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According to the International Labour Organization, over 70 million young people worldwide are unemployed. This issue is particularly prevalent in the Global South, where youth are twice as likely to be unemployed or trapped in low-quality jobs, limiting development and social mobility. Governments and NGOs have responded with educational initiatives, skills-training projects, confidence-building programs, and a fund to encourage entrepreneurship. Read on to learn about four successful approaches in Cali, Nairobi, Bangalore, and Rio de Janeiro, and then join the conversation below.

Jorge Bela, Gestor Comunitario de Cali

El desempleo juvenil es un problema especialmente grave en Cali. Las tasas de acercan al 33 por ciento, la más alta de las principales ciudades del país (la media nacional en este sector demográfico es del 17 por ciento). Si bien es cierto que la tasa general de desempleo en la capital del Cauca es también superior a la nacional (13 por ciento frente al 9 por ciento), los jóvenes caleños sufren este problema de forma desproporcionada. Aunque las causas del desempleo son complejas, cabe destacar un periodo de recesión económica que duró 10 años, de 1995 a 2005, que coincidió con la llegada de fuertes flujos migratorios. Aunque a partir de 2006 la economía ha crecido, no lo ha hecho en tasas suficientes para absorber la bolsa de desempleo y los nuevos flujos migratorios. La falta de cualificación para los nuevos trabajos que van surgiendo es otra barrera para que los jóvenes obtengan empleo.

Para mitigar este grave problema, existen varias iniciativas tanto públicas como privadas destinadas a mejorar la preparación de los jóvenes. Jóvenes en Acción, un programa de ámbito nacional, prestará asistencia financiera para que puedan completar estudios a unos 4 000 jóvenes caleños. La formación debe ser en carreras técnicas o tecnológicas, aunque también se cubren cursos de capacitación y emprendimiento. El programa está destinado a jóvenes entre 16 y 24 años, que hayan culminado el bachillerato, y que pertenezcan a la Red Unidos, sean víctimas del conflicto armado y/o desplazamiento o beneficiarios de Familias en Acción (Red Unidos y Familias en Acción son programas destinados a ayudar a familias en situación de pobreza). La ayuda económica consiste en un estipendio bimensual de 200.000 COP (unos 100 US$), y se les exige estar bancarizados, algo que también redunda positivamente en su integración en el mercado de trabajo.

Otra iniciativa interesante es el Centro de Desarrollo Productivo, impulsado por la Fundación Carvajal y cofinanciado por algunos aliados tanto internacionales como locales. Esta iniciativa busca formar en oficios tradicionales a jóvenes en los estratos económicos mas bajos y/o en riesgo de exclusión social. En el año 2012 2,727 jóvenes, tanto de Cali como de zonas rurales del Valle del Cauca, recibieron formación como técnicos en el sector alimentario. Es importante que los programas no se circunscriban al término municipal de Cali, pues mejorando la situación de empleo en las zonas rurales próximas se previenen los movimientos migratorios que a su vez fomentan el crecimiento desordenado de la ciudad.

Los programas formativos, buscan mejorar la capacidad de los alumnos de generar ingresos y mejorar la competitividad de sus microempresas. A los microempresarios se les ofrece también formación en técnicas gerenciales y de la normativa a aplicar en el sector alimentario. En 2011 se implementaron ocho nuevos cursos de formación técnica en diferentes oficios (electricidad básica, confecciones, carpintería de aluminio, soldadura, impulsadoras y mercadeo, call center, sistemas básicos, arreglo de computadores y celulares). Cabe destacar que los cursos son impartidos en colaboración con el Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje, una entidad pública. Sin duda la colaboración público-privada resulta imprescindible a la hora de resolver los problemas del desempleo.

Foto: SENA

Jorge Bela, Cali Community Manager

Youth unemployment (for youths 16-24 years of age) is a particularly severe problem in Cali. The rate is 33 percent, the highest in big Colombian cities (the average national rate hovers around 18 percent). Even though the global unemployment rate in Cali is also higher than the national average (13 percent versus 9 percent), young caleños suffer disproportionately more than older age groups. The causes behind this problem are complex, but it was certainly aggravated by a 10-year recession (from 1995 to 2005), precisely at the time when immigration flows were very strong. Even though the economy resumed growth in 2006, it was not at a sufficient rate to reduce the large number of unemployed, or to absorb the continual arrival of immigrants. The lack of necessary qualifications and skills also poses a barrier for young job seekers, especially for the poorest ones.

Several initiatives, both in the public and private sectors, work to give poor youth the necessary training to improve their chances of finding a job in the emerging sectors. Jóvenes en Acción (Youth in Action) is a national program that provides 4,000 young caleños with financial resources to pursue a technical or technological degree. The program also includes entrepreneurship courses. Jóvenes en Acción is opened to students 16-24 years old who have completed their secondary education. They also have to either belong to the Red Unidos or Familias en Acción programs (which provide assistance to poor families), or be desplazados (forced to leave their hometowns due to threats or violence), or be victims of armed conflict. The students get a bi-monthly stipend of 200,000COP (about US$100). They must also have a bank account in order to collect the stipend.

In the private sector, the Fundación Carvajal’s Centro de Desarrollo Productivo (Production Development Center) trains young caleños in the skills needed for the food sector. The project is co-financed by the Foundation and an alliance of local and international donors. It benefits youths in the three lower economic strata (1, 2 and 3), and those at risk of violence or social exclusion. In 2012, 2,727 students from Cali and nearby rural areas participated in the program. The inclusion of students from rural areas is very important, as improving the employment situation in those areas reduces the immigration flows into Cali, which in turn helps to reduce the uncontrolled growth that plagues not only Cali, but all major cities in Colombia.

The training programs at the Centro de Desarrollo Productivo seek to improve the earning capacity of its students and to make their micro-business more competitive. Micro-entrepreneurs also receive training in management skills and in the fairly complex regulatory framework of the food sector. In 2011 eight new courses were launched, providing technical training in new areas such as basic electricity, call centers, aluminum work, welding, computer and cell-phone repair, etc. The training is done in cooperation with the public Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (National Learning Service). Cooperation between the public and private sectors is necessary to improve the conditions for the many young and unemployed in Cali.

Photo credit: SENA

Katy Fentress, Nairobi Community Manager

In September this year the Kenyan government launched the Uwezo Fund, a 6 billion Ksh. cash reserve (approximately $70 million) aimed at channeling financial resources into the hands of youth and women.

Money for the fund was obtained from capital set aside by the Jubilee Coalition during this year’s election campaign, for use in the case of a run-off. The Jubilee Coalition, led by Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy Samuel Ruto, pledged that any money that was not spent on the campaign would be channeled into a fund of this sort. Six months after winning the election, they stood by their commitment and announced that the application process for accessing interest-free loans was now open to registered youth and women’s groups.

The aim of the Uwezo fund is to address the massive unemployment problem that affects the country, by encouraging entrepreneurship and expanding access to credit. The idea is to generate opportunities for self-employment and to enhance economic growth by investing in community-driven alternative frameworks to development and focusing on youth/women’s groups and savings chamas as drivers of the country’s economy.

In order to be considered, groups must apply from within the constituency they would like to operate from, hold a bank account in their name, and have written recommendations from a District Chief, and they must have been registered with the Department of Social Services for at least six months prior to application.

The government has set up the Uwezo Capacity Building Program, a training course that applicants are required to attend before they even apply for the loan. This is to ensure that the groups have the ability to invest well and eventually pay back the loans. Once the training has been completed, groups can apply for an amount that ranges from 50,000 Ksh. to 500,000 Ksh (approximately $580 to $5,800), which must be begin to be repaid after six months and subsequently over the course of two years.

The Uwezo fund is being overseen by the Ministry of Devolution and Planning. One of the central tenets of the new Constitution that was passed in 2010 was that administrative power would be decentralized to the counties of the country’s provinces. The result of this is that county MPs are in part responsible for the allocation of Uwezo funds, an aspect that has led some people to fear that the wealth may be misused if not subjected to tight scrutiny. In the past, similar programs like the Youth Fund and Kazi kwa Vijana (Work for the Youth) — both flagship projects of the previous government — did not always achieve their intended purposes and, more often than not, ended up lining the pockets of those who were charged with implementing the schemes. In order to minimize this eventuality, the government has announced that it is setting up a committee that will be in charge of overseeing how the money is spent.

So far, it is too early to tell to what extent the fund will effectively create employment for Kenya’s youth. The President has high hopes that it will be successful, and the Deputy’s wife has been touring the country to raise its profile and encourage people to apply. In the meantime the rest of us can only wait, watch — and, if eligible, apply!

Carlin Carr, Bangalore Community Manager

India and China have been saddled side by side in the race for rising economic superpowers. While China has edged ahead on many fronts, India’s large youth population provides a massive potential. “An estimated 1-1.2 million new workers will join the labor market in South Asia every month over the next few decades — an increase of 25-50% over the historical average,” says a World Bank report. Job creation needs to match this upcoming labor force. A new government initiative in India, the National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC), has prioritized providing this generation with the necessary education and training so the country can reap the benefits of its demographic dividend.

While many initiatives have been launched under the NSDC, focusing on building a range of technical and artisanal capacities, an organization in Bangalore focuses on skill-building alongside “potential realization” initiatives. The Promise Foundation‘s research has found that while lack of skills is a major factor that contributes to underemployment or lack of employment with youth, so too does their confidence in their own abilities and job prospects. The organization’s unique method applies behavioral sciences to economic and social development.

The Promise Foundation believes that early intervention is necessary, and has developed three core programs to foster personal and professional growth from a young age:

• Stimulation Intervention Programs focus on early childhood care and education for children deprived of quality experiences for social, emotional and cognitive development.

• Programs for Assisted Learning is an accelerated learning program targeting children who are at risk of failing and dropping out of school.

• Work Awareness and You addresses the career development needs of high schoolers and helps them find answers to questions of planning for fruitful employment in the future.

The three-pronged approach to preparing youth for the job market takes a more holistic and long-term perspective on the need to develop human resources for India. In a recent training in Bangalore, youth in attendance were taught core work attitudes (punctuality, reliability, safety, etc.) and were also part of a program to increase their skills. “Almost all trainees were able to secure better jobs and went on to complete formal education,” says the organization.

The future remains to be seen. Skills training has become a government priority in the country, with a substantial budget allocation and a new uniform curricula for the various skills training initiatives under the NSDC. Yet as the Promise Foundation’s research has shown, there’s much more to developing human resources than just skills, and only when those issues are addressed will this generation’s potential be fully unleashed.

Photo credit: One Laptop per Child

Catalina Gomez, Coordenadora da Rede em Rio de Janeiro

Os “Nem-Nem” são jovens entre 15 e 24 anos que nem estudam, nem trabalham, nem procuram emprego. Segundo dados do último censo, Brasil tem mais de 5 milhões de “Nem- Nem” no seu território, com grande concentração nas áreas urbanas. Rio atualmente tem mais de 150 mil “Nem-Nem”; preocupa que aquela população cresceu em 30 mil entre 2000 e 2010. Quais são as causas deste fenômeno? E quais são as respostas da cidade para enfrentar aquela situação?

Uma causa do fenômeno “Nem-Nem” é a desigualdade e a pobreza. A grande maioria da população carente urbana não tem oportunidade de receber educação de qualidade e porem fica desmotivada e descomprometida dos estudos. Não surpreende que as maiores taxas de abandono escolar sejam entre as populações de baixa renda.

Outro assunto relevante com implicações de gênero e igualdade, são as altas taxas de gravidez adolescente. Muitas das jovens que ficam grávidas interrompem os estudos e a procura de emprego por em quanto cuidam dos filhos. Mais o maior problema, além das implicações da maternidade adolescente, são as consequências negativas da falta de treinamento e experiência na procura de emprego, ficando cada vez mais complicada sua integração no mercado de trabalho.

Algumas das soluções têm sido propostas pela Secretaria Municipal de Educação, que esta ativamente no processo de melhora da qualidade da educação fundamental e segundaria, tentando priorizar as áreas de maior concentração de pobreza e vulnerabilidade. Algumas das ações de melhora da qualidade educativa têm a ver com a melhora dos quadros de professores e das sessões educativas com foco na aprendizagem e as aulas práticas. As Escolas do Amanhã, que tem sido destacadas no URB.im também contribuem na melhora da qualidade da educação nas áreas carentes e violentas da cidade.

Outra resposta importante, especialmente relacionada com aqueles adolescentes com filhos que ainda estudam o procuram emprego, é o aumento da cobertura de creches públicas para crianças de 0-3 anos, que passou de 7 por cento para 21 por cento entre 2000 e 2011. Este é um aumento significativo, mais ainda é preciso um esforço muito maior.

Nas escolas públicas, também existem esforços na melhora da educação sexual, incluindo mais troca de informação entre os jovens e mais dialogo aberto e guia profissional. Embora estes esforços, ainda é preciso ampliar as campanhas educativas e saúde pública para atender as jovens vulnerais e evitar que as meninas vulneráveis sejam a nova geração de “Nem-Nem”.

Foto: Secretaria Municipal de Educação de Rio de Janeiro

Catalina Gomez, Rio de Janeiro Community Manager

A “NEET” is a youth between ages 15 to 24 who does not study and does not work. According to the latest Brazilian census, there are more than 5 million “NEETs” throughout the country, mainly concentrated in urban areas. In Rio alone, there are more than 150,000, and the number is rising: between 2000 and 2010, there were more than 30,000 new “NEETs.” What are the causes of this phenomenon and what is the city doing to respond to this situation?

Two important causes of the “NEET” phenomenon are inequality and poverty. Many poor urban youth have access only to low-quality education that doesn’t engage or motivate them. It therefore isn’t surprising that the great majority of school dropouts are among the poorest population.

Another relevant issue that has enormous implications for gender inequality is the high pregnancy rates among teenagers, which is one of the leading causes of adolescent girl school dropouts. Many of these girls don’t study or work while they take care of their babies. Beyond the effects of adolescent parenthood, the problem with these adolescent mothers is that after caring for their babies, they become part of the “trapped” population that doesn’t have the skills or work experience required to find a job.

Solutions to these issues have been addressed by the Municipal Secretariat of Education, which is actively engaged in improving the quality of basic and secondary education, targeting the most vulnerable areas. Some of the main initiatives to improve education include the improvement of teaching quality, with greater focus on practical courses where students can learn skills and apply their knowledge. The Secretariat has also implemented the Schools of Tomorrow program (previously covered by URB.IM), which aims to improve education in the poor and violent areas of the city.

Beyond the support provided by public schools, the city promotes courses for youth and adults who have temporarily left the path of education, but want to continue their studies. These courses take place throughout the city, are free of charge, and offer flexible schedules and specialized mentorship, so that students can complete their basic education cycles.

Another important response, especially for the adolescent parents who are still studying or looking for a job, is the increased access to public child care for 0-to-3-year-olds: coverage went from 7 percent of children in 2000 to 21 percent in 2011. This in a significant improvement, but it is still insufficient to meet the great demand. In public schools there are also efforts regarding sexual education, which includes greater peer exchange, open dialogue, and guidance.

However, greater joint public health and educational campaigns are required to prevent vulnerable girls from becoming the next generation of youth that are trapped, not working, and not studying.

