Urban Informal Research Articles

“I was not used to speaking to my children” parental gains from an adolescent education program in urban Nairobi, Kenya

The paper examines gains that accrued to parents of adolescents, in an education program in urban Nairobi, Kenya. Data comes from qualitative narratives from parents collected during the endline evaluation of the Advancing Learning Outcomes and Transformational Change (ALOT Change) program in the months of April–May 2018 using focus group discussions (FGDs). Analysis followed the framework of Miles and Huberman, which compares data from participants across time. Results showed that parents gained from the support provided to their children to continue with their education. There was also the trickle-down effect of the intervention in the households. Parental benefits were amplified through improvements in communication between them and their children. Finally, parents changed their behavior, to become better role models to their children. Overall, parents also became champions in improving educational outcomes for children in the Urban Informal Settlements, in Nairobi.

Refined Urban Informal Settlements’ Mapping at Agglomeration Scale With the Guidance of Background Knowledge From Easy-Accessed Crowdsourced Geospatial Data

Refined Urban Informal Settlements’ Mapping at Agglomeration Scale With the Guidance of Background Knowledge From Easy-Accessed Crowdsourced Geospatial Data

Urban orientalism and informal urbanization in Jinan, Shandong, China

This study examines urban orientalism in Jinan, Shandong, China, focusing on its intersection with informal urban spaces. Urban orientalism, a concept rooted in Edward Said’s seminal work, describes the tendency of Western observers to romanticize and portray non-Western cities as exotic. Jinan, undergoing rapid expansion, reflects a complex relationship between urban orientalism and informal settlements, influencing both the city’s physical landscape and social dynamics. The research explores how perceptions of Jinan’s “Oriental” identity shape policies, urban development strategies, and the lived experiences of its residents. Through a multidisciplinary approach integrating urban studies, cultural geography, and anthropology, this study analyzes the spatial distribution of informal settlements, their evolution over time, and the socioeconomic factors contributing to their persistence. In addition, it considers how local and global urban imaginaries shape views on informality and inform policy decisions impacting urban development. Drawing on empirical data from fieldwork, interviews, and archival research, this study aims to deepen understanding of urban orientalism as a multifaceted phenomenon with tangible implications for urban governance and spatial equity. Addressing these biases through more inclusive urban planning strategies is crucial for fostering equity and acknowledging diverse urban experiences.

Determinants of Quality of Life Among Older Adults in Urban Informal Settlements: Insights from Kathmandu, Nepal

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess the quality of life (QOL) of older adults living in the Bagmati squatters of Kathmandu and explore factors associated with it. Material: A cross-sectional study design was conducted in Bagmati Squatter settlements of Kathmandu district. A total of 144 older adults aged 60 years and above were enrolled in the study. QOL was measured by WHOQOL-OLD questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the chi-squared test. Results: The prevalence of poor QOL among the older adults living at Bagmati squatter of Kathmandu was (33.7%). More than one third of the respondents (61.1%) were male, mean age 64.15 ± 3.9 years and their age ranging from (60 to 75) years, where the majority (90.3%) were age group less than 70 years, dalit (66.7%), hindu (79.2%), married (54.2%), had more than 5 children(74.3%), smokers (55.6%) ,had drinking habit (68%) and chew tobacco (47.2%). Over two-thirds of the respondents (77.1%) had medical conditions where the majority suffered from Hypertension (18.1%) and also didn’t took any medicines. Half of the respondents perceived their health status bad. The quality of life was found poor among men, feeling depressed, having total children more than 5 , who had smoking habit and were smoking cigarette more than 5 per day, had habit of tobacco use ,having medical condition, who did not take any medication for last 2 months and who perceived health status bad. This study showed that female, dalit, married and married at age less than 16 years, older adults who had history of fall in previous 6 months, respondents with less than 5 members in family, who had smoking habit, smoking for more than last one year, had habit of tobacco use and alcohol drinking habit, who perceived health status good and those who are not involved in leisure activity were significantly associated with depression. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that most of the older adults lead a poor quality of life where a comprehensive formal support system for the older adults should be a priority to ensure the older adults have acceptable quality of life. Older adults friendly health policy must consider the specific needs of older adults in squatter and the local government should execute direct policies to meet these needs accordingly to upgrade their quality of life.

