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Week 1 response summary
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Jun 23rd, 2008 - 08:36:10 |
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Dear all,
Thank you all for the responses that came through directly on the discussion forum, directly and also through face book discussion page.Sorry for the delay in the summary due to some logistics we had and delays in some other programmes engaed in the section.
The Week\'s Summary. highlights the points that participants responded with, in regards to the following questions.
1. Territorial Balance in Urban Development
a) As a young woman or a young man, what spaces/places of your city do you like and why? Please elaborate.
Key words in many responses focused on inner city as Victor Manoh gave his description of Inner Cities and those that prefer peri / outskirt dwellers. Since most of them harbor opportunities and information and communication facilities. Which bring about motivating factors for self-empowerment and growth for development of your community and country at large.
Your answers highlighted that being closer to these services bring you closer to the world and create opportunities for linkages for better life styles.
Some of you listed the recreational facilities, clean areas which are well lit as they make one feel safe, comfortable and able to enjoy the scenery as you walk noting the increased the amount of greenery initiated by some cities as it makes them feel calm as I walk by tree s and beautiful gardens.
- Your preference as young people was to live in a place’s that is free from pollution, human, drug free, traffic, crime free, not congested and an environment that is not noisy. Most of the problems faced by cities have been brought up by poor planning within our cities has contributed to most of the listed above, this kind of environment reflects all kind of negative attributes that are associated with, e.g. an environment that is associated with drugs brings about all the negative effects that come along i.e. crime, rape etc.
- As a matter fact Nairobi is the city and the places are the real estates in Lavington, Muthaiga among others. Here you will find well placed infrastructure. Security is tight. So every thing looks in order. This Place signifies that who is who in Kenya resides there. You will notice due to presence of chase cars and flashy flashy ones. Here total control is bestowed.
b) What kinds of spaces/places do you dislike and why? Please elaborate.
- There was response focusing on Military Installations in a country like Sierra Leone. Noting Africa as notorious for civil conflicts, military coups, been very close to these locations is a security risk as these are target areas when there is coup or civil conflict and you are risked of being hurt or killed.
- State House which is the office of the president, and there is always presence of armed personnel, this brings me memory of the warring years
- Industrial estates located near the cities and thus Polluted, disorganized, not lit well at night, crowded lack of greenery
- Dump Sites: emerging settlements and poses threat to human health due the pollution, odour and breeding of pathogens.
- Mushrooming slum areas because that\'s where mostly people don\'t care about their environment, poor planning and housing structures contribute to poor sewage systems which make it difficult to describe it as a harmonious place to live in.
The need for having a city that has been well planned and has a linear setting with regard to the arrangement of houses was highlighted in all your response
c) What three changes would you like to see your city’s urban planning that would make your city more harmonious for yourself and others of your gender?
Responses focused on what government’s should engage in for better results updating and integrated policies and city planning, urbanization in rural areas this would somehow decongest the cities that are a bit modernized, improved Security is a major concern in most metropolitan cities. Regulation of the Public Transport system which has contributed mostly on the congestion of vehicles in the central business district,
i) Upgrading of markets to higher urban status
ii) Rehabilitation of market schemes
iii) Market expansion scheme-
More focus should on the Urban geographers and planners must begin to develop a comprehensive urban information system. A responder proposed is a comprehensive approach to the city crisis—one that addresses the structural, institutional, economic, organizational and human dimensions of the crises within a local and national context,
d) What is the role of young women and men in making these changes?
As young people your response was focused on the fact that young people should “be the change” that you wish to see, and lead that change..
A responder from Ghana will engage himself in advocacy to get attention of the Government of Ghana and other concerned institutions to the need for the long-awaited National Youth Policy document. Policies like these, which young people have always advocated, consider giving young people another chance when they make bad choices.
The role of young women and men in making these changes is that they can engage themselves in using their skills by an example of street art on the benches to make them look more attractive.
-Young people are responsible to elect leaders who will push for the above consistently and not be bribed, demand quality all the time in services provided, adhere to rules .like no littering and damage of property. Take up positions that will to give their inputs on development issues like young professionals, youths and students should be united by the government using the National Youth policy. They should a clear stated role in local government as well as central government to participate in development of their own constituencies from the grassroots to the top.
- The young people need to go to people, serve them, plan with them, start with what they know and build on what they here.
Questions2.
Promoting Social Equity and Inclusiveness
a) How to do you as a young woman or a young man experience social equity? You can write about any aspect of social equity that you wish. Please elaborate and give examples.
Respondents gave their experiences that they came across at the social amenities like community library, Public Universities that accept students from all over the country and opportunities that engage citizens at all level like during the time for voting, companies would concentrate on giving jobs based on skills and competencies
A responder from Ghana gave an example of we find individuals sabotaging a water project that served all people in the community despite government actions at getting water to most Ghanaians
b) How do you experience inequity and exclusion? You can write about any aspect of social equity that you wish. Please elaborate and give examples.