Photo credit: Municipal Secretariat of Education, Rio de Janeiro

Bogotá’s location is in many ways privileged, with mild temperatures and 12 hours of daylight year-round. This location, however, also entails risks: it is a seismic area, and torrential rains can result in serious flooding. The “Niña” weather pattern creates especially dangerous conditions, like the 2010-2011 period when much of the city was left under water – especially, although not only – in the poorer neighborhoods. Read more.

La ubicación geográfica de Bogotá es en muchos aspectos privilegiada. El clima es suave, con temperaturas medias agradables que hacen innecesario el uso de la calefacción o el aire acondicionado. Sin embargo, también encierra amenazas: es una zona sísmica, y las lluvias pueden ser torrenciales, generando inundaciones. Durante el fenómeno de “La Niña” la pluviosidad se dispara, y en el periodo 2010-2011 se desbordó el río Bogotá dejando grandes zonas de la ciudad bajo el agua. Leer más.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Tue, 03/25/2014 – 00:00

Medellin has undergone a profound transformation. While two decades ago it was a city known for violence, lack of social services and inequality, now it has become a model for all Latin American cities on how to tackle these problems. Urbanism, although not the only factor, has played a crucial role in this process. In Medellin, urban reforms became closely associated with the search for solutions for social problems. They also had a strong pedagogical ambition. Read more.

Medellín ha experimentado una profunda transformación: en a penas dos décadas ha pasado de ser una ciudad castigada por la violencia, la escasez de servicios sociales y la desigualdad, a convertirse en un modelo para toda América Latina de cómo combatir éstos graves problemas. Leer más.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Sat, 03/01/2014 – 10:22

El agua de Bogotá es potable y deliciosa, algo excepcional en las grandes ciudades de América latina. Esto se debe a su proximidad a abundantes fuentes de agua, especialmente los páramos de Chingaza y Sumapaz, y a una buena gestión del recurso. La mayor parte del agua consumida actualmente proviene de la represa de Chingaza, ubicada a unos 50 kilómetros de Bogotá. Sin embargo, la misma proximidad de la mega urbe supone un riesgo para los frágiles ecosistemas de los páramos: Sumapaz comienza en el mismo término municipal de la capital. Aunque la capacidad de suministro actual se estima suficiente a medio plazo, a largo plazo será necesario construir nuevas represas y canalizaciones, proyectos técnicamente complejos y que probablemente generarán fuertes controversias por su impacto ambiental. Leer más o discutir.

Tap water in Bogota is safe to drink, something that is unusual in most large Latin American cities. This is due to the proximity of vast water sources, in particular the Chingaza and Sumapaz paramos (a particular ecosystem that exists in the Andean highlands), and to good management of the water supply. Most of the water comes from the Chingaza reservoir, located less than 50km from Bogotá. However, this proximity, although beneficial to the mega-city, implies serious threats to the fragile paramo ecosystems. Sumapaz, for example, starts within Bogotá’s city limits and can be reached by urban buses. Although the current infrastructure brings enough capacity for the medium term, long-term demands will require the building of new dams and pipelines. These projects are technically complex and their environmental impact makes them politically difficult. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 02/10/2014 – 00:00

Hay muchas cosas positivas que esperar para el año 2014 en Colombia. Se prevé que el crecimiento económico siga siendo vigoroso, al tiempo que las conversaciones de paz pueden acabar con un conflicto armado que ha durado ya varias décadas. Estas circunstancias presentan un escenario sin precedente para aliviar los problemas de pobreza y desigualdad que sufre el país. Bogotá y Cali, las dos ciudades que seguimos en este blog, tienen iniciativas en marcha que pueden ofrecer soluciones concretas a estos dos problemas. Sin embargo, la incertidumbre es también elevada, tanto a nivel nacional como local. Por un lado, los resultados de las conversaciones son inciertos. Por otro, las elecciones presidenciales que se celebrarán en su primera vuelta en mayo también resultarán en una ralentización de la administración central. Aunque se espera que Juan Manuel Santos ganes la reelección, cualquier cosa puede suceder en la política colombiana, y un cambio en la presidencia puede decelerar aún más el ritmo de las reformas. Leer más o discutir.

There is much to look forward in 2014 in Colombia. Economic growth is expected to remain strong, and the decades-old armed conflict could be close to its end if the peace conversations now underway are ultimately successful. These circumstances bring an unprecedented opportunity for the country to tackle poverty and rampant inequality. Bogotá and Cali, the two Colombian cities covered on this platform, are working on major initiatives that could have a significant impact on these fronts. However, uncertainty is also quite high, both at the national and local levels. For one, the results of the peace conversations are far from certain. Furthermore, Presidential elections, to be held in mid-year, imply a slowdown of central government activity for most of the year. Although Juan Manuel Santos is expected to win re-election handily, anything can happen in Colombian politics, and a change at the top would also bring the processes of reform to a temporary halt. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 01/06/2014 – 00:00

Colombia no ha escapado del castigo del HIV. Según datos del Sistema de Vigilancia Epidemiológica (SIVIGILA), al que deben ser reportados todos los casos identificados, desde el año 1983 hasta el 2011, último del que se disponen datos completos, se conocen 86.990 casos de HIV/Sida, de los cuales 10.676 han fallecido. En Bogotá se han detectado hasta septiembre del 2013 23.330 casos, un 40 por ciento del total a nivel nacional. Sin embargo, es importante destacar que esto se debe a su elevada población, como lo ilustra que en el 2011 se reportaron 8,7 casos por 100.000 habitantes, mientras 8 departamentos superaban 20 casos por 100.000 habitantes, y los dos en cabeza, Barranquilla y Quindío superaban 30. Leer más o discutir.

Colombia has not escaped the devastating consequences of the AIDS epidemic. According to the Sistema de Vigilancia Epidemiológica (Epidemiology Watch Service, SIVIGILA), there have been 86,990 cases of diagnosed HIV/AIDS from 1983 and 2011, and 10,676 fatalities (reporting HIV/AIDS diagnosis to the SIVIGILA is mandatory). Bogotá registered 23,300 cases from 1983 to September 2013, which is 40 percent of the national total. However, this is due more to the large population of the Colombian capital rather than high rates of infection, as the region recorded only 8.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, while eight other departments recorded over 20 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and two of them, Barranquilla and Quindío, reported over 30 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 12/02/2013 – 00:00

Uno de los principales frenos al desarrollo de los asentamientos irregulares es la falta de títulos de propiedad por parte de sus ocupantes. En Colombia, donde los conflictos armados que se prolongan desde hace décadas han sumado un número significativo de desplazados por la violencia a los flujos migratorios observados en toda Latinoamérica, este problema tiene una especial gravedad. Para atajar este problema en el año 2005 se aprobó una ley que permitía la transferencia gratuita de predios fiscales, o de titularidad pública, que hubieran sido ocupados antes de 2001. El alcance de esta ley deja fuera del proyecto de titulación a los asentamientos edificados sobre predios de propiedad privada. Leer más o discutir.

Lack of property titles is one of the most significant barriers to development and poverty reduction in informal settlements. This problem is particularly serious in Colombia, where people displaced by several decades of armed conflict have joined the large number of immigrants for economic reasons in creating the largest number of informal settlements in Latin America. A law enacted in 2005 sought to tackle, at least partially, this problem by allowing for free transfer of property to informal residents. The scope of the law was limited to settlements established on public land before 2001, thus excluding all settlements on private land. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 10/21/2013 – 00:00

La situación de los habitantes de la calle se considera como uno de los problemas más complicados de resolver en las grandes ciudades latinoamericanas. Según un censo elaborado en 2011 por la Secretaría de Integración Social (SIS), en Bogotá se identificaron 8.385 habitantes de calle, un 86.9 por ciento de los cuales son hombres, y el 8.4 por ciento son menores de 18 años. El 17.9 por ciento son jóvenes entre 19 y 25 años, y el 38.9 por ciento son adultos entre 26 y 40 , quedando un 32 por ciento, de adultos mayores. Otro dato interesante de este sondeo es que el 58 por ciento se dedica a la recolección de objetos de reciclaje, el 34 por ciento a mendigar, el 28 por ciento a servicios no cualificados y el 10.7 por ciento a delinquir. Aunque es posible que estas cifras no recojan el número total de habitantes de la calle, quizá en una proporción considerable, sí que son reveladores en su estructura demográfica y en sus ocupaciones. Leer más o discutir.

Homelessness is one of the most complex and difficult to address problems in all large Latin American cities. A census led in 2011 by the Secretaría de Integración Social (SIS), found 8,385 homeless people in Bogotá. Of those, 86 percent were male. 8.4 percent were under 18 years old, 17.9 percent between 19 and 25, 38 percent between 26 and 40, and 32 percent were older than 40. As for their occupation, 58 percent were garbage recyclers, 34 percent begged, and 10.7 percent stole and robbed as a form of living. Although it is almost certain that this survey did not register much of the homeless population, it is still quite revealing regarding the population’s demographics and occupation. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 10/07/2013 – 00:00

Bogotá ha ganado el premio a liderazgo urbano en su categoría de transporte. Los premios, de los cuales este año se celebra su primera edición, son otorgados por el grupo C40 y por Siemens, a través de su fundación Crystal. El premio de liderazgo en transporte busca identificar proyectos o iniciativas que mejoren la situación medioambiental, medidos en términos de fomento de cambio en los modos de transporte y de la reducción de la emisión de gases causantes del efecto invernadero. Leer más o discutir.

Bogotá just won the City Climate Leadership Award for transportation. The award, still on its first edition, is sponsored by the C40 group and Siemens, through its Crystal Initiative. The leadership award in transportation seeks to identify projects or initiatives aimed at improving the environmental quality of the cities for which they are intended. The methodology used to measure such improvement is based on modal shift or the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG). Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 09/30/2013 – 00:00

La concesión de subsidios a las poblaciones más desfavorecidas, sobre todo en el ámbito de los servicios públicos, es un mecanismo ampliamente utilizado en América latina para combatir la fuerte desigualdad social. En Colombia se ha utilizado un mecanismo singular: la división de las ciudades en estratos. Esta idea, que se empezó a considerar en los años 80, se comenzó a aplicar en las grandes ciudades a partir de la aprobación en 1994 de la ley de Servicios Públicos. Aunque el marco legal es estatal, las ciudades tienen un amplio margen a la hora de escoger los criterios concretos para determinar la estratificación dentro de sus perímetros urbanos. Bogotá se dividió en 6 estratos, el máximo permitido por la ley. El estrato 6 refleja un mayor poder adquisitivo, y el 1 el menor poder adquisitivo de la ciudad. Los residentes de los estratos 5 y 6 pagan una sobretasa en los servicios públicos, que se utiliza para subsidiar, de forma decreciente, los costes de los servicios para los residentes en estratos 1 a 3. En el estrato 4 los residentes pagan el precio real de los servicios. También se aplica una sobretasa si se supera un volumen máximo establecido. Leer más o discutir.

Subsidies are one of the most widely used tools in the fight against social inequality in Latin America. Utilities are often subsidized in one way or another. Colombia adopted a unique formula for the distribution of subsidies: the official stratification of housing. Under this system cities are legally divided in different layers or estratos (strata, in a literal translation). This idea originated in the 1980s, and was implemented with the enactment of the 1994 Ley de Servicios Publicos (a law regulating the utilities in Colombia). Under this law cities have considerable say in determining the specific criteria by which stratification is implemented. Bogotá was divided into six different layers, the maximum number allowed by law. Layer 6 represents the wealthiest areas in the city, while layer 1 represents the poorest sectors. Under the system, residents in layers 5 and 6 pay a surcharge in their utilities bill. This surcharge is used directly to subsidize the utilities to residents of layers 1, 2 and 3. Residents in layer 4 areas pay the real cost of the services. There is also a surcharge for heavy users of resources, to be paid once they reach their monthly maximum allowance. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 09/23/2013 – 00:00

Bogota’s historic center is spectacular. Beautiful and surprisingly well-preserved colonial buildings flank the narrow, cobbled streets. At the end of the steep ascent one can see the Cerros Orientales, the imposing mountains that rise abruptly 600 meters above the city. This sight is unusual in a city that, despite being located in the Andean range, tends to focus its attention on the flat savanna where most of its urban sprawl is located. Unfortunately, the historic district has suffered from gradual but steady decay during the last few decades. The main colonial and republican landmark buildings are generally well maintained, but most of the area suffers from problems such as severe lack of economic development, crime, near total lack of green spaces, degradation of low-income homes, and strong social inequality. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 09/09/2013 – 00:00

• Cairo
• Nairobi
• Mumbai
• Jakarta
• Jakarta
• México
• Rio (e)
• Rio (p)

Howaida Kamel, Cairo Community Manager

In response to the increasing violence that has spread around Egypt in the wake of the second anniversary of the January 25 revolution, President Mohamed Morsi’s latest action has been to implement both a curfew from 9pm to 6am, as well as a state of emergency law in the governorates of Port Said, Suez, and Ismaileya. Political activists and organizations immediately began to organize mass protests and to mobilize residents to take to the streets starting at 9pm. However, the one initiative that received the most media attention, both through social and cable news outlets, was not the “million man march” declared in Port Said; it was the football tournament that was announced via Twitter and Facebook.

Organized by the dedicated fans of the Ismaileya club’s first team, the “Ultras,” the tournament took place on the 28th at Horeya Square and the 29th at Mamar Square, beginning at 9pm on both nights. By taking place in public spaces, the tournaments were used as a way to bring people to the streets in a different manner than traditional protests, while still making a statement against the President’s unilateral decision. Support for this event did not only occur in the streets, but also online: people re-tweeted about the event all over the nation in solidarity. For many Egyptians, this type of political activism is different than the other forms currently emerging, like the Black Block, who voice their opinions with violence and vandalism. The football tournament gathered support because it allowed the people to come and cheer for each other, rather than congregate in pity, anger, or spite.

One tweet in support of the tournament even tagged the Cairo Stadium and Egyptian Olympic Committee accounts, suggesting they announce the scores of these matches on their web pages. While this tweet was written humoristically, it highlights the fact that there is little support from national sports organizations towards local initiatives encouraging positive involvement in athletic competitions and activities.

In an effort to bridge this gap, the National Sports Council has recently implemented the Sport for Development 2012-2015 program in partnership with the Dutch Ministry. This initiative aims to encourage the use of sports for development and peace, especially for marginalized youth and women. This is done by training coaches, administrators, and leaders on effective practices and through increased coordination between local and national networks. The recent fact-finding mission noted that the success of this plan hinges on continued collaboration between the local and national levels of governance.

In order for this long-term plan to be successful, it is imperative for the National Sports Council to show its support to local sports initiatives rather than only sponsor events that are centrally planned. Even something as simple as reporting scores for a locally-organized tournament can be a powerful tool for positively reinforcing sport practices and allowing the Egyptian people to once again regain their pride and morale.

Submitted by Howaida Kamel — Mon, 02/11/2013 – 00:00

Katy Fentress, Nairobi Community Manager

Every Thursday at 10am a motley group of people gathers in a circle in Nairobi’s Arboretum — a small park that lies adjacent to the president’s compound — to engage in an intense two-hour session of power yoga.

Anyone can attend the practice free of charge and the occasional Mzungu (white person) or Mhindi (Indian) has been known to take advantage of this unique class. Nevertheless, the main component of the group are youngsters who hail from the poorer part of Kangemi, a neighbourhood on the north western periphery of Nairobi.