Food Security Status and Associated Drivers Among Climate Migrant Households in Bangladesh: Insight From Urban Informal Settlements

ABSTRACTClimate migrants and their food accessibility are a pressing issue in Bangladesh that has not been adequately addressed in previous studies. This research aimed to examine the food security status and its associated drivers among climate migrant households' residing in urban informal settlements in Khulna city. This study was conducted in three selected wards (12, 21, and 31) known for their urban informal settlements and high concentrations of climate migrants. Data were collected on socioeconomic, demographic, COVID‐19 impacts, and the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale using an interview schedule. Descriptive (mean, standard deviation, and percentage) and inferential statistics (chi‐square test and binary logit model) were used to analyze the data. The study found a large portion of households to be food insecure (83.3%). Several socio‐demographic and economic issues, including the household head's education, occupation, and health, the number of working members, monthly income, savings, debt, and access to a safety net, were identified as significant drivers of food insecurity. Moreover, COVID‐19 impacts, considering loss of employment, income, and savings, shortages of daily needs, and price hikes on food items, were identified as the significant contributors to food insecurity. Responsible stakeholders may utilize the outcomes of this study to combat food insecurity and hunger among climate migrants residing in urban informal settlements through necessary policy measures.

The Impact of Public Participation Through Invited and Invented Spaces on Water Supply in Urban Informal Settlements

Though public participation forms part of the foundation of the South African democracy, insufficient consideration has been paid to the processes of public participation at local government, particularly in the provision of water supply in informal settlement communities. Informal settlements and their leadership structures are continuously excluded and overlooked in decisions and plans around water supply for their designated communities by invited public participation platforms such as ward committees and ward councillors. As a result, this has negative implications on the settlements’ access to water supply. It is within this context that this article demonstrates how the exclusion of informal settlement communities and their leadership structures in water supply decision making processes at local government exacerbate and enforce water struggles in informal settlements. This paper uses a qualitative research approach. The data was collected using field observations, photographic images, in-depth household interviews, in-depth interviews with community leaders and key informants.

Female Domestic Workers in Urban Informal Employment: The Case of Hossana City, Ethiopia

Female Domestic Workers in Urban Informal Employment: The Case of Hossana City, Ethiopia

Investigation of Communities Adaptation and the Role of Landscape Functions in Urban Informal Settlements, Indonesia.

Socio-ecological connectivity highlights the significance of landscape functions as they support communities' resilience in disaster-prone areas. The study aimed to investigate community adaptive capacities in disaster-risk conditions and adopt strategies to reduce vulnerability with the help of landscape functions. Additionally, it intends to examine human-nature relationships by analyzing the perceived importance and performance of each function. Data was collected through questionnaires to obtain residents' perceptions in three sub-districts in Kupang, Indonesia. In addition, two hundred and ninety-four residents were selected as research participants. The results indicate that the overall vulnerability score in three regions is classified as almost vulnerable. Manutapen has high scores in adaptive capacity aspects; however, Airmata has a low score for soil conservation due to the high density of buildings. Respondents in Mantasi and Airmata rely on the provisioning function for daily needs. In Mantasi and Manupaten, the landslide control function is a very high priority. Meanwhile, in Airmata, the main priority should be given to the functions of supporting and regulating. Understanding socio-ecological relationships with attention to the performance of landscape functions is invaluable to supporting sustainable landscape management. It can also ease the pressure of climate change that communities have to contend with.

