and facilitate policies whichpromote the welfare and upward social

and economic mobility of the poor,

including social development,

investments in health and education

and empowerment of women.

Providing broader and longer term

vision on the use of urban space

including provision of serviced land to

the poor and managing the urb

space in advance of needs to ensu

environmental protection.

Ensuring that population institutioand specialists play a key role

supporting community organisation

social movements, governments a

the international community

support sustainable strategies for t

urban future.

For the complete report and additional

information on it go online to

http://www.unfpa.org/swp/swpmain.htm

continued from page 1

A crowded, bustling, market street in downtown Kingst

Jamaica.

Making Plans to Unleash the Potential of Urban Growth

The 2007 UNFPA State of World Population Report

1.

2.

3.


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SPECIAL REPORTSPECIAL REPORT SPECIAL REPORT

Anthony Brown is a proud resident of

Caribbean Palms Estate, a 186 unit housing

development which opened its doors to

residents of inner-city Kingston in 2006,

under the Inner City Housing Project (ICHP).

Mr. Brown who is head of the strata

(management organisation) for the seven

acre development is not a Kingston native.

He is a rural-urban migrant who, at 8 years

old, made the journey from rural St James

to Kingston with his mother.

Most naturally she came looking for work

and trying to find a better way for herself

and her family. And of course she wasprobably just interested to see what town

life was like, Mr. Brown who is now in his

early forties says, in explaining his mothers

move to the city.

He lived for a few years in Kingston, but

moved to the rural Stony Hill district in the

late 1970s. He feels this experience helped

mould me and make me into what I am.It

was peaceful. There you could hear birds,

see trees.Friends were friends. People

would do things for each other. There was

brotherly love and caring.

By 1986 however Mr. Brown was back in

heart of Kingston, in the tough inner c

community of Greenwich Town. He sp

twenty years there before the ICHP offe

him an opportunity to move i

Caribbean Palms Estate, which is a

located in Kingston. He admits that city

and ghetto life are difficult but ha

advantages.

City life is for the young with

excitement and the hustle and bustle a

opportunities. Ghetto life, which is differ

from city life, is college! It is interesti

When you can live in an inner city a

survive you can do anything. Ghe

people can overcome anything thrown

them without even knowing they can do

Survival is a way of life!

While he would like to return to the coun

eventually, Mr. Brown wants to improve

in his new community. He enjoys

spacious surroundings and s

beautification and environmental proje

in the estate are an attempt to bring so

of the countrysides peace and green

into the inner city. He also wants to help

neighbours build community spirit and ta

responsibility for changing their lives.

The Inner City Housing Project (ICHP) inJamaica is an initiative of the NationalHousing Trust (NHT), the governmentagency mandated to improve the countrys

housing stock and promote greaterefficiency in the housing sector.

The goal of the ICHP is to improve livingconditions in urban communities with

high unemployment, low education levelsand substandard living conditions.Overcrowding, poor sanitation and pooror non-existent infrastructure are among

the challenges facing residents.

The project aims to build 5000 housingunits in sixteen degraded urban

communities, most of which are in the

Kingston Metropolitan Area, over a four

year period (2004-2008). Only community

persons are eligible to apply for houses.

They can purchase units at a subsidized

price through an NHT mortgage or enter

into a lease agreement with the

organisation if they cannot afford monthly

mortgage payments.

According to the 2007 State of World

Population Report, the associati

between poverty, environment a

housing is critical, as policies directed

improving shelter in urban areas can ha

huge impacts on poverty reduction a

environmental well-being.

Anthony Brown Moving UpBut Not Out of City Kingston............................................................................

New Housing Units under the Inner City Housing Projin Kingston, Jamaica

Anthony Brown and his son Giovanni enjoy their newhome, the inner city housing development, Caribbean

Palms Estate in Kingston, Jamaica.