The Africa Yoga Project (AYP), was founded in 2007 by New Yorker Paige Elenson, after coming to Kenya on a safari. During the course of her stay, Elenson — already a certified Baron Baptiste power vinyasa yoga teacher — had a chance encounter with a group of professional acrobats who became excited at the prospect of expanding their skills through this new and alien practice.

Upon Elenson’s return to the States, the acrobats got in touch with her and she organized to come back and teach them what she knew. Shortly thereafter, the infamous elections took place in Kenya which were followed by a month-long period of violence that shook the country to its core, leaving many youth from the slums emotionally scarred and traumatized.

According to Walter Mugwe, 24, one of the acrobats who is now fully trained as a yoga teacher, the violence changed Elenson’s approach as to how to teach the practice in the context of the slums.

“The AYP started as a way to reform and provide therapy for youth who had gone through those terrible weeks in 2008,” says Mugwe. “Personally I fell in love with it right away, because it filled me with this amazing sense of calm when I felt that everything around me was chaos.”

In the years since the project has begun, the practice has evolved to suit the specific needs of the community. Mugwe explains that the content of the practice has remained approximately 80 percent the same as it was, but that the remaining 20 percent is an adaptation which better suits the physical shape of the youth here, who are stronger but less flexible than their northern counterparts. Another difference, he notes, is that Kenyans already consume quite a balanced diet, so there is less emphasis on special dietary requirements, which can prove expensive for someone living on a dollar a day.

“Yoga practice is very important to all of us because it teaches us to take good care of ourselves, not just physically but also mentally,” says Mugwe. “We live in a toxified world, and living in the slums there are few opportunities to get in touch with our bodies and learn how to treat them right.”

The project’s goals are far-reaching; the objective is not just to give poor people the chance to discover yoga, but also to provide employment for the teachers and, where possible, to invest in the community. To date, AYP employs 58 teachers who are paid to conduct free community outreach classes and are also available for private sessions around the city. Mugwe tells us that the aim is to employ a total of 200 people by 2015 and to continue to expand the project’s scholarship and international exchange program.

“When Paige started coming to the community to teach yoga,” Mugwe concludes, “most of the people were very suspicious because they thought it would take them away from their religious beliefs. Afterwards we found out that the spirituality of yoga is complimentary to all religions, making our relationship to God stronger but also helping us accept other people’s different faiths.”

For anyone — religious or not — who has ever taken part of the Arboretum session, this connection between the spiritual and the intense physical aspect of African power yoga is an experience that will not easily be forgotten.

Submitted by Katy Fentress — Mon, 02/11/2013 – 00:00

Carlin Carr, Mumbai Community Manager

Rahul Pol’s karate class as a teenager changed the course of his life. When he was young, his family — he, his parents, and three younger sisters — lived on the streets of Mumbai for four years. He had dreams of becoming a doctor, but the difficult life began to wear on him. Pol soon lost motivation to go to school and began picking up small jobs on the street. “It was a bad environment with many bad influences,” recalls Pol. By age 12, he was an addict, taking drugs, drinking, and overdosing on over-the-counter medications. “Every night, I said I’ll wake up and stop today, but then I would end up with my friends and the cycle continued,” admits Pol, who is now 24.

Eventually, his family moved into a room in Dharavi and Pol was sent to his aunt’s village outside of Mumbai. It was in the village that he joined a karate class. The experience helped him to kick his habit, and has inspired him to launch an NGO in Mumbai dedicated to helping other youth addicts through sports. The Unity Foundation now runs programs in Mumbai’s largest slum, Dharavi, where addiction levels are reported to be very high.

A 2011 report in the Journal of Family Welfare explored risky behavior by youths in the slums of Mumbai and found that while alcohol dependency is a universal problem — in both the developing and developed world — there seem to be differences in the reasons behind addiction. In the developed world and in richer sections of developing countries, the purpose “seems to be sensation-seeking and desire for hallucination.” However, the article argues that in the developing world, “culturally, the reason for alcohol abuse is strongly associated as a means of tension relief. Undoubtedly, the severity of the problem is more acute in slums as people living in slums are poor, mainly migrant, and are exposed to the modern cosmopolitan western culture.” In fact, 58 percent of respondents from Mumbai’s slums in the article’s survey reported to have tried alcohol regularly (defined as at least once in a week) or sometimes (defined as least once in a month).

The disturbingly high numbers have motivated Pol to expand his program to as many children as possible. Sports are universally appreciated among youth, so it has proven to be a good inroad to getting the young addicts to begin participating in Youth Foundation’s programs. Athletics, Pol believes, teaches discipline, structure, teamwork, and, above all, gives young people a healthy outlet for spending their time. Youth Foundation also offers group and individual counseling, and once the recovery process happens, Pol connects the youngsters — most of whom have dropped out of school — with vocational training programs.

Pol is not alone in his endeavor to incorporate sports with teaching life lessons for at-risk youth. Ashok Rathod, a 22-year-old from Mumbai’s Ambedkar colony, a large slum in the city, started the Organization for Social Change Awareness and Responsibility (OSCAR) Foundation in his home slum area in 2006. OSCAR uses football to address community issues. “With a strong focus on education, OSCAR aims to break the cycle of substance abuse, gambling and early marriage which particularly affects young people who have dropped out of school,” says the organization’s site.

For his efforts, Rathod won the Real Heroes Award in 2009, which is given by CNN-IBN. An article on the award says that Rathod grew up in the slum and “was one of the few children from the slum who went to school and a chance encounter with an NGO gave him a new goal.” That NGO was Magic Bus, the best-known program in Mumbai incorporating sports and games into the lives of underpriveleged youth. Today, Magic Bus has expanded all over India using its unique Activity Based Curriculum (ABC), which uses games to make change. “Forty sessions per year — each with a lesson — teach children about education, gender, health, and key issues affecting them. The games excel in building physical, social, and personal skills,” says Magic Bus’s site.

Back in Dharavi, Rahul Pol gathers his young addicts on a dirt pitch for their regular karate moves. The programs prove that sports have the potential to be more than recreation activities; for these youngsters, each move is a step toward sobriety and hope for a better future.

Submitted by Carlin Carr — Mon, 02/11/2013 – 00:00

Widya Anggraini, Jakarta Contributor

“Men sana in corpore sano”. Di dalam tubuh yang sehat terdapat jiwa yang sehat. Itulah slogan olah raga yang terbiasa kita dengar. Bukan tanpa alasan tentunya, sebab olah raga merupakan aktivitas penting yang mengajarkan nilai-nilai tentang kebersamaan, kejujuran, sportifitas, daya tahan fisik dan mental. Namun apakah setiap orang sudah mendapatkan kesempataan berolah-raga atau adakah diskriminasi yang tidak kita sadari selama ini tentang siapa saja yang patut berolah-raga?

Penyandang cacat sebagai kelompok minoritas di Jakarta cenderung mendapat diskriminasi fasilitas dan perlakuan. Harus diakui bahwa sarana dan prasarana di ibu kota belum ramah dan berpihak pada para difabel yang jumlahnya kini mencapi 21 ribu orang menurut data dari Dinas Sosial DKI Jakarta. Minusnya gelanggang olah raga yang tersedia dan bisa diakses para penyandang cacat menyebabkan mereka sering terabaikan haknya. Diskriminasi akibat ketidaksempurnaan fisik dianggap penghalang untuk beraktivitas sehingga masyarakat cenderung meminggirkan mereka dan adanya persepsi yang menganggap bahwa cacat sama dengan sakit sehingga perlu mendapat perlakuan khusus sering membuat difabel tidak mandiri.

Situasi kurang menguntungkan para penyandang cacat memunculkan banyak aksi peduli dengan membentuk komunitas peduli penyandang cacat, salah satunya adalah Blind Inspiring Smart and Active Foundation (BISA Foundation) yang menggagas Bike for Hope. Dengan sepeda yang dirancang khusus para difabel dapat bersepeda santai di tempat umum. Gagasan ini muncul setelah melihat minimnya kegiatan olah raga dan rekreasi bagi penyandang cacat. Sepeda yang dimodifikasi ini merupakan rancangan alumni ITB dengan konsep sepeda tandem yang bisa dikendarai oleh 4 orang. Aktivitas sepeda santai ini sering diadakan pada saat car free day di wilayah ibu kota Jakarta dan Bandung. Inovasi olah raga bagi difabel juga dikembangkan oleh mereka yang gemar tenis kursi roda dan bulutangkis dengan membuat kursi roda khusus dan sabuk pengaman seperti yang digunakan Klub Tenis Kursi Roda Fatmawati dan anggota Persatuan Paraplegi Indonesia (Perpari) di Jakarta.

Penyelenggaraan olah raga outdoor oleh para penyandang cacat sering merupakan wadah sosialisasi agar masyarakat terbiasa dengan keberadaan difabel dan merubah persepsi yang sering merendahan penyandang cacat dan disaat yang sama juga meningkatkan kepercayaan diri para difabel. Yayasan Budi Asih di kawasan Duren Sawit, Jakarta Timur yang dipimpin oleh Ibu Retno Astoeti Aryanto, termasuk kerap melakukan aktivitas olah raga di ruang publik bersama anak didiknya yang tunagrahita. Beliau juga menginisiasi Special Olympic Indonesia (SOIna) di tahun 1989 dengan tujuan awal memupuk kepercayaan diri pada anak, belajar bersih, disiplin dan sehat. SOIna merupakan satu-satunya organisasi dengan akreditasi dari Special Olympics International (SOI) untuk pelatihan dan kompetisi olahraga bagi penyandang tunagrahita.

Tidak mudah memang untuk mereduksi kesenjangan dan diskriminasi di bidang olah raga yang dihadapi para penyandang cacat. Kolaborasi dari masyarakat, pemerintah dan pihak swasta diharapkan mampu mengatasi kesenjangan tersebut. Contoh tanggung jawab sosial diperlihatkan oleh BII yang melalui dana CSR-nya dengan menggelar Kejuaraan Tenis Kursi Roda Internasional BII Indonesia Open yang telah dilaksanakan sejak tahun 2010. Dengan semangat memajukan tenis kursi roda di tanah air, BII juga membatu merenovasi dua lapangan tenis di Jakarta dan memberikan tiga unit kursi roda khusus bagi tenis kursi roda kepada Persatuan Paraplegia Indonesia. Di sisi lain pemerintah DKI Jakarta juga telah menjawab permasalahan diskriminasi penyandang cacat dengan mengeluarkan Perda No 10 Tahun 2011 tentang Penyandang Cacat yang akan segera diikuti dengan pelaksanaan berbagai program dan penyediaan beragam fasilitas termasuk sarana dan prasarana olah-raga yang bisa diakses oleh kaum difabel.

Submitted by widya anggraini — Mon, 02/11/2013 – 00:00

Nanda Ratna Astuti, Jakarta Contributor

Kaum muda menjadi mayoritas penduduk di kawasan perkotaan, seperti Jakarta. Kalangan muda yang didalamnya terdapat anak-anak, remaja dan pemuda tidak dapat dipisahkan dari kegiatan olahraga. Usia muda identik dengan kondisi fisik yang prima, dan energi yang berlebih serta keinginan untuk terus aktif, menjadi ‘pasangan’ yang cocok untuk berbagai jenis olahraga. Pada umumnya semua orang sudah melakukan kegiatan olahraga sejak kecil, yaitu sejak bisa berdiri dan berjalan. Dan saat beranjak ke usia sekolah, anak-anak sangat menyukai kegiatan olahraga, terutama yang bersifat permainan seperti sepak bola, bola basket, bulutangkis maupun bola voli.

Seperti yang kita tahu, olahraga tidak hanya melatih kemampuan fisik, namun juga membentuk kepribadian yang baik. Dengan semangat sportivititas dan kerjasama tim, olahraga menjadi sarana aktualisasi diri yang sangat tepat bagi jiwa muda. Karena rasa ingin tahu dan energi yang kadng berlebih, tidak jarang anak muda terjerumus kedalam kegiatan-kegiatan yang negatif seperti narkoba, pergaulan bebas dan tawuran. Daripada terjerumus ke dalam hal-hal negatif seperti itu, sebaiknya anak-anak muda ini sejak dini diarahkan untuk mengikuti kegiatan yang sesuai dengan minat dan bakatnya, contohnya kegiatan olahraga. Apabila seorang anak sudah terlihat bakatnya di bidang olahraga tertentu, sudah selayaknya anak tersebut mendapatkan pembinaan di bidang tersebut. Untuk mereka dari kalangan menengah keatas, mereka dapat dengan mudah memasukkan anak mereka di sekolah sepakbola ataupun klub bulutangkis, tetapi hal tersebut tidak mudah bagi anak-anak dari kalangan bawah karena ad biaya cukup besar yang harus dikeluarkan untuk mengikuti pembinaan tersebut. Saat ini belum banyak instansi yang menyediakan program pembinaan olahraga untuk anak kurang mampu. Anak-anak yang biasanya ada di kampung-kampung di perkotaan ini kebanyakan menyalurkan bakatnya melalui pertandingan sepakbola “tarkam” (antar kampung) ataupun bermain bulutangkis di gang-gang sempit depan rumah mereka. Sungguh sangat disayangkan, karena bisa saja diantara anak-anak tersebut sebenarnya memiliki bakat layaknya atlet-atlet profesional dan bakat tersebut dapat saja mengubah nasib mereka yang kurang beruntung tersebut.

Program pengembangan bakat di bidang olahraga, khususnya untuk anak-anak kurang mampu, dapat menjadi salah satu solusi untuk mengentaskan kemiskinan. Apabila bakat-bakat yang ada diberikan kesempatan dan fasilitas untuk dapat berlatih dan menjadi lebih baik lagi. Banyak atlet-atlet ternama di dalam maupun luar negeri yang pada awalnya berasal dari keluarga kurang mampu. Namun, karena ketekunan dalam berlatih dan berusaha mereka dapat menjadi bintang di lapangan dan mengangkat derajat hidup keluarganya.

Program ini adalah MILO School Competition (MSC), sebuah program pengembangan bakat di bidang olahraga bulutangkis hasil kerjasama Dinas-dinas Pendidikan Kota dan Kabupaten, Persatuan Bulutangkis Seluruh Indonesia (PBSI), dengan produsen susu “MILO” dari Nestle sebagai sponsor utama. Meskipun berupa kompetisi, namun tujuan program ini adalah mencari dan mengembangakn bibit-bibit baru di bidang bulutangkis. Kompetisi diadakan untuk anak-anak usia SD dan SMP di berbagai kota di Indonesia seperti Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Malang, Jambi dan Manado dengan babak final di Jakarta. Semua anak-anak usia SD dan SMP dapat mengikuti program ini tanpa dibebankan biaya, sehingga mereka yang kurang mampu juga dapat ikut serta dalam kompetisi ini. Para finalis dari tiap kota akan mendapatkan pelatihan di Taufik Hidayat Training Camp selama bertanding di Jakarta. Di dalam pelatihan tersebut, anak-anak tidak hanya diberikan materi mengenai teknik bermain tetapi juga mengenai kerjasama tim, kepemimpinan, kerja keras dan sportivitas. Sehingga mereka dapat berkembang menjadi atlet-atlet muda yang memiliki kemampuan individual yang baik, dapat bekerja sama dalam tim dan juga memiliki nilai-nilai kepribadian yang baik. Materi diberikan oleh atlet-atlet bulutangkis ternama seperti Taufik Hidayat dan Ricky Subagja. Program MSC ini sudah dilaksanakan sejak tahun 2002 dan telah melahirkan atlet-atlet bulutangkis nasional antara lain Adriyanti Firdasari dan Tommy Sugiarto.