Patronage Pattern and Accessibility of Healthcare Facilities in Urban Slums and Informal Settlements in Ibadan Metropolis

Slums and informal settlements are residential areas physically and socially disintegrated. In spite of this, inadequate health-related data on slum areas and informal settlements has led to inappropriate and unrealistic allocation of healthcare resources by the public and private health providers. This study investigates the patronage pattern and accessibility of healthcare facilities to residents of urban slums and Informal settlements in Ibadan Metropolis, a rapidly growing urban area in Nigeria facing challenges related to urbanization and healthcare infrastructure. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Structured questionnaire was administered on 1,389 residents of the slummy neighbourhoods and informal settlements in Ibadan metropolis, and obtained data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results revealed that out of 109 neighbourhoods, 42.1% were categorized as slummy neighbourhoods, 36.7% as slums/informal settlements, while 21.2% were informal settlement using slummy and informality conditions respectively. Results revealed that distance to health facility (β= -0.353, p<0.05), educational qualification (β=-0.063, p<0.05) and household size (β= -0.052, p<0.05) had an inverse relationship with patronage of health facilities, while age (β=0.086, p< 0.05) had a positive relationship. It was also revealed that access to PHC and dispensary/clinic in slummy neighbouhoods and slum/informal settlements is higher compared to informal settlements in the study area. The study therefore recommends implementation of slum improvement program for the slummy and slums/informal neighbourhoods, provision of additional healthcare facilities to be located especially in the slummy neighbourhoods and informal settlements to ensure equitable distribution.

Conservation Management Practices for Biodiversity Preservation in Urban Informal Green Spaces: Lessons from Central European City

Urban informal green spaces (IGS) represent valuable reservoirs of biodiversity within urban areas and are increasingly recognized as integral components of green infrastructure. They are perceived as temporary ecosystems, and the management of their vegetation is relatively understudied. The development time of spontaneous vegetation on transformed lands is considered to be in the range of decades, which makes it even more necessary to provide managers with better guidelines for such a long period. Two suggested management approaches for these areas involve: (1) retaining vegetation at various stages of succession (non-forest IGS) and (2) protecting advanced developmental stages (forest IGS), with options for balanced intervention or complete non-intervention. However, the differences in biodiversity between these two types in cities across Central Europe remain unknown, as well as whether the predictors of biodiversity at both local and landscape scales are consistent for non-forest and forest IGS. We examined factors such as habitat continuity, landscape structure, soil quality, and human impact to shed light on pathways for enhancing urban floristic diversity. Conducting extensive botanical surveys in existing informal green spaces (IGS) in Warsaw, we derived various parameters, including the total number of species, Shannon-Wiener biodiversity index, hemeroby, urbanity, share of species from distinct ecological groups, and the number of rare and ancient forest plant species. Tracing habitat continuity from the early 20th century using digitized aerial imagery provided a unique long-term perspective on IGS development. We revealed that no management is pivotal for the conservation of select rare and ancient forest species. On the other hand, partial abandonment with occasional maintenance may enrich species diversity across different successional phases. We uncovered the significant influence of landscape structure and human activity on vegetation species composition within IGS. Notably, IGS proximate to extensive forest landscapes displayed a marked abundance of forest species, alongside a greater prevalence of rare species. However, the presence of other vegetation types in the vicinity did not yield similar effects. Our findings indicate that IGS, when left untouched for decades near forested areas, are valuable for urban biodiversity. As cities across the globe seek sustainable paths, this research underscores the importance of properly understanding and integrating IGS into urban ecological planning.