The Inner City Housing Project Transforming Housing into Homes for Jamaicas Urban Poor

continued on pag

JAMAICAJAMAICA JAMAICA


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November 2007/ Vol.1, Issue 3 5 ICPD IN ACTI

TRINIDAD & TOBAGOTRINIDAD &TOBAGO TRINIDAD &TOBAGO

The regional launch of the

UNFPAs State of World

Population Report took place

earlier this year in Trinidad and

Tobago, a Caribbean state in which

73 percent of the population is

urban and where urban growth is

2 percent.

Keynote speaker at the launch was

Trinidad and Tobagos Planning

and Development Minister,

Camille Robinson-Regis, who

outlined strategies beingundertaken by the government of

the country to address

urbanization.

Mrs Robinson-Regis said the

Government of Trinidad and

Tobago has been actively

preparing for urbanization in its

plans to achieve its development

targets for 2020. She explained that

the Government has articulated aNational Developmental Plan,Vision 2020, which aims to

transform the country into a

developed nation by the year 2020.

The Minister outlined several

policies which address

urbanization directly or indirectly

and which have been incorporated

into the Vision 2020 Operational

Plan.

These policies will tackle various

issues associated with urban

growth including: accelerated high

density housing; urban renewal

and redevelopment; development

of Local Area Plans with provision

for more green spaces in urban

centres; traffic congestion in urban

areas; building sustainable

communities in non-urban areas and

improved transportation networks.

In addition to these measures, the

Minister revealed that the Town

and Country Planning Division of

her Ministry is updating the

National Physical Development

Plan (NPDP) to guide

development for the entire

country.

She said the NPDP has identified

several growth centres nationally

which have been targeted for

development in order to spur on

urbanization, as well as areas

which are lagging behind and forwhich development is to be

encouraged. Lagging centres to be

given attention as growth poles

include La Brea and Princes

Town in South West and South

Central Trinidad, and Mayaro in

Eastern Trinidad.

There are also major

infrastructural projects to extend

highways to access rural areas inorder to encourage development,

and studies focussing on the best

and most viable transportation

systems for the country have been

commissioned.

According to the Minister, the

Government has plans to contain

squatting and transform existing

squatter settlements across the

country into more planned andsustainable communities. She said

that in the context of the current

economic boom, Government has

accelerated its housing

programmes and intends to build

100,000 units over the next 10

years through government and

private sector initiatives.

73%Urban

andGrowing!

Trinidad and Tobago

Busy Commercial Street in Port of Spain, Trinidad

Mrs Robinson-Regis said

the Government of Trinidad

and Tobago has been

actively preparing for

urbanization in its plans to

achieve its development

targets for 2020.


6/8


TEXT BOX2Urbanization is InherentlyBad

The concentration of visible poverty and

environmental degradation in cities can

lead people to believe that urbanizationand urban growth are evils in themselves.

This view is wrong. Cities have long been

the places for economic growth in most

countries. Higher intensity of economic

activity in cities favours jobs and income,

the starting point for improved social

welfare. Proximity and concentration

make it easier and cheaper for cities to

provide citizens with basic social

services, infrastructure and amenities.

Most Urban Growth isOccurring in Mega-Cities

Much public attention has been centered

on mega-cities (with 10 million or more

people) in recent years. There are about

20 such cities in the world today. These

mega-cities are NOT home to a large

proportion of the worlds urban

population. Smaller cities (with less than500,000 inhabitants) still contain more

than half of the worlds urban population

and will continue to absorb about 50

percent of urban growth in the

foreseeable future. Mega-cities account

for only 9 per cent of the urban

population.

Rural-Urban Migration

Should be ControlledIn much of the developing world, natural

increase (births over deaths) and not

migration is the dominant factor in urban

growth. In some Caribbean states

however rural urban migration is a major

factor in urban growth. Migrants from

rural areas tend to do relatively well in

urban habitats because of their youth,

high aspirations, and other personal

characteristics. People migrate to urban

areas because of economic rationale: As

workers they need the opportunities cities

offer and cities need workers. Cities also

offer better access to services and

amenities. The State of World Population

Report therefore concludes that attempts to

prevent rural-urban migration are

misguided, from economic, social and

demographic standpoints.