Tidak jarang juga dalam kompetisi ini, ada pencari bakat dari klub-klub profesional datang untuk mencari talenta baru dan memberikan pelatihan lebih lanjut, tidak hanya untuk yang menjadi juara saja. Melalui program pelatihan dan pengembangan bakat di bidang olahraga ini, mereka tidak hanya menyalurkan minat dan bakatnya, namun juga memiliki kesempatan untuk merubah taraf kehidupannya menjadi lebih baik. Apabila mereka tidak menjadi atlet profesional sekalipun, mereka memiliki banyak nilai-nilai positif di dalam diri mereka sehingga menjadi pribadi yang lebih baik dari sebelumnya dan dapat membuka jalan untuk kesempatan di bidang lain.

Submitted by Editor — Mon, 02/11/2013 – 00:00

María Fernanda Carvallo, Mexico City Community Manager

Four of every ten primary-school children in Mexico City are overweight. This problem is strongly related to poverty: children living with low food security are 61 percent more likely to be overweight. In this context, the Mexican Soccer Federation and the Ministry of Health launched the “11 Plays for Health” program to promote healthy habits for children in vulnerable communities. Although the program is too recent to evaluate its impact, it is considered an innovative social project, giving policy-creators and experts high hopes.

La Ciudad de México, es hogar de los niños con más sobrepeso y obesidad del país. De acuerdo a la organización El Poder del Consumidor, cuatro de cada diez niños en edad escolar en el D.F. padecen sobrepeso u obesidad. Además de ser un problema relacionado con los hábitos de consumo, la obesidad es más común entre la población más vulnerable de educación y recursos. Investigaciones del Consejo Nacional de la Raza (NCLR) en Estados Unidos, demostró que los niños latinos viviendo en hogares con muy poca seguridad alimentaria son el 61 por ciento más propensos a tener sobrepeso que los niños que viven en hogares en condiciones alimentarias más favorables; puesto que las familias adoptan estrategias para administrar el presupuesto al adquirir alimentos de bajo costo y con alto contenido calórico para satisfacer su hambre.

En este contexto, la FIFA, la Federación Mexicana de Fútbol (FEMEXFUT) y la Secretaría de Salud del Gobierno Federal desde el 2011 implementan en la Ciudad de México, Puebla y Estado de México el programa piloto “11 Jugadas para la Salud”, cuyo objetivo es promover hábitos saludables en los niños y jóvenes para comprometerse con la actividad física, evitar la obesidad el sobre peso y adicciones.

La estrategia se compone de once sesiones que enseñan habilidades de fútbol, acompañadas de once mensajes de salud fundamentales vinculados a una acción específica de este deporte, que impulsan valores y conductas sanas:

• Juega: El fútbol es una forma saludable de actividad física.

• Pasa el balón: Respeta a niñas y mujeres.

• Cabecea: Protégete del SIDA y las Enfermedades de Transmisión Sexual.

• Regatea: Evita las drogas, el alcohol y el tabaco.

• Controla el balón: Controla tu peso.

• Defiende: Lávate las manos.

• Para el balón: Bebe agua potable.

• Ponte en forma: Sigue una dieta equilibrada.

• Haz lanzamientos de balón: Vacúnate.

• Para goles: Tómate la medicación prescrita.

• Trabaja en equipo: Juega limpio.

Para su implementación la FIFA capacitó a profesores de educación física de escuelas públicas, y jóvenes pertenecientes a los Clubes Deportivos de los equipos del Cruz Azul Toluca y Puebla, de manera que ellos transmitan los mensajes a los niños a través de las sesiones deportivas en las escuelas. Las habilidades de fútbol y mensajes de salud se aprenden en los juegos de grupo durante sesiones de 90 minutos, en donde la primera parte de la sesión se instruye la habilidad a través de la práctica del fútbol, y en la segunda parte se informa sobre el problema de salud en específico y los hábitos saludables para contrarrestarlo. Al iniciar el programa piloto y al finalizar la intervención de las once sesiones, los niños fueron evaluados por medio de un cuestionario para identificar el cambio de conducta y la adopción de hábitos saludables en relación a los mensajes transmitidos.

El proyecto piloto en México es un simil de la estrategia implementada por la FIFA en diversos países africanos “11 for Health”. El Director Médico de la FIFA Dr. Jiri Dvorak, afirma que el éxito alcanzado en las fases piloto en Sudáfrica (2009), Zimbabwe (2010), Mauricio (2010) y México (2011) ha demostrado que simples mensajes expresados a través de una serie de habilidades futbolísticas, puede aumentar la conciencia entre los niños e incluso animarles a cambiar sus hábitos relacionados con la salud.

Miguel Limón, funcionario de la Secretaría de Salud de la Administración Federal 2006-2012, afirma que entre las fortalezas de este proyecto se encuentra “el hacer la promoción y educación de la salud de forma lúdica, en donde tocar temas relacionados con una buena alimentación, el reconocimiento de valores sociales, el tener mejores prácticas de higiene y preventivas de salud, se logra a través de la práctica del deporte como actividad central”.

Actualmente, los actores involucrados analizan la posibilidad de escalar el proyecto a partir de este año a más escuelas con el apoyo de la nueva administración del gobierno Federal, siendo el objetivo contrarrestar el principal problema de salud infantil.

Submitted by Maria Fernanda Carvallo — Mon, 02/11/2013 – 00:00

Catalina Gomez, Rio de Janeiro Community Manager

Sports and education programs targeted to children and adolescents have been successful in increasing teamwork, reducing violence, raising academic achievement, and improving social inclusion. In Rio, this approach of integrating sports and education is widely utilized, in both public and private sectors.

According to a recent study from the National Institute of Educational Research Anisio Teixeira, 71 percent of the 1,379 municipal schools within the city offer sports activities. The local government’s Secretariat of Sports and Recreation works with the Secretariat of Education and with the public school network to offer sports activities taught by trained personnel. It also offers trainings and various activities through sports facilities known as Olympic Vilas (Vilas Olímpicas).

The city has more than 10 Olympic Vilas, all located in low-income neighborhoods. They offer various sports activities, targeted to different age groups. Some of these centers, like the Olympic Vila Félix Mielli Venerando, offer recreational activities for the physical and mentally disabled. Sports include running, swimming, dance, and exercises to improve psychomotor skills. Other venues offer innovative sports training. For example, the Olympic Vila Oscar Schmidt is located in a low-income neighborhood far from the city’s pretty beaches, but includes beach volleyball facilities — with beach sand included!

In the context of the upcoming 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games, the local government has recently introduced several relevant initiatives. In 2011, it launched the Rio Fit for the Olympics project (Rio em Forma Olímpico), which provides low-income neighborhoods with free sports and recreational activities led by experienced trainers. Interestingly, the program is active in areas where educational test scores are low.

In addition, the local government is expanding the coverage of a new and innovative public sports facility known as Olympic Experimental Gymnasium or GEO (Ginásio Experimental Olímpico), which promotes academic training and sports development programs for teens between the 6th and 8th grades. GEOs aim at enabling access to good quality training for students with exceptional sports skills who come from low-income communities. The city has already opened a facility in Santa Teresa, which offers free training for soccer, racing, swimming, judo, handball, ping pong, and chess. This GEO opened in mid-2012 and already has 350 active students; the city plans to open four more similar venues, including a Paralympics facility.

The greatest challenge for the local government with regard to these initiatives is to ensure that all of them are sustained over the long-term and that they are maintained after the World Cup and the Olympics.

Submitted by Catalina Gomez — Mon, 02/11/2013 – 00:00

Catalina Gomez, Rio de Janeiro Community Manager

Trabalho em equipe, prevenção de violência, desenvolvimento acadêmico e inclusão social; são alguns dos muitos resultados associados aos programas de esporte e educação integral de crianças e adolescentes desenvolvidos em varias cidades do mundo. Especificamente no Rio, a abordagem integral do esporte com atividades educativas está sendo bastante utilizada, inclusive pela rede pública.

Em termos de serviços públicos de esporte, Rio tem avançado muito. Segundo um estudo recente do Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira, 71 por cento das 1379 escolas municipais oferecem prática esportiva. A Secretaria Municipal de Esportes e Lazer trabalha conjuntamente com a Secretaria Municipal de Educação e com as escolas da rede para oferecer atividades esportivas com pessoal treinado. Também oferece varias atividades esportivas em equipamentos denominados Vilas Olímpicas.

A cidade tem mais de 10 Vilas Olímpicas todas localizadas em áreas de baixa renda; elas oferecem diferentes atividades esportivas para todas as faixas etárias e interesses esportivos. Incluso alguns destes centros, como a Vila Olímpica Félix Miéli Venerando, oferecem atividades para deficientes físicos e mentais incluindo atletismo, natação adaptada, dança e psicomotricidade. Podem participar pessoas a partir de 1 ano de idade até a terceira idade. Outros equipamentos oferecem praticas de esportes não tradicionais, como a Vila Olimpica Oscar Schmidt, que fica numa área de baixa renda da Zona Oeste da cidade bem distante da praia. Esta Vila oferece uma quadra de areia para praticar vôlei de praia, pois tem vários moradores que ativamente praticam aquele esporte embora estejam muito longe da praia.

No contexto da próxima Copa do Mundo 2014 e das Olimpíadas 2016, o governo local tem lançado recentemente várias iniciativas. Por exemplo, em 2011 lançou o projeto Rio em Forma Olímpico, que visa atender comunidades de baixa renda com iniciativas de esporte e lazer todas instruídas por profissionais qualificados. Os núcleos deste projeto estão sendo implantados nas comunidades mais vulneráveis da cidade e aquelas que apresentam baixo índice de desenvolvimento educacional.

Adicionalmente, a Secretaria Municipal de Educação está liderando a ampliação da cobertura de um equipamento inovador denominado Ginásio Experimental Olímpico (GEO) que une desenvolvimento acadêmico e esportivo para alunos do 6° ao 8° ano da rede pública. O GEO tem como principal objetivo dar oportunidade para que os alunos com aptidões esportivas consigam desenvolver seu potencial, sem abrir mão de uma boa educação. A primeira escola do programa está localizada em Santa Teresa e oferece treinamentos em futebol, vôlei, atletismo, natação, judô, handebol, tênis de mesa e xadrez. Começou a funcionar no início de 2012 e já atende a 350 alunos. Está previsto que a cidade terá mais quatro Ginásios Experimentais Olímpicos, onde um deles será um Paralímpico.

O maior desafio para o governo local com respeito aos programas públicos de esporte será garantir que aquelas iniciativas sejam mantidas durante os anos, inclusive apos da Copa do Mundo e dos Jogos Olímpicos tenham acontecido na cidade.

Submitted by Catalina Gomez — Mon, 02/11/2013 – 00:00

Event: World Infrastructure Summit
12–14 November 2013 Amsterdam, Netherlands

2013 has seen a swathe of activity from institutional investors looking to finance deals, bonds too are making headway and the products, platforms and procurement developments signify a shift in mindset. With top-notch key speakers – such as Columbia’s National Infrastructure Agency President Andrade Moreno; John McCarthy, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority’s Global Head of Infrastructure; and many more – the World Infrastructure Summit 2013 will provide the platform and space to further drive forward developments that will kick-start deal-flow and the delivery of vital infrastructure. Learn more.

Event: New Cities Summit 2014
17–19 June 2014 Dallas, Texas

The New Cities Summit is rapidly becoming the leading global event on the future of urbanization. This annual gathering provides a platform for global decision-makers, CEOs, public sector leaders, entrepreneurs, thinkers and media leaders to discuss urbanization and innovation in the 21st century. This summit is different from other city events because it analyzes a broad range of urban topics from multiple angles and perspectives. It brings together people at the top of their field with emerging innovators. Learn more.

Event: World Urban Forum 7
5–11 April 2014 Medellín, Colombia

“From pain to hope then to life.” This is the simple message the Mayor of Medellin, Mr. Anibal Gaviria Correa, says he wants to pass to the delegates visiting his city for the Seventh Session of the World Urban Forum in 2014. The WUF7 theme is “Urban Equity in Development – Cities for Life.” Learn more.

Opportunity: UN Habitat International Competition: Urban Revitalization of Mass Housing

UN-Habitat is promoting a new urban planning paradigm that calls for planning in advance at the scale of expected development of cities with a better integration of urban uses — housing, business, retail, recreation, education, agricultural, amongst others. The aim of this paradigm shift is to achieve adequate urban densities to minimise the impact of urban sprawl, improve mobility and reduce greenhouse emissions. The ultimate goal is to attain the social, economic, environmental and cultural sustainability of cities.

The purpose of the competition is to address the issues of mass housing through proposals to revitalize a mass housing locality in one’s respective city. For this development-oriented competition, participants will need to contact the owners of the housing stock to jointly select a typical mass housing complex for revitalization. The scope will include research, proposal, and policy. Click here to learn more.

Event: 3rd World Forum of the Metropolis Women International Network
24–27 September 2013 Abidjan, Ivory Coast

This Forum is being organised by the Metropolis Women International Network’s antenna in Abidjan, with the participation of locally elected women representatives and opinion leaders from 42 cities, Metropolis members from all over the world.

The 3rd World Forum will provide an opportunity to discuss a highly topical issue, i.e. the perpetration of violence against women. A review will be conducted of the current state of play as regards women’s situation in armed conflicts as well as the outlook in post-conflict situations. Moreover, an assessment will be made of the national and international instruments and mechanisms for the protection of women’s rights. The issue of political governance for safer cities for women will also be addressed. Learn more.

Event: Legacy and Innovation
11 October 2013 Philadelphia, USA

Welcome to the website for Penn’s Fall 2013 Provost Interdisciplinary Seminar: Legacy and Innovation – Unlocking Value in Regional Energy Assets. Innovation is a prominent item on many agendas: universities celebrate discovery and support tech transfer, think tanks rank places on patents and advocate for investment, enterprises nurture a culture and market its results, and jurisdictions compete on performance and design policies to leverage their advantages. These efforts all happen within a legacy of existing conditions, endowments, and expectations.

Join us on October 11, 2013 to explore the nexus between legacy and innovation using a salient platform: the Philadelphia region’s active discussion of how to leverage its large collection of legacy energy assets into an economic development strategy. Learn more.

Opportunity: Senior Community Manager Africa, Global Shapers

The Global Shapers Team is building an international community of the most outstanding young people committed to improving the state of the world, one community at a time. The Global Shapers Community enables youth to be a voice for the future in local, regional and global thought processes and a catalyst of entrepreneurship in the global public interest. To achieve its mission, the Global Shapers Community is built on a network of local Hubs located in major cities around the world.

You will join the Forum as part of our Global Leadership Fellows Programme. As such, you will be fully integrated in the World Economic Forum and benefit from an intensive work and learning experience intended to develop and train future leaders of global enterprises and international organizations. Click here to learn more.

Opportunity: LGT Venture Philanthropy’s ICats Program

As part of LGT Venture Philanthropy’s support to scale proven local solutions, the ICats Program was established to provide additional know-how to social organizations. The program connects social organizations in need of professional know-how, and experts with the desire to apply their knowledge in a meaningful way, thus acting as “Impact Catalysts”. This is how the name ICats came about. Global corporations can integrate the ICats Program into their leadership development programs to promote responsible leadership through first hand experience.