Relationship Between Substance Abuse and Sexual Violence among Women in Informal Urban Settlements in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Sexual assault is against the law in Kenya. Yet many people, particularly women and girls, continue to experience Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) without receiving much assistance, suggesting that the regulations in place are ineffective. Drug and substance abuse has also become prevalent, especially among persons living within informal urban settings. This with the attendant rise in cases of domestic and SGBV means that there is a growing need for a deeper understanding of the nexus between drug abuse and sexual violence against women, and in particular, within Nairobi's informal urban settlements. Many women in Kenya have experienced sexual or physical assault. The research sought to determine the relationship between substance abuse and sexual violence among women in Nairobi City County's informal urban settlements; The Social Learning Theory guided this research adopting a correlation study design with a target population of 139 women in the groups who have experienced GBV and SGBV. Using stratified selection and proportional sampling approaches, the Yamane formula was utilized to calculate the sample size of 106 respondents. Information was gathered through questionnaires. Descriptive statistics as well as inferential statistics like Pearson moment correlation and chi-square analysis, were used to analyse the data. From the study, it was indicated that both substance abuse and sexual violence have tremendous negative consequences on the health, socioeconomic, emotional, and psychological disposition of a person. The study also demonstrated the rise in drug and substance abuse led to an increase in cases of sexual violence. This shows that efforts to combat drug use and substance abuse have not been successful. Therefore, the study suggests that the government develop more potent methods of combating drug use and substance abuse

Do informal urban communities in Ghana qualify as a 15-Minute City based on access to socioeconomic activities?

ABSTRACT Access to services is a keystone of the 15-Minute City, an urban setup where residents can access basic services within 15-minutes of active transport from their homes. Whether Informal Urban Communities (IUCs) which are usually associated with negative connotations can qualify as a 15-Minute City is unknown. We investigated the extent to which IUC in Ayigya, Ghana satisfies this access condition. The findings show shorter travel durations and distances in reaching all selected activities. Underpinned by affordable travel costs, positive travel satisfaction, and walking as the largest modal share, Ayigya satisfies the 15-Minute City criterion of access to socioeconomic activities.

Persuasive Communication Factors and Their Effect on COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Amongst Residents of the Informal Urban Settlement in Kenya

Despite the immense resources and intensified interventions by the government and the international community, the desired uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine in Kenya has not been commendable. Hesitancy toward the COVID-19 vaccine remains high among the Kenyan population. Misconception and negative publicity have widely affected vaccine uptake. Since the vaccine is now readily available in the country’s private and public health facilities, it is critical to convince those hesitant to take it. Persuasive communication plays a critical role in the messaging framework during a public health crisis. They mostly rely on various communication channels, communication sources, and messaging structures to convey the public health message at different levels and to various targets. Given the expansive information environment, we sought to characterize the use of persuasive communication factors for COVID-19 vaccine information and determine their effect on vaccine acceptance. This study evaluated persuasive communication factors and their effect on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among residents of informal urban settlements in Kenya. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in the informal urban settlement of Kibera. Data was collected using a structured pretested questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. Demographic variables were analyzed and presented using means and proportions. The results indicated that trustworthiness/expertise (β = 0.175, p = 0.001), attractiveness/likability (β = 0.120, p = 0.009), and familiarity/similarity (β = 0.165, p = 0.001) significantly affected the likelihood of vaccine acceptance. Message factors such as factual/logical appeals (β = 0.829, p = 0.000) significantly and positively affected the likelihood of vaccination. Channel factors such as interactivity (β = 0.439, p = 0.000) and decidability (β = 0.287, p = 0.019) significantly positively affected the likelihood of vaccination. The study found that trustworthiness/expertise, attractiveness/likability, familiarity/similarity, factual/logical appeals, interactivity, and decidability significantly affect vaccine acceptance. These findings can inform policymakers, public health professionals, and communication experts on effective communication strategies to enhance vaccine uptake in informal urban settlements.