The Poor are a Drain onthe Economy

Policymakers in developing countries

increasingly appear to favour the

containment of poor people in rura

areas. While it may seem sensible to try

to keep rural-urban migration down to a

level consistent with the availability o

urban jobs and services, a majo

consideration is that rural areas

generally present even fewer options for

gainful employment and for fulfilling

minimal socio-economic aspirations.

City Growth InevitablyHurts the Environment

The expansion of cities often spreads

over lands that are rich in biodiversity

Unmitigated urban sprawl increase

energy use as well as air pollutionUrban areas concentrate most of the

worlds most damaging production and

consumption practices. Nevertheless, i

is increasingly being recognized that the

concentration of population in cities is

important for sustainability. Given a

global population of 6.7 billion people

and growing, concentration in dense

urban areas is essential. The problems o

ecologically-harmful production and

consumption in urban areas are derived

from a given pattern of civilization, no

from concentration of people.

Five TopMisconceptionsAbout Urban

Growth(Taken from the State of

World Population Report 2007)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.


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Jamaica has experienced significant

growth in towns outside of its two

cities Kingston and Montego Bay-over the past twenty years.

The parish of St Catherine has many

of these growing urban areas and

according to Jamaicas 2001 census,

its population grew by 26.3%

between 1991 and 2001. This growth

rate, nearly three times higher than

the rate for the entire country, is a

result of planned and unplanneddevelopment of urban centres in the

parish. Old Harbour and Old

Harbour Bay are two such centres.

Old Harbour had one of the highest

rates of growth in all Jamaica. It was

therefore fitting that the local

launch of the 2007 State of World

Population Report, Unleashing the

Potential of Urban Growth, onJune 26, 2007, focused on this town.

The Planning Institute of Jamaica

(PIOJ), conducted research on Old

Harbour and presented its findings

at the launch.

Population growth in Old Harbour

has been explosive - from 17,966 in

1991 to 23,823 in 2001, and up to

29,835 in 2005. Old Harbours

growing population has spilled

over into Old Harbour Bay, a

sprawling fishing settlement

reclassified as a main town in the

last fifty years. This growth is proof

of the State of World Population

assertion that most urban

population growth is likely to be in

smaller cities and towns, not in

larger cities.

Old Harbour is an important site for

residential and commercial

developments. It has a large

commuting population, as many

residents work in the Kingston

Metropolitan Area, about 40

minutes away. The town has a

diverse economic base. Fishing is a

major industry because of OldHarbour Bay. Agriculture,

manufacturing, financial services

and commercial establishments

complete the picture of its bustling

economic life. The 2007 Report

repeatedly states that urbanization

is driven by the fact that people

follow jobs, economic activity and

opportunities. These are

increasingly concentrated in andaround dynamic urban areas, large

and small.

The PIOJ identified some

serious impacts of urbanization

on Old Harbour including:

inappropriate, haphazard

development; inadequacy of basic

services; congestion; air and effluent

pollution and encroachment on

wetlands. Like the 2007 Report, local

planning specialist Pauline

McHardy points to the need to plan

for social and sustainable use of

space, better information to guide

decision making and strengthening

of governance.

UrbanizationsMixed

BlessingsOld Harbour, Jamaica

URBANIZATION URBANIZATIONURBANIZATION

Fishing is a major industry in Old Harbour, which has 1042registered fishermen and 268 fishing boats. Here fish

vending takes place in Old Harbour Bay.

Old Harbour is an important

site for residential and

commercial developments.

It has a large commuting

population, as many residents

work in the Kingston

Metropolitan Area, about

40 minutes away.


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Publications

The Global Report on Human Settlements 2007,

Enhancing Urban Safety and Security

(UN-Habitat) addresses some of the most

challenging threats to the safety and security of

urban dwellers today including urban violence

and crime; insecure tenure of millions of slum

dwellers who risk arbitrary eviction; and

environmental threats to urban dwellers. It

points to the key role of urban planning and

governance in making cities safe and secure for

generations to come. To order a copy check

the Website: www.unhabitat.org.