We are now welcoming applications for over 20 LGT VP Fellowship 2014 positions. Click here to learn more.

Opportunity: Intern with Future Cape Town

Future Cape Town is a non-profit think tank, passionate about the future of cities. It delivers on its mission through engagement, research and collaboration, creating a space for awareness, debate and action, in the area of urbanism in Cape Town and in cities around the world. Future Cape Town’s Urban Intelligence Unit (UIU), the research wing of the organisation, is in search of passionate, inspiring interns to assist this team.

We conduct research in various arenas, through an experiential approach, across a vast range of urban and public issues e.g. public space, models of engagement, new media, urban regeneration, economic development and so forth. Click here to learn more about the internship and to apply.

Event: Sustainable Building Conference
5–7 November 2013 Cairo, Egypt

Democratic Transition and Sustainable Communities: Overcoming Challenges through Innovative Practical Solutions

The goal is to redefine urban challenges in light of the democratic transition of the society and to capture knowledge and best practice with the target of prioritising and mapping innovative solutions to local, regional, and international challenges. This is achieved through four main subthemes to investigate integrated planning and implementation policies, to explore potentials for incorporating new/alternative energy technologies on the urban and architectural scale, to govern the successful implementation through local governance and capacity building; and finally to demonstrate state-of-the-art knowledge through real life innovative practical solutions for disseminating and sharing lessons learnt. Learn more.

• Dhaka
• Nairobi
• Mumbai
• Jakarta
• Mexico City
• Rio (e)
• Rio (p)

Zyma Islam, Dhaka Contributor
The Asian University for Women Writing Team

Five-year-old Shima is on the bottom rung in the human ecosystem of the sprawling slum habitat clinging to the banks of Buriganga. She squats outside the door of a bhangari shop, a shop which sorts out waste for recycling, sifting through the thick black riverside muck for miniscule bits of copper fiber.

“I am too young to work in the bhangari shops,” she said, “so I forage bits of this red metal from the waste piles of the shops and sell them to the recycling factories.”

Her elder brother, Noyon, the proud holder of a “proper job,” spends twelve hours a day as a bhangari, snapping off needles from used syringes. His arms are riddled with blotched scars from needle pricks, burned to cauterize the wound and prevent the spreading of diseases.

The two siblings live in a one-room shanty atop a two-story makeshift apartment block balanced precariously on stilts in the heavy river mud. The residential block is just across a narrow lane from the commercial zone; every day, thousands of children like Shima and Noyon cross the divide between the safety of their homes and the dangers of their profession.

For these children, it is only $15 that makes a difference between a secure future, and the perils of their occupation. This is why Selim, a ragpicker, happily said yes to UNICEF’s cash-transfer program, which allocates $22 worth of grants to him every month.

Selim is one of the 500 children chosen by this pilot project of UNICEF, in collaboration with the government of Bangladesh. This project, aiming at cash transfers to keep children out of child labor, is a part of their social safety net (SSN) programme portfolio, which is inclusive of issues such as disaster adaptation and assistance for the handicapped, with post-retirement SSN programmes taking a major share.

Assurance of the continuation of education is one of the pre-requisites of the cash-transfer programme, along with other conditions like withdrawing the child from hazardous labor, ensuring that optimum health and nutrition standards are met, and agreeing that the child will not be subjected to underage marriage.

The cash grants do more than run the daily life of a family. They also allow for spending on health and nutrition, investment in home-enterprises, saving for the future, and insuring against probable disasters. Not only is the grant more than the average income made by child labor, but the money brought in by the child is no longer susceptible to factors like wage exploitation, unexpected closures, natural disasters, political strikes, or illnesses. This allows for steady saving and spending techniques where children are the beneficiaries.

However, the 500 children benefitting from this programme are simply a drop in the bucket, when one out of every five children in the slums of Dhaka is involved in labor classified as hazardous. Noyon and Shima are, as yet, beyond the reach of a normal childhood and a secure future. Even with the Government of Bangladesh spending 2.5 percent of the total GDP on SSN programmes, UNICEF’s target population numbers at 10,000 children only, leaving behind a few million more like Noyon and Shima to risk their lives every day.

Dhaka’s community on URB.im is managed by a group of students from the Research Center on Development and Humanitarian Action at the Asian University for Women (AUW). One of the major foci of the Research Center is urban management, governance, and poverty in Asia. AUW is a liberal arts institution for women from all over Asia, located in Bangladesh. With an international faculty and student body, AUW provides a critical pathway to leadership development, economic progress, and social and political equality.

Submitted by Editor — Mon, 02/25/2013 – 00:00

Katy Fentress, Nairobi Community Manager

Typically, children in slums are depicted as having few opportunities to be able to break free from the cycle of poverty that they have been born into. It is a common assumption that slum kids spend their time doing menial jobs, do not go to school, engage in various levels of petty crime and largely depend on charity to be able to achieve a better life.

Little attention is directed to the real game changers in these areas: those who were born and brought up in the slum and have made it their lifelong mission to be able to support children who cannot afford to go to school and have no ways of passing their days in a productive way. It is first and foremost these people and their endeavours in the community that should be supported in their quest to raise the standard of living of those who live in informal marginalised settlements.

This week, as part of our children in slums topic, we are describing a day in the life of Tina Turner Warimu, a child who, with the help of one such mentor and her own determination, has begun to pave the road for a bright future which holds promise and hope.

Tina Turner Wairimu is a 13-year-old girl who lives in Mathare with her mother and four younger siblings. She attends a small private school called Destiny Junior Academy and is in Standard Seven (9th grade). One of the top students in her class, Tina is also a fiercely competitive football (soccer) player and is the captain of the local True Colours under-sixteen girls’ team.

Tina’s daily routine is very tight and leaves little space for idle play. Awake at 6:30am, she must first bathe inside the single room the entire family lives in with the water her mother buys every day. As the oldest child, she gets to bathe first while her younger siblings wait their turn outside. After her morning ablutions, Tina takes tea with milk but no sugar and a piece of white bread. Next she rushes off to school on her own while her mother sets off to work in a local laundry service where clothes are washed by hand.

Tina recently changed schools. Until December last year she attended Valley View Academy, a larger private school in Mathare that is a slightly longer walk from her home. Although her siblings still attend Valley View, Tina decided to change because her coach, Austin Ajowi, recently founded Destiny Junior Academy and she felt she would be happy attending a school that was run by him.

Ajowi, 36, known locally as “Coaches,” is a widely celebrated and respected man around Mathare. He single-handedly founded the True Colours football club almost ten years ago when he decided he wanted to find something to keep the local out-of-school street kids busy. Since then, the club has expanded, and Ajowi currently coaches 15 different female and male junior and professional teams who play in tournaments around the country. Ajowi worked as a volunteer at Valley View Academy for a few years before deciding he wanted to found a school of his own. With the help of dedicated young teachers from the area, Ajowi set up a small school with six classrooms, all of which are packed with students eager to learn. The school charges the students a small fee, but those who cannot afford to pay can continue to attend class. In addition to this, the school receives informal funding from friends and well-wishers who want to see it grow and prosper.

Tina spends a good part of her day, from 8am to 5pm, at school. She loves school because she can spend time with her friends and continue learning science, which is by far her favourite subject. The reason she likes science is because she wants to learn about the environment, which she believes is important because, in her words, “It is the air we breathe which must be kept clean if we want our planet to be healthy.” Tina dreams of becoming an air hostess and travelling the world.

Six days a week Tina goes to football practice when she gets out of school. Tina takes her duties as team captain very seriously because it means she takes care of her teammates, and also because when they win, she is the one who gets the most attention.

Tina will be trying out for a Norwegian female junior team in the coming months; if she is selected, it will mean having to leave home to pursue football as a professional player. Tina is excited at the idea of being able to travel to Europe, although she is afraid she will miss her mother and brothers and sisters.

After football practice Tina goes home and bathes. She does five maths sums before and after doing her homework. The sums are an extra-curricular activity that she is not required to do. After homework she eats her dinner and then helps her mother wash the dishes before falling into bed with her siblings.

Submitted by Katy Fentress — Mon, 02/25/2013 – 00:00

Carlin Carr, Mumbai Community Manager

When Kid Powered Media rolls into a Delhi slum with its portable movie theater in the back of a white Suzuki van, everyone shows up. The 10-foot screen lights up with a battery-powered projector to showcase a drama-filled flick. But this is not your typical Bollywood film, and the stars on the screen are not your typical Bollywood actors. The films all star kids from the community who have written and performed the socially-focused movies to raise awareness about issues that concern them, as kids.

“Our media keeps children’s voices at the center so that kids can help kids in fun and entertaining ways,” says Kid Powered Media’s Facebook page. The goal is to get communities talking, and help kids to generate solutions that fit their unique circumstances. Themes often focus on alcohol abuse, teacher absenteeism, domestic violence issues and gender awareness. “The challenges for kids in slums are not black and white,” explains Alex Heywood, a Canadian who now calls Delhi home since he founded Kid Powered Media in 2010. He says India’s school system notoriously teaches by rote and that social issues are difficult to discuss in this mechanical way. Kid Powered Media introduces students to storytelling through writing and acting workshops that empower them to create, discuss, brainstorm and devise new ways of tackling issues that affect them.

Heywood stresses that the kids are in charge, because they often talk about issues in unexpected ways. For example, they were creating a comic book about alcoholism, and Heywood says that while he would have started with the health repercussions, the kids wanted to link drinking to reputation. “They didn’t want to come out and say stop drinking,” says Heywood, “they wanted to emphasize consuming less so that they didn’t come out into the streets and make a scene that would embarrass everyone.” Capturing this viewpoint, Heywood believes, is the key to devising solutions that work for the youth in the communities.

Heywood came up with the idea for Kid Powered Media while working on an agricultural project in rural areas of India. He recalls seeing vans that would cross the countryside with big screens on the back to show the far-off communities the latest film. People would come from all around to see the moveable movies. Today, Heywood has brought the rural phenomenon to the city and runs Delhi’s first portable cinema.

Kid Powered Media is part of a growing trend to use theater and the arts to help low-income communities discuss social issues and stigmas. In Mumbai, organizations have been using street theater to discuss taboo themes. As Heywood says, there is some liberty granted through the arts that allows these voices and ideas to enter these communities. “We’re not pointing fingers saying ‘this is your kid doing drugs.’ We’re using characters to say these problems exist and to bring more awareness to them. We’re giving kids a platform to do something.”

One of the student groups in Kid Powered Media’s weekly club classes decided to create a comic book on education. Since 50 percent of Kid Powered Media attendees no longer attend school – girls may need to help in the house and boys may need to earn money – the book explored options for these kids outside of the traditional school day. The creative group, called the Funky Boyz (all the club groups give themselves names), brought forward alternatives such as skills training and night school. In this sense, creating media becomes more than fostering imagination and discussion. The stories are platforms to solicit and distribute ideas and dreams for their communities. For these kids, art transcends aesthetics and becomes a tangible outlet for working through community problems and helps youth to be part of the solution.

All videos can be found on Kid Powered Media’s Vimeo page.

Submitted by Carlin Carr — Mon, 02/25/2013 – 00:00

Yuyun Harmono, Jakarta Community Manager

In the slum of Cilincing, North Jakarta, many kids drop out of school as their parents are unable to pay for school fees. Dan Roberts established the Red Nose Foundation to introduce the Red Nose circus to these children. Circus helps develop their skills and increases self-confidence. Many of them are able to go back to school with a scholarship provided by the Foundation. Thanks to the circus, kids in the Cilincing slum have been able to express themselves creatively, become active citizens, and attend school.

Cilincing, Jakarta Utara adalah satu dari 392 perkampungan kumuh di Jakarta berdasarkan data Biro Pusat Statistik tahun 2011. Angka putus sekolah di Cilincing tergolong tinggi. Ada beberapa sebab, turut bekerja membantu keuangan keluarga menjadi alasan utama. Alasan lain, masih banyak iuran dari pihak sekolah yang harus dibayar, misalnya untuk buku, seragam dan kebutuhan penunjang belajar. Bagi mereka yang bersekolah jauh dari tempat tinggal, biaya transportasi menjadi kendala tersendiri.

Seringkali, penghasilan orang tua mereka yang sebagian besar buruh pengupas kerang hijau dan nelayan tidak cukup untuk membiayai sekolah anak-anaknya. Anak-anak di Cilincing terpaksa menanggalkan seragam sekolah mereka, bekerja mengupas kerang hijau, mengamen dan mengasong. Dengan realitas demikian, sulit bagi anak-anak di perkampungan kumuh ini untuk bisa lepas dari lingkaran kemiskinan. Masih adakah harapan bagi masa depan mereka?

Harapan itu dibawa oleh seorang badut. Ya, badut. Awal tahun 2008, Dan Roberts menginjakkan kaki di RT 13/07, Kalibaru, Cilincing. Ia mengenalkan Sirkus Hidung Merah, kegiatan yang dibiayai oleh Badut Tanpa Batas. Ia mengajarkan sirkus pada anak-anak di perkampungan kumuh tersebut. Namun yang ini bukan sembarang sirkus. Metode yang digunakan dikenal sebagai Sirkus Sosial, yaitu sebuah pendekatan inovatif untuk intervensi sosial yang berdasarkan seni sirkus.

Dalam pendekatan ini, tujuan utamanya bukan untuk mempelajari seni sirkus. Tujuan utamanya untuk membantu pengembangan pribadi dan sosial peserta dengan meningkatkan kepercayaan diri, menjadi warga yang aktif, mengekspresikan kreativitas, dan mengembangkan potensi mereka. Misalnya, belajar menyulap dapat mengembangkan ketekunan, akrobat dapat mengembangkan kerja sama tim, dan atraksi badut dapat mengembangkan kepercayaan diri.

Perjumpaaan dengan anak-anak di Cilincing mendorong Dan Roberts mendirikan Yayasan Hidung Merah (YHM) pada tahun 2009. Setahun kemudian, Pusat Sirkus Cilincing didirikan atas bantuan dari berbagai pihak. Lantai pertama dari bangunan dua lantai berukuran 8×6 meter itu digunakan untuk latihan Sirkus dan kelas seni lainnya. Sedangkan lantai kedua dilengkapi dengan meja bagi anak didik untuk belajar Bahasa Inggris dan Matematika.

Hingga saat ini, kegiatan belajar dan latihan sirkus berkembang tidak hanya di perkampungan Cilincing, namun juga di Bintaro Lama, Jakarta Selatan. Jumlah murid mencapai 200 anak. Kegiatan belajar di Bintaro lama diadakan setiap hari Senin dan Rabu. Sedangkan di Cilincing setiap hari Selasa sampai Jumat. Tiap hari Minggu, 35 anak paling jago sirkus dari kedua kelompok tersebut bergabung untuk latihan bersama di aula Jakarta International School.

Keahlian sirkus yang dimiliki anak-anak ini ditampilkan dalam pertunjukan tahunan Sirkus Hidung Merah di Cilincing. Mereka juga sering tampil dalam Sirkus amal maupun komersial. Beberapa kali anak-anak ini juga diundang untuk mengisi acara di berbagai stasiun Televisi. YHM menyadari bahwa fokus mereka adalah pendidikan, bukan seringnya tampil di berbagai pertunjukan. Oleh sebab itu, dalam sebulan agenda tampil di berbagai acara dibatasi hanya dua kali, kecuali waktu libur sekolah.