Young Men’s Experiences of Being Fathered and Absent Father’s Experience: A Case Study from Urban Informal Settlements in South Africa

The impact of absent fathers can be a significant challenge for young people, but particularly for young men. Our study drew on 19 in-depth interviews with young men living in urban informal settlements in South Africa, to understand how they understood the impact of biological father absence. Young men described an idealized fatherhood role in which biological fathers provided economic support, active fathering (including emotional support), and social recognition of children. Young men described biological father absence in very emotional terms, including the exclusion from family networks, and having negative economic and educational impacts. Furthermore, men saw biological father absence as impacting on their current situation, and as part and parcel of their wider social marginalization in South Africa. Social fathers — alternative male role models as they grew up — while described as existing, were not felt to be adequate in replacing biological fathers, despite the economic support and guidance some described receiving. Engaging with young men around the repercussions of biological father absence is important for supporting young, poor men in South Africa.

Improving Accountability for Equitable Health and Well-being in Urban Informal Spaces: Moving from Dominant to Transformative Approaches

This article critically reviews the literature on urban informality, inequity, health, well-being and accountability to identify key conceptual, methodological and empirical gaps in academic and policy discourses. We argue that critical attention to power dynamics is often a key missing element in these discourses and make the case for explicit attention to the operation of power throughout conceptualization, design and conduct of research in this space. We argue that: (a) urban informality reflects the exercise of power to confer and withhold advantage; (b) the dominant biomedical model of health poorly links embodied experiences and structural contexts; (c) existing models of accountability are inadequate in unequal, pluralistic governance and provision environments. We trace four conceptual and empirical directions for transformative approaches to power relations in urban health equity research.

Disaster Profile and Response in Urban Informal Settlement of Mathare, Nairobi County, Kenya

Disaster is an event that kills 10 or more people or leaves at least 100 people injured, homeless, displaced or evacuated. In extreme cases, these calamities usually impact negatively on the community and disrupt people’s normal living. Kenya’s informal areas are disaster prone due to households living under high voltage transmissions lines, railway line reserves, pipeline reserves, quarries and landfills, riparian reserves and others adjacent to heavy industrial activities. This dogma of urbanization calls for the need to address the planning needs of slums and informal settlements and making cities work for the urban poor entangled in these poverty and disaster traps. The study objective is to evaluate disaster types, causes, response and mitigation strategies in Mathare slums, Nairobi county, Kenya. Retrospective study design was employed on six purposefully sampled key informants. Interviews and focused group discussion were used in data collection. The period of study was from January to December 2023. The study site was Mathare slum, Nairobi County, Kenya. Statistics of disaster victims and response were derived from local government administrator office records. According to data from the local administration office, the period of January to December 2023 recorded eight disasters. There were four cases of fire that raged down households and businesses in Mathare affecting a total of 199 households. Illegal electricity, negligence and arson attacks were identified as causes of fire disaster. Two cases of landslides were recorded that affected six households, two victims were injured but there was no mortality. Illegal structures built on and under the cliffs with no foundation and pillars have been identified as contributor of landslides in Mathare. There were two flood disasters that affected 1500 households with zero mortality. House structures built on riparian land, on drainage ducts and along riverbanks are the main contributors of floods. The study recommends that The government and partners should invest in educating residents on disaster prevention. Relevant government authorities should inspect and approve construction of buildings in Mathare. Arrest and prosecute of arsonists and educate them against the vice. Government to construct and unclog drainage to manage rain water. Demolish illegal structures along the roads to create access in emergency response. Government and partners to set up disaster and relief coordination center in Mathare.

Assessment of Ferritin and Lead Levels in Children Living in an Informal Urban Settlement in Kenya

Background. Childhood lead exposure from recycling used lead-acid batteries (ULAB) in unregulated areas is a significant cause of lead toxicity, particularly in low and middle-income countries. This study aimed to assess the proportion of children with increased blood lead levels (BLLs) in an informal settlement where ULAB recycling occurs. Methodology. This was a descriptive study conducted in Nairobi county, Kenya. Children aged 6 months to 7 years were recruited after obtaining written informed consent, completion of a questionnaire and collection of samples for complete blood count, ferritin, and lead analysis. Results. Out of 215 children, 17 (8.0%) had BLLs ≥ 5 μg/dL. There was a weak negative correlation between BLLs and ferritin ( rs(211) = −0.147, P = .032). Conclusion. Our study confirms the presence of increased BLLs in children residing in the study area. Relevant authorities should legislate on safe ULAB disposal to protect the population from toxic effects.