Experiences on this were highlighted where most of you stated different groups such as the elite, middle class, poor and invisible poorest. The fate of interdependency is ignored and the gap between the rich and the poor widens.
The decision making on development issues shift. The poor and invisible are excluded. On the issue of ownership you find one man owing a large chunk of land yet squatters surround him all over.
-One of the major social inequities that one of you experienced is the usage and distribution of Electricity and water supply in my community. He live in the East end of the city and the most populated area with limited facilities. Electricity and water supply is very limited and it is in a very short supply, while the other parts of the city where the Ministers, president and other affluent people receive regular and interrupted services. This means one has to improvise other source, which is very costly and not hygienically good. As water is life, this is creating a lot of political, economic, environmental and social problems.
-some of you while seeking for employment there is a lot of nepotism which makes it difficult to get a job as Jobs that are given out on the basis of who you know! Judgment of who I am based on where I leave, dress like or who my parents are, Judgment based on my gender such I cannot do something due to being a woman or tribe as certain tribes are labeled as lazy or cheats.
Racism when whites are treated better than you are, by your own people
A responder from Kenya stated how some few months before the national general elections we put our area Member of parliament into question as to how much they had allocated for the youths in our constituency on community development funds, surprisingly they had only given the youth 5% of the total amount on an area that has over 200 youth groups, dividing 5% by all the youth groups was not sufficient to implement even 10 groups.
This made them feel that we have been sidelined and we have to watch development from the sideshows.
A national policy on health care for all should be implemented for all either rich or poor, affordable access to health is fundamental for all, most people die from treatable diseases due to the cost of health care.
c) From your viewpoint as a young person, what are the three key issues that need to be tackled to increase social equity and inclusiveness in your town or city? Who should tackle these key issues? Please elaborate.
Focus on the fact that decision making within city should not vest with the councils. Master planning should be followed and be reviewed now and then by an independent body comprising the elite, middle, poor and invisible poor.
Permanent building should be encouraged so that in long runs we have very little new developments and need to portray New York style.
Education:-More scholarships should be given to the poor people who can not afford to continue with their education in the higher institutions after their secondary education. Which should be tackled these issues can be the ministry of education.
Developments of new town and Country Planning policies through a consultative and rights-based approach to reflect new realities to provide community priorities based on gender, environment and economic factors.
Affordable Housing where majority of young people living within the city do not have a home or access to decent and affordable housing and as such sleep in public places. This is very degrading for the human race, suggesting decent and affordable housing scheme for young people.
Job Creation Opportunities: As a post conflict and transitional country decent job opportunities for young people including ex-combatants should be a priority if we are to prevent another civil conflict, reduction in crime rate and drug abuse, prostitution and sex related problems like HIV/AIDS etc. by promoting job creation on the informal sector should be promoted
The Education system to grow youth who are confident and non discriminative. This should be done by the society, government.
-Implementation of youth projects should tackle the issue of unemployment which leads to all negative issues such as crime, dug abuse etc.
-Cost of health care should be brought down in favor the poor in my city
- This days donor agencies are supporting developing countries to add all forms of social equity but the greatest question has been how to make aid work ,that is aid effectiveness .corruption should be tackled and also community leaders who misappropriate funds and do shoddy work should be held accountable after evaluation work has been done.
Additionally, national cake must be evenly shared in addressing all human needs, which can be done by government and urban planners with support from Civil Society Organization and donor agencies
d) What is the role of young women and men in increasing social equity? Please elaborate.
Most answers focused in advocacy and Lobbying:
Young people should be empowered to actively play critical roles in advocating for their rights and responsibilities on issues that affect their lives
Public Education and Awareness Raising: It should be the responsibility of young people to educate and sensitize their peers and communities about concept of social equity as a vehicle for change.
Community Projects: Young people should participate and volunteer in community projects that promote harmonization and social equity. These projects should be innovative and will promote sustainable positive change and development
- To be Knowledgeable of their rights, demand to be treated right, elect the right leaders, push for positions to get opportunities, do the right thing once in those positions as it is up to us!
-Young men and women should not depend on the government to do everything for then they should seek other ways of developing themselves economically because change starts with you before you even change the world.
- We should understand that non participation and exclusion breeds fear and loss of self confidence and we can only gain respect of others if we respect ourselves and put the needs of our neighbours above our selfish wants and have a purpose to stand tall and create a balance in a world full of opportunities for those who never knew what an opportunity was.
- All young people must be proactive and also make know all forms of social inequity in communities. They can form pressure groups to bring some of these things to fore and also take some meaningful and feasible steps to address some challenges in communities.
Rergards,
Christabel
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