YHM juga berkomitmen untuk mendukung anak didik melanjutkan pendidikan formal. Sejak tahun 2011, diluncurkan program beasiswa untuk anak didik Sirkus Hidung Merah. Antara tahun 2012-2013, beasiswa diberikan kepada 480 anak dengan pembagian 430 anak mendapat beasiswa sebagian dan 50 anak mendapat beasiswa penuh. Pada tahun 2013-2014, YHM menargetkan untuk memberi beasiswa penuh kepada 100 anak dan 750 sampai 1.000 beasiswa sebagian. Beasiswa yang diberikan mencakup kebutuhan bulanan, kebutuhan seragam, buku dan biaya ujian.

Dengan berbagai program tersebut, YHM menunjukkan bahwa anak-anak yang tinggal di kawasan kumuh juga punya hak untuk mengenyam pendidikan yang lebih baik. Mereka juga mampu mengembangkan diri sesuai dengan keterampilan yang mereka miliki. Badut-badut Hidung Merah dari perkampungan kumuh Cilincing menunjukkan bahwa harapan akan masa depan yang lebih baik selalu ada.

Submitted by Yuyun Harmono — Mon, 02/25/2013 – 00:00

María Fernanda Carvallo, Mexico City Community Manager

Within the poorest population in Mexico City, children are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity. To mitigate this risk, the organization Comedor Santa Maria provides food support to underprivileged children and their families, providing 100 percent of the recommended daily intake of nutrients. The organization’s goal is to foster human capital through good nutritional habits and improving families’ dietary practices. Thanks to these interventions, the children have the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and become productive members of society.

En esta gran ciudad a diario somos testigos del contexto de los niños pobres de los asentamientos informales, los cuales viven cerca de las ventajas que ofrece la urbanización sin poder tener acceso a ellas. Hablamos de niños obesos así como desnutridos que son resultado de una condición de pobreza alimentaria, al tener una disponibilidad limitada o incierta en el consumo de alimentos nutritivos, adecuados e inocuos. De acuerdo a UNICEF, estos niños tienen más probabilidades de morir antes de cumplir los cinco años por desnutrición. De igual manera SEDESOL afirma que los grupos más vulnerables a la desnutrición son los niños lactantes, preescolares y escolares debido a los requerimientos nutricionales para su crecimiento.

Por su parte el Comedor Santa María (CSM) explica que hay una relación entre los jóvenes inmersos en la delincuencia o violencia y el contacto con la pobreza alimentaria.. De acuerdo a CSM, una organización que brinda apoyo alimentario a niños de escasos recursos, los niños beneficiarios viven un presente en sus hogares lleno de carencias. Por un lado el ingreso familiar semanal oscila entre los $27 USD y $45 USD; lo que conlleva a la falta de seguridad alimentaria, además de un ambiente de estrés y de violencia intrafamiliar que puede ser originada por la misma pobreza en la que viven. De igual manera, la carencia de una vivienda digna y adecuada también provoca el hacinamiento de las familias de estos pequeños poniéndolos en alto riesgo de sufrir algún tipo de abuso sexual; algunos de los niños del CSM menores de 10 años han sido víctimas de algún familiar.

Ante ese contexto, la estrategia de apoyo de CSM va desde el apoyo alimentario, el desarrollo de valores universales en los niños y la adopción de hábitos con el fin de impactar directamente en el niño y en su contexto familiar de manera subsecuente. Actualmente cuenta con 8 comedores en el Distrito Federal y 6 en el Estado de México, cada uno ubicado en colonias de marginación y en pobreza. El eje central del comedor es la Educación en Nutrición, puesto que al proveer una adecuada nutrición al niño se desarrolla de manera óptima los sentidos, lo que contribuye a un mejor rendimiento y aprovechamiento académico y de adquisiciones de habilidades para la vida.

Para que las familias se inscriban al comedor, deben desarrollar corresponsabilidad para recibir los beneficios del CSM, por lo que adquieren obligaciones y responsabilidades que ayudan a que el niño tenga un desarrollo integral. Por un lado, se les pide a las familias la recuperación de $7 pesos e implementar un programa de valores universales alrededor de cuatro temas: salud física, salud psíquica, salud familiar y salud emocional; por lo que las familias deben asistir a la plática de valores y realizar las tareas de dicho programa en casa. Así mismo, en caso de que los niños asistan a la escuela es necesario que los papás cumplan con el calendario escolar y entreguen el control de calificaciones en el CSM.

El resultado de la labor del CSM en los niños ha sido el proveer una alimentación balanceada, ya que cuando los niños asisten al comedor cumplen con el 100% de la Ingesta Diaria Recomendada (IDR), mientras que un muestreo de los niños en espera para ser beneficiario de esta organización solamente cumple con el 28 por ciento de lDR, siendo la mayoría de los alimentos altos en calorías sin ser nutritivos. Así mismo, CSM ha notado el aumento del respeto y la comunicación en el entorno familiar de los niños por lo que en algunos casos se ha disminuido la violencia intrafamiliar en la que vivían los pequeños. Las condiciones de pobreza urbana en estos pequeños son muy complejas, sin embargo una piedra angular es la alimentación que repercutirá en su contexto y en su futuro.

Además de preocuparse por los niños en condiciones de pobreza, CSM es parte de Fondos a la Vista, una red de organizaciones de la sociedad civil que fomentan la rendición de cuentas de las organizaciones a fin de promover buenas prácticas para la continuidad de recursos disponibles para el desarrollo social en México.

Submitted by Maria Fernanda Carvallo — Mon, 02/25/2013 – 00:00

Catalina Gomez, Rio de Janeiro Community Manager

About 20 percent of Rio de Janeiro’s residents are children ages 0 to 14. Many of them attend one of the city’s 982 elementary schools; they might check out books in one of the city’s 78 libraries; and they might play in one of the city’s 54 parks. But unfortunately, not all children have the same access to basic education, local libraries, or neighborhood parks. As an example, let’s take Rocinha, a low-income neighborhood in Rio’s southern area, with over 70,000 residents. This neighborhood is significantly under-served with regard to educational and recreational services for its 12,000 children ages 4 to 14: it has only three elementary schools, one library, and no adequate parks. In addition, it has the lowest coverage of pre-school services in the city, with only 4.7 percent of children ages 4-5 attending public pre-school, compared to the city’s average of 34 percent (Rio Como Vamos, with data from 2011).

In order to better understand the lives of children in low-income neighborhoods, URB.im decided to talk to them directly. We partnered with Developing Minds Foundation so that we could talk to the children it works with in Rocinha. The organization provides pre-school education and teaches children technology skills in various low-income areas in Rio. Natalie Shoup from the Foundation lead several conversations with children and enabled us to learn a bit about what these children liked, disliked and feared in their lives.

One of our first impressions is that most of the children we talked to like their neighborhood. Mariana, who is 13, explained: “Although I know there are better places, I like my own community.” Pedro, who is 11, added: “I like living in Rocinha, as I was born and raised here; at the end of the day you get used to living here.”

Younger children also had their opinions about their lives and what they enjoy. Miguel, who is four years old, told us: “I just like to play and go around with my bike.” Erik, also 4, told us: “I like to go out, play, and then go to my pre-school to eat good food.” For many children, school is not only to play and learn, but is also the only time they get a good and nutritious meal.

Many of these children face enormous difficulties in trying to gain access to basic social services, such as health care and education. Ana Luisa, who is six years old, told us her mother was not able to find her a spot at the local elementary school, meaning that she couldn’t enroll to start her primary education this year. “My mom has tried to find a space for me at the local school, but there are no vacancies; she’s going to keep looking, so if you hear of a vacancy in any school, please let us know… otherwise I might stay at the children’s day care forever.”

Regarding the fears of the children we talked to, we learned that most of them have the same fears as any other child, no matter what neighborhood they live in. When asked what they were afraid of, Brenda, who is six years old, said: “I’m afraid to go to swim in the ocean, because I might bump into a shark.” Ana Clara, who is five, said: “My fear is playing down in the street; my mom doesn’t allow me to play alone there, as some men might take me away.”

These are just a few testimonies of children living in Rocinha. On one hand, they share a great deal with children who do not live in the same disadvantaged conditions, like their curiosity and spontaneity. On the other hand, they face daily struggles due to the fact that they are not able to gain access to many basic services. There is a great need for more and better child care and educational programs, as well as access to nutritious food and recreational spaces. Only by providing each child with these services will they be able to learn and to have the opportunity to build themselves a brighter future.

Submitted by Catalina Gomez — Mon, 02/25/2013 – 00:00

Catalina Gomez, Rio de Janeiro Community Manager

Cerca de 20 por cento da população total de Rio de Janeiro é composta por crianças de 0-14 anos. Muitas destas crianças podem-se beneficiar de alguma das 982 escolas de ensino fundamental da cidade; de uma das 78 bibliotecas do município e também podem jogar em algum de seus 54 parques. Infelizmente, nem todas as crianças tem igual aceso à educação, às bibliotecas locais e parques. Para ilustrar a situação, coloquemos o exemplo da Rocinha, uma comunidade na zona sul do Rio que onde moram mais de 70 mil pessoas. O bairro está bem atrasado no referente a serviços de educação e lazer para mais de 12 mil crianças na faixa de 4 a 14 anos. O bairro tem só 3 escolas de ensino fundamental, uma biblioteca e nenhum parque. Rocinha tem a cobertura de educação pré-escolar de crianças entre 4 e 5 mais baixa de Rio (4,7 por cento); embora a cidade tenha uma cobertura media de 34 por cento (Rio Como Vamos, com dados de 2011).

Para compreender melhor como são as vidas das crianças dos bairros de baixa renda, URB.IM decidiu perguntar diretamente para eles. Neste esforço fizemos uma parceria como a organização Developing Minds Foundation para falar com crianças que são beneficiarias de sua iniciativa na Rocinha. Esta organização vem liderando um trabalho muito bacana na educação pré-escolar e no desenvolvimento de conhecimento em tecnologia em varias áreas carentes da cidade. Natalie Shoup daquela fundação liderou algumas conversas com crianças que permitiram aprender como é a vida deles.

Uma das primeiras impressões sobre as crianças que participaram das conversas: elas gostam de seu bairro. Mariana, de 13 anos de idade, relatou “Rocinha é bom para morar mais eu sei, Rio tem lugares melhores”; e Pedro, que tem 11 colocou “Eu acho que morar na Rocinha é uma coisa muito boa porque quem foi nascido e criado aqui um dia acostuma”.

As crianças mais novas também colocaram suas opiniões sobre suas vidas. Miguel, de 4 anos falou “gosto só de brincar de bicicleta”; e Erik, também de 4, comentou “eu gosto de sair da casa e brincar, e ir para a creche e comer comida boa”. Ele nos lembrou do caso de muitas crianças que a escola ou a creche apresenta a única oportunidade diária de receber uma boa refeição.

Muitas das crianças apresentam grandes dificuldades para receber serviços sociais como saúde e educação. Ana Luisa, de 6 anos, apresentou que sua mãe não tem conseguido uma vaga para ela na escola. “Vou ficar aqui na creche todo dia porque não tem vaga pra mim na escola. Minha mãe tentou mais não conseguiu. Olha, vai procurando se tem alguma escola com vaga, tá? Procura em alguns lugares se tem escola vazia pra mim; porque se não vou ficar aqui pra sempre”.

Sobre os medos das crianças de nossas conversas, aprendemos que muitas delas têm os medos “comuns” de outras crianças que não moram em bairros de baixa renda. Quando perguntamos sobre medos específicos, Brenda, de 6 anos falou “tenho medo de nadar no mar porque pode ter tubarão”. Ana Clara, de 5 anos falou “não posso brincar embaixo na rua. Minha mãe não deixa porque se não um homem com saco vai me levar”.

Estes comentários são só um resumo das conversas com as crianças da Rocinha. Por uma parte, nos observamos que eles compartilham curiosidade e espontaneidade e outras características similares de crianças que não moram em condições de pobreza. Também conseguimos observar que estas crianças apresentam grandes carências no aceso de serviços básicos. Porem, maiores esforços para ampliar a cobertura de educação, nutrição e oportunidades de troca e brincadeira são muito urgentes nas comunidades mais carentes da cidade.

Submitted by Catalina Gomez — Mon, 02/25/2013 – 00:00

Bogotá’s location is in many ways privileged, with mild temperatures and 12 hours of daylight year-round. This location, however, also entails risks: it is a seismic area, and torrential rains can result in serious flooding. The “Niña” weather pattern creates especially dangerous conditions, like the 2010-2011 period when much of the city was left under water – especially, although not only – in the poorer neighborhoods. Read more.

La ubicación geográfica de Bogotá es en muchos aspectos privilegiada. El clima es suave, con temperaturas medias agradables que hacen innecesario el uso de la calefacción o el aire acondicionado. Sin embargo, también encierra amenazas: es una zona sísmica, y las lluvias pueden ser torrenciales, generando inundaciones. Durante el fenómeno de “La Niña” la pluviosidad se dispara, y en el periodo 2010-2011 se desbordó el río Bogotá dejando grandes zonas de la ciudad bajo el agua. Leer más.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Tue, 03/25/2014 – 00:00

Medellin has undergone a profound transformation. While two decades ago it was a city known for violence, lack of social services and inequality, now it has become a model for all Latin American cities on how to tackle these problems. Urbanism, although not the only factor, has played a crucial role in this process. In Medellin, urban reforms became closely associated with the search for solutions for social problems. They also had a strong pedagogical ambition. Read more.

Medellín ha experimentado una profunda transformación: en a penas dos décadas ha pasado de ser una ciudad castigada por la violencia, la escasez de servicios sociales y la desigualdad, a convertirse en un modelo para toda América Latina de cómo combatir éstos graves problemas. Leer más.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Sat, 03/01/2014 – 10:22

El agua de Bogotá es potable y deliciosa, algo excepcional en las grandes ciudades de América latina. Esto se debe a su proximidad a abundantes fuentes de agua, especialmente los páramos de Chingaza y Sumapaz, y a una buena gestión del recurso. La mayor parte del agua consumida actualmente proviene de la represa de Chingaza, ubicada a unos 50 kilómetros de Bogotá. Sin embargo, la misma proximidad de la mega urbe supone un riesgo para los frágiles ecosistemas de los páramos: Sumapaz comienza en el mismo término municipal de la capital. Aunque la capacidad de suministro actual se estima suficiente a medio plazo, a largo plazo será necesario construir nuevas represas y canalizaciones, proyectos técnicamente complejos y que probablemente generarán fuertes controversias por su impacto ambiental. Leer más o discutir.

Tap water in Bogota is safe to drink, something that is unusual in most large Latin American cities. This is due to the proximity of vast water sources, in particular the Chingaza and Sumapaz paramos (a particular ecosystem that exists in the Andean highlands), and to good management of the water supply. Most of the water comes from the Chingaza reservoir, located less than 50km from Bogotá. However, this proximity, although beneficial to the mega-city, implies serious threats to the fragile paramo ecosystems. Sumapaz, for example, starts within Bogotá’s city limits and can be reached by urban buses. Although the current infrastructure brings enough capacity for the medium term, long-term demands will require the building of new dams and pipelines. These projects are technically complex and their environmental impact makes them politically difficult. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 02/10/2014 – 00:00

Hay muchas cosas positivas que esperar para el año 2014 en Colombia. Se prevé que el crecimiento económico siga siendo vigoroso, al tiempo que las conversaciones de paz pueden acabar con un conflicto armado que ha durado ya varias décadas. Estas circunstancias presentan un escenario sin precedente para aliviar los problemas de pobreza y desigualdad que sufre el país. Bogotá y Cali, las dos ciudades que seguimos en este blog, tienen iniciativas en marcha que pueden ofrecer soluciones concretas a estos dos problemas. Sin embargo, la incertidumbre es también elevada, tanto a nivel nacional como local. Por un lado, los resultados de las conversaciones son inciertos. Por otro, las elecciones presidenciales que se celebrarán en su primera vuelta en mayo también resultarán en una ralentización de la administración central. Aunque se espera que Juan Manuel Santos ganes la reelección, cualquier cosa puede suceder en la política colombiana, y un cambio en la presidencia puede decelerar aún más el ritmo de las reformas. Leer más o discutir.