Abundance, Characteristics, and Microplastics Load in Informal Urban Drainage System Carrying Intermixed Liquid Waste Streams

This first-of-its-kind study systematically assesses the abundance and characteristics of Microplastics (MPs) in different categories of informal open drains (nallas) carrying different liquid waste streams from different functional areas of an Indian city. Such drains are part of the informal urban drainage system that carries wastewater, stormwater, industrial effluent, and rural runoff. Logistical and locational limitations of traditional wastewater (WW) sampling methods severely limit their application in open drains. To overcome sampling challenges owing to complex geography, vast drainage network spread across different functional areas of the entire city, and local challenges, appropriately modified sampling strategies were adopted to collect samples from 35 open WW drains (small/local, intermediatory, and large). MPs (50μm-5mm) were present in a bucket, and net samples obtained from all 35 WW drains. The average MP concentration in WW drains was 4.20 ± 1.40 particles/L (bucket samples) and 5.19 ± 1.32 particles/L (net samples). A declining trend of MPs abundance was observed from larger to smaller drains, confirming that smaller and intermediatory drains (carrying WW from different functional areas of the city) are discharging their MP loads into larger drains. Intermixing different WW streams (municipal WW, stormwater surface runoff, agricultural runoff, and industrial WW) increases MP levels in drains. The local riverine ecosystem is being put at risk by a daily MPs load of 12.6 x 108 particles discharged from 9 larger drains into the local river Kharun. To protect the riverine ecosystem, controlling the high daily MPs load from such drains is important. Diversion of WW drains through constructed wetlands built near river banks can be a cost-effective solution. Because the entire Indian subcontinent and parts of Africa rely mainly on such drains having similar characteristics and local conditions, the findings of this study reflect the status and pattern of MPs pollution in informal drains of the entire Indian subcontinent and can be used by stakeholders and governments to take mitigative and preventive measures to manage the MPs pollution and protect the local riverine ecosystem.

Stakeholder’s Engagement and Performance of Urban Informal Settlement Upgrading Project in Kigali City; A Case of Mpazi Project, Nyarugenge District

Stakeholder’s Engagement and Performance of Urban Informal Settlement Upgrading Project in Kigali City; A Case of Mpazi Project, Nyarugenge District

Comparing Hybrid Urbanisms in the Global South: Water Delivery Configurations in Peru and Ghana

Urban development processes in the Global South (and North) are often described as characterized by formal and informal practices of different actors and their respective material realities. In critical urban studies, the disposition for this binary conception of formal and informal urbanisms has been discussed for many years. To a certain extent, these sometimes align rather problematically with contrasting notions of the “structural” versus the “everyday.” In this article, we explore an understanding of formal and informal urban practices (and respectively “structure” and “everyday”) as always interrelated, and we develop a methodology for a comparative examination of such hybrid urbanisms. In doing so, we address a missing link in the surging theoretical debate on comparative/southern urbanisms, which has rarely been substantiated by methodological explorations. The adapted concept of “delivery configurations” combines analyses of actor networks, material realities, rules and regulations, discourses, and heterogenous arrays of urban practices of negotiating these. However, bringing together local particularities and structural commonalities and exploring their interrelation only provides a basis for understanding case-specific complexities. We argue that embedding the analysis in a multi-scalar comparative framework can further its analytical rather than descriptive attributes and provide deeper insights into issues such as social inequality. To illustrate our methodological contribution, we provide first insights from a comparative research project of water delivery in different neighbourhoods in the secondary cities of Sunyani (Ghana) and Arequipa (Peru). We highlight the practical challenges of comparing diverse urban contexts and examining the rather complex relationships between infrastructure delivery, urban development, and social inequality.