are experiencing unprecedented levels of urbanization but are also the least developed regions and are most unprepared and ill-equipped to manage the influx. Rapid urbanization, inadequate planning and scarce land have forced poor and vulnerable populations to live in slums or informal settlements in areas with greater vulnerabilities to disasters. An estimated 1 billion people live in informal settlements, 90 per cent of which are located in developing countries (Norwegian Refugee Council, Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, 2015a). Migrants, refugees and internally displaced people represent a significant and increasing proportion of urban informal settlers as they are unable to afford better housing. Many of the settlements are located in poorly serviced areas that lack basic infrastructure such as health services, access to fresh water and sanitation. Informal settlers are more vulnerable to the consequences of natural hazards such as earthquakes than the general population as they are often forced to live in poor-quality housing not built to withstand shocks. These makeshift dwellings are mostly located in hazardous areas more likely to be affected by natural disasters such as industrial waste lands, flood plains and unstable cliffs. A trend is emerging whereby increasing numbers of women are migrating from rural areas to urban centres on their own. The underlying driving forces of urban migration for women and its consequences are related to issues of social inequality and gender. Both men and women migrate to cities in search of a better life, in terms of economic opportunities and access to services. Several gender-specific factors may push women to migrate to cities, ranging from forced eviction, to increased domestic violence, harmful practices such as child marriage, or health problems associated with HIV and AIDS (COHRE, 2008).
Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the poor living conditions of urban slums and the substandard housing as they spend more time in the home and community caring for their families. Women’s health and security is a major issue in urban informal settlements as they are exposed to poor sanitation conditions, security risks, increased sexual violence, and the impact of disasters such as floods and fire outbreaks (COHRE, 2008). Poor street lighting, inadequate public transport, a lack of security patrols and an absence of doors with locks on dwellings contribute to gender-based violence and make women more vulnerable to rape (UN-HABITAT, 2013). The proportion of the urban population living in slums continues to grow in countries affected by or emerging from conflict. A recent study found that in 41 of 75 countries where sex-disaggregated data were available, women are more likely to live in poverty.
Magbenteh Ebola Treatment Centre, Sierra Leone. Photo Š UN Photo/Martine Perset
THE STATE OF WORLD POPULATION 2015
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