There is much to look forward in 2014 in Colombia. Economic growth is expected to remain strong, and the decades-old armed conflict could be close to its end if the peace conversations now underway are ultimately successful. These circumstances bring an unprecedented opportunity for the country to tackle poverty and rampant inequality. Bogotá and Cali, the two Colombian cities covered on this platform, are working on major initiatives that could have a significant impact on these fronts. However, uncertainty is also quite high, both at the national and local levels. For one, the results of the peace conversations are far from certain. Furthermore, Presidential elections, to be held in mid-year, imply a slowdown of central government activity for most of the year. Although Juan Manuel Santos is expected to win re-election handily, anything can happen in Colombian politics, and a change at the top would also bring the processes of reform to a temporary halt. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 01/06/2014 – 00:00

Colombia no ha escapado del castigo del HIV. Según datos del Sistema de Vigilancia Epidemiológica (SIVIGILA), al que deben ser reportados todos los casos identificados, desde el año 1983 hasta el 2011, último del que se disponen datos completos, se conocen 86.990 casos de HIV/Sida, de los cuales 10.676 han fallecido. En Bogotá se han detectado hasta septiembre del 2013 23.330 casos, un 40 por ciento del total a nivel nacional. Sin embargo, es importante destacar que esto se debe a su elevada población, como lo ilustra que en el 2011 se reportaron 8,7 casos por 100.000 habitantes, mientras 8 departamentos superaban 20 casos por 100.000 habitantes, y los dos en cabeza, Barranquilla y Quindío superaban 30. Leer más o discutir.

Colombia has not escaped the devastating consequences of the AIDS epidemic. According to the Sistema de Vigilancia Epidemiológica (Epidemiology Watch Service, SIVIGILA), there have been 86,990 cases of diagnosed HIV/AIDS from 1983 and 2011, and 10,676 fatalities (reporting HIV/AIDS diagnosis to the SIVIGILA is mandatory). Bogotá registered 23,300 cases from 1983 to September 2013, which is 40 percent of the national total. However, this is due more to the large population of the Colombian capital rather than high rates of infection, as the region recorded only 8.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, while eight other departments recorded over 20 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and two of them, Barranquilla and Quindío, reported over 30 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 12/02/2013 – 00:00

Uno de los principales frenos al desarrollo de los asentamientos irregulares es la falta de títulos de propiedad por parte de sus ocupantes. En Colombia, donde los conflictos armados que se prolongan desde hace décadas han sumado un número significativo de desplazados por la violencia a los flujos migratorios observados en toda Latinoamérica, este problema tiene una especial gravedad. Para atajar este problema en el año 2005 se aprobó una ley que permitía la transferencia gratuita de predios fiscales, o de titularidad pública, que hubieran sido ocupados antes de 2001. El alcance de esta ley deja fuera del proyecto de titulación a los asentamientos edificados sobre predios de propiedad privada. Leer más o discutir.

Lack of property titles is one of the most significant barriers to development and poverty reduction in informal settlements. This problem is particularly serious in Colombia, where people displaced by several decades of armed conflict have joined the large number of immigrants for economic reasons in creating the largest number of informal settlements in Latin America. A law enacted in 2005 sought to tackle, at least partially, this problem by allowing for free transfer of property to informal residents. The scope of the law was limited to settlements established on public land before 2001, thus excluding all settlements on private land. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 10/21/2013 – 00:00

La situación de los habitantes de la calle se considera como uno de los problemas más complicados de resolver en las grandes ciudades latinoamericanas. Según un censo elaborado en 2011 por la Secretaría de Integración Social (SIS), en Bogotá se identificaron 8.385 habitantes de calle, un 86.9 por ciento de los cuales son hombres, y el 8.4 por ciento son menores de 18 años. El 17.9 por ciento son jóvenes entre 19 y 25 años, y el 38.9 por ciento son adultos entre 26 y 40 , quedando un 32 por ciento, de adultos mayores. Otro dato interesante de este sondeo es que el 58 por ciento se dedica a la recolección de objetos de reciclaje, el 34 por ciento a mendigar, el 28 por ciento a servicios no cualificados y el 10.7 por ciento a delinquir. Aunque es posible que estas cifras no recojan el número total de habitantes de la calle, quizá en una proporción considerable, sí que son reveladores en su estructura demográfica y en sus ocupaciones. Leer más o discutir.

Homelessness is one of the most complex and difficult to address problems in all large Latin American cities. A census led in 2011 by the Secretaría de Integración Social (SIS), found 8,385 homeless people in Bogotá. Of those, 86 percent were male. 8.4 percent were under 18 years old, 17.9 percent between 19 and 25, 38 percent between 26 and 40, and 32 percent were older than 40. As for their occupation, 58 percent were garbage recyclers, 34 percent begged, and 10.7 percent stole and robbed as a form of living. Although it is almost certain that this survey did not register much of the homeless population, it is still quite revealing regarding the population’s demographics and occupation. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 10/07/2013 – 00:00

Bogotá ha ganado el premio a liderazgo urbano en su categoría de transporte. Los premios, de los cuales este año se celebra su primera edición, son otorgados por el grupo C40 y por Siemens, a través de su fundación Crystal. El premio de liderazgo en transporte busca identificar proyectos o iniciativas que mejoren la situación medioambiental, medidos en términos de fomento de cambio en los modos de transporte y de la reducción de la emisión de gases causantes del efecto invernadero. Leer más o discutir.

Bogotá just won the City Climate Leadership Award for transportation. The award, still on its first edition, is sponsored by the C40 group and Siemens, through its Crystal Initiative. The leadership award in transportation seeks to identify projects or initiatives aimed at improving the environmental quality of the cities for which they are intended. The methodology used to measure such improvement is based on modal shift or the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG). Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 09/30/2013 – 00:00

La concesión de subsidios a las poblaciones más desfavorecidas, sobre todo en el ámbito de los servicios públicos, es un mecanismo ampliamente utilizado en América latina para combatir la fuerte desigualdad social. En Colombia se ha utilizado un mecanismo singular: la división de las ciudades en estratos. Esta idea, que se empezó a considerar en los años 80, se comenzó a aplicar en las grandes ciudades a partir de la aprobación en 1994 de la ley de Servicios Públicos. Aunque el marco legal es estatal, las ciudades tienen un amplio margen a la hora de escoger los criterios concretos para determinar la estratificación dentro de sus perímetros urbanos. Bogotá se dividió en 6 estratos, el máximo permitido por la ley. El estrato 6 refleja un mayor poder adquisitivo, y el 1 el menor poder adquisitivo de la ciudad. Los residentes de los estratos 5 y 6 pagan una sobretasa en los servicios públicos, que se utiliza para subsidiar, de forma decreciente, los costes de los servicios para los residentes en estratos 1 a 3. En el estrato 4 los residentes pagan el precio real de los servicios. También se aplica una sobretasa si se supera un volumen máximo establecido. Leer más o discutir.

Subsidies are one of the most widely used tools in the fight against social inequality in Latin America. Utilities are often subsidized in one way or another. Colombia adopted a unique formula for the distribution of subsidies: the official stratification of housing. Under this system cities are legally divided in different layers or estratos (strata, in a literal translation). This idea originated in the 1980s, and was implemented with the enactment of the 1994 Ley de Servicios Publicos (a law regulating the utilities in Colombia). Under this law cities have considerable say in determining the specific criteria by which stratification is implemented. Bogotá was divided into six different layers, the maximum number allowed by law. Layer 6 represents the wealthiest areas in the city, while layer 1 represents the poorest sectors. Under the system, residents in layers 5 and 6 pay a surcharge in their utilities bill. This surcharge is used directly to subsidize the utilities to residents of layers 1, 2 and 3. Residents in layer 4 areas pay the real cost of the services. There is also a surcharge for heavy users of resources, to be paid once they reach their monthly maximum allowance. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 09/23/2013 – 00:00

Bogota’s historic center is spectacular. Beautiful and surprisingly well-preserved colonial buildings flank the narrow, cobbled streets. At the end of the steep ascent one can see the Cerros Orientales, the imposing mountains that rise abruptly 600 meters above the city. This sight is unusual in a city that, despite being located in the Andean range, tends to focus its attention on the flat savanna where most of its urban sprawl is located. Unfortunately, the historic district has suffered from gradual but steady decay during the last few decades. The main colonial and republican landmark buildings are generally well maintained, but most of the area suffers from problems such as severe lack of economic development, crime, near total lack of green spaces, degradation of low-income homes, and strong social inequality. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Jorge Bela — Mon, 09/09/2013 – 00:00

“La ciudad (polis) es una de las cosas que existen por naturaleza; y el hombre es, por naturaleza, un animal político.” — Aristóteles

Según la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) el hombre y la mujer son seres biopsicosociales. Este término engloba al ser humano como un ente físico, mental y social.

En otras palabras, este término quiere decir que el ser humano es un ente con un organismo complejo y con una mentalidad enredada que construye su vida con base en valores, conciencia, ética, motivaciones, deseos, personalidad, entre varios ingredientes. Estas variables se forjan en sociedad a través de la familia, amistades, comunidad, municipio, nación, grupos sociales, entre otros.

Si estas aseveraciones son ciertas, sin duda vale la pena analizar, debatir, describir y entender lo que ocurre en las ciudades tomando en cuenta que dentro de ellas habitan millones de personas que por diversos que sean sus intereses, todos buscan construir un mínimo de bienestar.

En este contexto, agradezco a Dallant Networks, URB.IM y en especial a Víctor Dallant por invitarme a deliberar sobre historias de personas en ciudades que buscan incrementar su bienestar y disfrutar su dharma, a través de diferentes estrategias e interacción con diversos actores de la sociedad civil, gobierno, organismos internacionales y sector privado.

Es así que les comparto que a partir de hoy damos el banderazo a este Blog en donde vamos a reflexionar sobre historias de personas que buscan incrementar su bienestar en la Ciudad de México. Algunas serán historias exitosas, otras serán historias de fracaso y otras serán ideales para abrir el debate y opinar en esta arena ciudadana que es el world wide web.

Por último, te invito a que formes parte de este debate activo en twitter a través de las cuentas de @urb_im, @dallant, @fer_carvallo y @jesusgastelum.

Event: Transforming Local Government Conference 2013
10–12 April 2013 Atlanta, Georgia

Can you imagine what the future holds for local government? While it’s hard to gain full insight into the future, what we do know is that local communities are changing. This change is happening as a result of demographic swings, economics, and shifts in the political landscape. Success into the future for a local government organization will be defined by an ability to adapt, learn and foster creative ideas to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

Through innovative case study sessions, conference attendees will take an in-depth look at the ingenuity and creativity of successful government programs. During provocative keynote sessions, you’ll be inspired to tap into new energy and a sense of reinforced commitment to your work. Learn more.

Opportunity: Post+ Capitalist City Move Competition
Deadline: 15 April 2013

Could we imagine an alternative society in which the free movement of people takes part of their human rights? If people could follow the path of the internet and the migration of information, what would happen to our society? Would our ability to move depend on money and how would it influence tourism? How can we deal with the freedom of movement and borders? How could we overcome the dilemmas of urban mobility? Would there be a changing urban aesthetic relating to urban space and technologies of transport and communication? What could be the future of the pedestrian? And how could our movements shape the urban landscapes and our daily lives in the cities?

The scale of the project is up to you! One can think about a global solution for urban conditions on a world scale whereas others would rather talk about their own street corner! Both are interesting! The only rule: it must be urban and prospective, according to the main thesis. As this competition tries to develop critical and concrete ideas to a hypothetical situation, the entrants are invited to define the context (political, economical and geographical, including if needed a time schedule) in which their proposal has to be related to be credible and optimized. Utopias as dystopias can be considered, as long as the proposals permit to bring original ideas and thoughts according to the statement. Submission Deadline: 15th of April 2013. Learn more.

Event: World Cities Summit Mayors Forum
13–15 June 2013 Bilbao, Spain

The World Cities Summit Mayors Forum is an annual global event for city mayors and leaders to discuss pressing urban issues and share best practices. Based on the theme of “Liveable And Sustainable Cities: Common Challenges, Shared Solutions”, the fourth edition of the Forum from 13 to 15 June 2013 is expected to cover a wider range of issues with opportunities to translate ideas into business solutions. The World Cities Summit Mayors Forum will be held in Bilbao, Spain for the first time, extending its reach to more cities, deepening the discourse on urban solutions and encouraging greater collaborations between cities.

The World Cities Summit Mayors Forum was initiated by Singapore in 2010 as a response to the urgent need for cities to come together to address pressing urban challenges. It has since become one of the biggest and most important platforms for mayors and city leaders to generate new insights, ideas and solutions that can be applied to many cities. It is a key event as part of the larger World Cities Summit held once every two years and is co-organised by the Centre for Liveable Cities and the Urban Redevelopment Authority. Learn more.

Event: Forum mondial de la démocratie
27–29 novembre 2013 Strasbourg, France

Le manque de participation démocratique est le symptôme du découplage entre les citoyens et les institutions. Les médias et réseaux sociaux permettent aux responsables politiques et aux militants d’être en prise directe avec le public, à tout moment et en tout lieu. Ils favorisent l’émergence d’une multitude de communautés d’intérêts, mais peinent à s’imposer comme le lieu d’un vaste débat démocratique. Ils ont alimenté des révolutions démocratiques et des mouvements citoyens de protestation, mais peuvent-ils réellement contribuer à consolider la démocratie représentative et la gouvernance au quotidien ?

L’édition 2013 du Forum mondial de la démocratie à Strasbourg s’intéressera au thème de la participation démocratique en adoptant une démarche dite appréciative : au lieu de se focaliser sur les problèmes, si vastes et complexes qu’ils peuvent paraître insurmontables, le but est de présenter des initiatives, des expériences et des idées qui proposent des réponses et une voie à suivre. S’intéresser aux solutions plutôt qu’aux problèmes est un moyen de stimuler la créativité et l’imagination et de mobiliser les énergies pour une idée, plutôt que contre. Le Forum sera l’occasion de découvrir les initiatives réussies de participation démocratique, les obstacles auxquels elles se heurtent et leur potentiel de généralisation. Il sera aussi le lieu d’une évaluation critique des nouvelles idées d’innovation démocratique et de leur développement en mode « open source » par les leaders et les innovateurs présents physiquement ou virtuellement. En savoir plus.

Event: South Asian Cities Summit
17–18 April 2013 New Delhi, India

By the middle of this century, the world’s urban population will likely have doubled to reach 7 billion people. In Asia alone, cities are projected to reach 2.5 billion people by 2025. The scale and pace of urbanization is unprecedented and its impact will be felt in all spheres on human life. Quite simply, this will be one of the defining features of the 21st century. This urban world comes with a complex set of environmental, economic and social challenges, but also represents a unique opportunity to build more sustainable, vibrant, innovative, and equitable communities.