State of the World 2007: Our Urban Future

(Worldwatch Institute) examines changes in the

ways cities are managed, built, and lived in that

could tip the balance towards a healthier and

more peaceful urban future. Besides

highlighting challenges, the report also

describes how communities and local

governments have pioneered groundbreaking

policies to address poverty and environmental

concerns. To order a copy check the Website:www.worldwatch.org

Business for Sustainable Urbanization -

Challenges and Opportunities

(UN-Habitat) 2007 examines the role of the

private sector as a vital partner in ensuring

sustainability for the worlds cities. It asserts that

private sector partnerships and a concerted

approach to land, basic infrastructure and

services and affordable accessible housing

solutions are critical to practical sustainability in

cities. To order or download a copy check the

Website: www.unhabitat.org.

November 9, 2007

Seminar on Migration Data

Collection, Management

and Sharing in the

Caribbean, organized by

ECLAC and IOM

(International Organisation

for Migration), the CaymanIslands................................................

November 25, 2007

International Day for the

Elimination of Violence

Against Women................................................

November 21, 2007

UNFPA Caribbean Media

Awards Ceremony at

Queen's Hall, St Ann's,

Trinidad and Tobago.The competition, established by

UNFPA in 1999, has recognised

several journalists for their role in

increasing understanding of the

impact of population and

reproductive health issues on

development. For the 2007

awards, the focus is on Urban

Growth.

................................................

December 1, 2007

World AIDS Day................................................

December 4 6, 2007

CELADE (The Latin Americanand Caribbean Demographic

Centre) Second Regional

Intergovernmental

Conference on Ageing,

Brasilia, Brazil

October 1, 2007 World

Habitat Day Celebrations

under the theme A Safe

City is a Just City...............................................

October 1-5, 2007

International Conference o

the State of Safety in WorldCities 2007 (UN-Habitat),

Monterrey, Mexico...............................................

October 1, 2007

International Day of Older

Persons...............................................

October 10 -11, 2007

CELADE (The Latin American aCaribbean Demographic Centre

International Seminar and

50th Anniversary

Commemoration, ECLAC,

Santiago Chile

...............................................

October 17, 2007International Day for the

Eradication of Poverty

...............................................

October 24, 2007

United Nations Day

...............................................

October 30, 2007

Caribbean

Intergovernmental

Conference -Follow-up to

the Latin America and

Caribbean Regional Plan o

Action: Focus on Ageing,

Trinidad and Tobago

Targeted communities benefit from

social as well as physical development.

Wendy Jo Williams, Social

Development Manager with the ICHP,

explains that a social development

strategy is necessary to help peoplemake the transition from squatting or

free living to home ownership and to

ensure the programmes sustainability.

Interventions aimed at job creation and

job generation have been developed,

providing new homeowners with

training in job readiness, social skills

and vocational areas. Programmes

encourage environmental protection,

community beautification and

community management.

Under the Inner City Housing Project

there is also psycho-social training

linked to many things. We have tried

to use Capoiera to teach personal

development and conflict

resolution.We provide training in

parenting, reproductive health, you

name it, Ms. Williams notes.

Results have been mixed. Some

communities have seen more success in

social programmes, community

organisation and mortgage repayments

continued from page 4

Events and Observances

The Inner City Housing Project Transforming Housing into Homes for Jamaicas Urban Poor

Upcoming Recent

than others. Caribbean Palms Estate

West Kingston is one success story. M

Williams feels however that a k

achievement is the construction of

many housing units in inner-c

Kingston.

The biggest challenge she says is

generation which is a probl

nationally, regionally a

internationally. It is opportunities

employment and job creation wh

will empower these urban residents

provide for their own needs and ma

the ICHP sustainable.

Documents

ICPD in the Caribbean Newsletter Vol 1, Issue 3 2007 ECLAC UNFPA