Finding solutions for a better urban future involves developing new forms of collaboration and partnerships. Inspired by the possibilities of this new urban era and driven by the philosophy of ‘Connecting Cities. Building Knowledge’ the Cities Network Campaign, in partnership with Department of Environment – Government of NCT of Delhi, All India Institute of Local Self Government (AIILSG), WRI India and UNESCO, is organising the South Asian Cities Summit 2013 from 17th–18th April, 2013 at Hotel-Imperial, New Delhi, India. Read more.

Event: 2013 PASCAL Conference – Local communities in the sustainable and healthy learning city neighbourhood and community, partnership and learning
18–20 November 2013 Hong Kong

Decades-old environmental and resource challenges now combine with persisting global financial and economic crisis to make ‘the end of growth’ a new and fearful nightmare – acknowledged by some, denied by others. How to build futures for all that are economically viable, socially cohesive, culturally inclusive, and environmentally constructive?

This first PASCAL Conference to be held in Asia draws on the PASCAL International Exchanges Project, PIE to examine the direction, capacity and governance of cities. It is planned in partnership with the host Hong Kong Institute of Education and RMIT’s European Union Centre, with regional bodies such as ACUPEN, ASPBAE and EAFEA. Other partners include the Hong Kong UNEVOC Centre.

The Conference will focus on present and future action, mainly within neighbourhood communities and in cities. Exploring how good practice can be adopted and adapted between different regions, cultures and traditions represents a crucial opportunity. This will be tested by the Conference and its aftermath. Read more.

Event: Innovative Solutions for Cities: A Webinar Series Featuring Cutting-Edge Tools and Good Practices for Urban Management
10 April – 13 June 2013

The World Bank Institute’s Urban Practice has been implementing a comprehensive program that equips city leaders, municipal staff, and other practitioners with innovative strategies and tools to realize the potential benefits of urbanization. The webinar series is being launched to provide an overview of cutting-edge, practical instruments as well as good practices that have been discovered, developed, and deployed by the team as well as external partners to contribute further to the wealth of knowledge for the benefit city officials and other relevant urban practitioners. The goal is to make the public aware of these powerful initiatives for them to examine how they can possibly be used or adapted in their own contexts. Read more.

Event: Tech4Good
18–21 março 2013 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A partir de hoje estão abertas as inscrições para o Tech4Good, movimento liderado pelo Comitê para Democratização da Informática (CDI) e o Instituto-E. O objetivo é convidar a sociedade civil para promover ações que usem a tecnologia para solucionar problemas do dia a dia ou para mobilizar pessoas para uma causa do bem.

Tec-ativistas de todo Brasil podem inscrever suas ideias, até o dia 08 de março, por meio de formulário disponível neste hotsite, pela fan page no Facebook e Google Plus. Ao todo serão seis categorias: Terra, Meio Ambiente, Energia, Economia, Educação e Empoderamento, sendo que é possível uma mesma pessoa participar de mais de uma categoria. As iniciativas serão avaliadas por um júri oficial e os 06 finalistas selecionados serão divulgados no site a partir do dia 14.

No período de 18 a 21 de março os 06 escolhidos vão se apresentar no palco do Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC), evento da Endeavor que reunirá no Lagoon, no Rio de Janeiro, empreendedores de 125 países. Durante o evento, os finalistas receberão troféu e kit Tech4Good e o título de Embaixador do Bem, que confere ao vencedor a possibilidade de ao longo do ano, juntamente com o CDI e Instituto-E, inspirar e incentivar as pessoas a usarem a tecnologia para o bem.

Além disso, o Tech4Good vai premiar empreendedores com ideias de negócios sociais de base tecnológica, que serão convidados a participar de uma mentoria de design thinking, pela empresa MJV Tecnologia e Inovação, também durante o GEC. Leia mais.

Opportunity: 2013 FT/Citi Ingenuity Awards: Urban Ideas in Action

Today, more than half the world’s population lives in cities. The explosive growth of urban communities is one of the most significant demographic trends of the 21st century. It also challenges governments, companies, organisations and individuals to provide the services and amenities to make modern cities work. The 2013 FT/Citi Ingenuity Awards: Urban Ideas in Action programme aims to discover and promote the most ingenious ideas, inventions and innovations that help ensure cities remain centres of creativity and progress.

With more than 3.6 billion people currently living in urban areas – a number expected to exceed 6 billion by 2050, according to the United Nations – cities, their leaders, and inhabitants will have to find new ways to thrive. The competitiveness and vitality of the world’s cities depends on the decisions and innovations of all urban stakeholders, from citizens and communities to organisations, corporations and municipalities. This global programme was developed by the FT and Citi, in collaboration with INSEAD, to recognize those promoting urban progress. What’s New for 2013 In 2013, the FT/Citi Ingenuity Awards will recognise urban ingenuity in a wide ranges of areas – from city administration, transport systems, energy and utilities, education and resource management, to housing, health, public safety, social services, mobile technologies and community engagement. To be considered, solutions should:

• Have been implemented between 2007 and 2012

• Address a serious social, economic, environmental or health-related challenge

• Improve the quality of urban life

Submissions will be accepted online from January 23, 2013 to March 31, 2013. Each applicant must read and accept the Terms and Conditions set forth in the application (accessible after sign-in) for their application to be considered. Winners will be chosen by region and a global winner will be announced at an awards dinner in New York in December 2013. To Nominate an individual or organization, please email us. Submissions will be reviewed on a range of criteria, including originality, impact, efficiency and outcomes. Criteria were developed by INSEAD, one of the world’s leading business schools. All entries will be reviewed by the FT and INSEAD for qualification. A panel of global experts will select the winners. As sponsor, Citi will not review or judge submissions. Finalists will be profiled in a series of global magazines published by the FT in 2013. Regional finalists will be invited to attend events in 2013 to further dialogue on urban challenges and solutions with key industry leaders. Learn more.

Opportunity: Faire des histoires? Du récit d’urbanisme à l’urbanisme fictionnel: faire la ville à l’heure de la société du spectacle

Il y a près de trente ans, parallèlement à l’émergence, dans les sciences sociales, d’un tournant discursif, Bernardo Secchi évoquait, au moyen de ce qu’il appelait alors le “récit d’urbanisme”, le souci des urbanistes pour la production de mythes, faisant d’une activité souvent considérée comme principalement technique, un travail centré sur la fabrique d’images et d’imaginaires. Cette conception de la pratique urbanistique donnera lieu à un puissant courant de recherche dans le monde anglo-saxon. On y tendra d’une part à faire converger récit d’urbanisme et storytelling (Throgmorton, 2007, 2003 ; Sandercock, 2003 ; Eckstein, Throgmorton, 2003) ; d’autre part, à poser le storytelling comme un modèle prescriptif ou descriptif de la pratique urbanistique (van Hulst, 2012).

Les propositions de communication peuvent être tout autant des restitutions de recherche (selon la forme canonique des communications à un colloque académique) que des retours de pratique.

Le colloque aura lieu le 11 septembre 2013 à Genève. En savoir plus.

As our learnings from 2013 illustrate, much progress has been made over the past year with respect to inclusive urban planning and poverty alleviation. But there is still much more to do in 2014. Some cities in the URB.im network will begin work on large-scale “greening” initiatives, such as Cali‘s ambitious Green Corridor project or Jakarta‘s plans to expand green areas by 30 percent. Other cities are experiencing a surge in citizen participation: online activism is transforming urban spaces in São Paulo, and popular protest in India has led to promising reforms that are expected to reduce political corruption. What will it take for initiatives such as these to succeed and grow, and what challenges will confront them? Read on to learn more, and then add your thoughts to the discussion below.

Eliana Barbosa, Coordenadora da Rede em São Paulo

Sem dúvida há muito que esperar para São Paulo em 2014. A abertura da copa, as mudanças na mobilidade, a aprovação do plano diretor, o dilema do mercado imobiliário — será uma bolha? — todas as questões acima poderiam ser tópicos para discutir no ano que vem.

Entretanto, o fato extraordinário em 2013 que pode mudar o modo como vivemos a cidade é o seguinte: As pessoas estão provocando mudança. Muito foi dito sobre as manifestações de junho e seu impacto no que diz respeito a conscientização política, cidadania, participação e o surgimento de uma nova geração de ativistas. Nota-se cada vez mais o surgimento de grupos independentes transformando o espaço da cidade com suas próprias mãos e meios.

De acordo com a pesquisa “Ativismo Online: 2013 o ano do Brasil,” esse foi o ano que mostrou aumento histórico dessa forma de ativismo no país. Campanhas de sucesso foram capazes de mudar micro-realidades, chamando atenção para causas locais. Ao contrário das caras campanhas mundiais das grandes organizações — como a Greenpeace e o WWF — a tendência atual se refere à escala do cotidiano. Habitantes descobriram nas petições online um canal para participação popular.

Interessante o fato de que as causas relacionadas ao planejamento urbano ganharam mais impacto. Foram capazes de alterar decisões institucionais através de pedidos específicos, pressionando as autoridades locais. Um exemplo interessante é a petição organizada pelo coletivo Ocupe & Abrace, que conseguiu evitar a derrubada de 30 árvores para a implementação de corredores de ônibus na zona oeste.

O que nos leva a outro tópico digno de nota para o próximo ano: os Coletivos. É impressionante a quantidade de coletivos relacionados a mobilidade, espaços públicos e cultura que se formaram nos últimos anos. Coletivos são grupos de pessoas que, através de uma causa ou interesse em comum, juntam-se agindo para mudar a letargia da participação pública pelos meios oficiais. A Cidadania e o Direito à Cidade revigoram-se com essas nova forma de olhar a cidade. De muitos exemplos interessantes, destaco três:

Baixo Centro, com seu delicioso slogan “As ruas são para dançar,” começou como um grupo de produtores culturais ao redor do Minhocao, promovendo, através de financiamento coletivo, eventos e intervenções urbanas nos espaços públicos na região.

O movimento Boa Praça é um grupo que se reúne com o objetivo de revitalizar as praças da zona oeste da cidade. Apenas em 2013 eles trabalharam em dez praças, através de eventos abertos, nos quais pessoas podiam plantar árvores, construir mobiliário urbano e compartilhar um picnic numa praça local, o que — na “cidade dos muros” — já é uma grande conquista.

Recentemente, um grupo decidiu transformar um estacionamento em Parque Público. Terreno marcado como parque desde o Plano Regional de 2004, a área nunca foi desapropriada. Em novembro o lote foi comprado pela maior incorporadora da cidade, para o desenvolvimento de um empreendimento de uso misto. Após apelar para a prefeitura, sem sucesso, o Grupo Parque Augusta começou trabalhar na área, criando uma programação diária de atividades, que culminou num festival para 4000 pessoas. O Parque Augusta tornou-se, pelas mãos dos próprios habitantes, uma realidade.

Como outras organizações, esses coletivos são abertos, não-institucionalizados e horizontais, Organizados virtualmente, promovem atividades culturais financiadas coletivamente, chamando atenção para os debates urbanos, promovendo mudanças reais em lugares específicos da cidade. Tudo feito apesar da vontade política, das verbas públicas e da burocracia que envolve os canais formais de participação.

Eliana Barbosa, São Paulo Community Manager

No doubt there is a lot to look forward to in 2014 with respect to the city of São Paulo. The World Cup, changes in the transportation system, the new Master Plan, the ongoing real estate dilemma (is it a bubble, is it not?) are all topics to be discussed in the coming year.

Yet something remarkable occurred in 2013 that will change the way we experience the city: people are taking action. A lot has been said about the protests in June and their impact on political awareness, citizenship, participation, and the rise of a new generation of activists. Remarkably, we can see more and more grassroots organizations acting to transform spaces of the city with their own hands and their own funds.

Online activism

According to “Online activism: 2013 the year of Brazil,” Brazil showed the biggest increase in online activism in 2013. Campaigns successfully changed micro-realities, bringing awareness for local causes. Residents discovered online petitions as a channel to participation on a neighborhood scale.

Interestingly, urban planning causes gained greater impact, changing institutional decisions with focused requests, pressuring the local authorities. An interesting example is the petition created by the group Ocupe & Abrace, which was able to prevent 30 trees from being chopped down in order to create a bus corridor.

Coletivos

An impressive number of grassroots organizations working in transportation, public space, and urban culture have emerged in the last couple of years. Called “coletivos”, they are groups of people united by a common cause, working to change the lethargy in which public participation officially happens. With these lenses, citizenship and the Right to the City take on fresh and exciting new meanings. The following are three interesting examples from São Paulo:

Baixo Centro, with the wonderful slogan “Cities are made for dancing,” started as a cultural producer’s group acting in Minhocao, and promotes crowdfunded culture festivals, urban interventions, and traditional parties in public spaces.

Movimento Boa Praça is a group of neighbors aiming to revitalize the public squares of the western zone of the city. In 2013 alone they refurbished ten squares during events in which people could plant trees, construct urban furniture, and share a picnic in a given public space — which in São Paulo is quite an accomplishment.

Recently, a group decided to create a public park — Parque Augusta — out of an empty lot. Marked as a park in the Regional Plan of 2004, the area was never expropriated. Last November, the city’s largest real estate company bought the area to develop a mixed-use complex. After unsuccessfully appealing to the mayor, the Parque Augusta group began to “officially” promote daily activities in the “park.” Parque Augusta was suddenly, by the hands of its inhabitants, a reality.

These initiatives are open, non-institutional, and run by horizontally-organized and “online-based” groups that promote and finance cultural activities, bringing awareness of public spaces and urban debates, and promoting real change in places of the city. This is all done without the local authorities’ will or funds, and without traditional, formal channels of participation.

Jorge Bela, Gestor Comunitario de Bogotá

Hay muchas cosas positivas que esperar para el año 2014 en Colombia. Se prevé que el crecimiento económico siga siendo vigoroso, al tiempo que las conversaciones de paz pueden acabar con un conflicto armado que ha durado ya varias décadas. Estas circunstancias presentan un escenario sin precedente para aliviar los problemas de pobreza y desigualdad que sufre el país. Bogotá y Cali, las dos ciudades que seguimos en este blog, tienen iniciativas en marcha que pueden ofrecer soluciones concretas a estos dos problemas. Sin embargo, la incertidumbre es también elevada, tanto a nivel nacional como local. Por un lado, los resultados de las conversaciones son inciertos. Por otro, las elecciones presidenciales que se celebrarán en su primera vuelta en mayo también resultarán en una ralentización de la administración central. Aunque se espera que Juan Manuel Santos ganes la reelección, cualquier cosa puede suceder en la política colombiana, y un cambio en la presidencia puede decelerar aún más el ritmo de las reformas.

En Bogotá hay varias iniciativas en marcha en el sector del transporte público. Los planos para el metro están entrando en la última fase de los estudios geológicos, que estarán terminados a lo largo de 2014, lo que permitiría que en 2015 se adjudicara la construcción de la mega obra. En la superficie se está avanzando en la ampliación del sistema de Transmilenio por una avenida aún por definir. 200 autobuses híbridos empezarán a circular por la Avenida 7ª, sustituyendo a las contaminantes busetas privadas. Si a esto sumamos la reciente inauguración del Transmilenio a Soacha, 2014 puede ver una mejora significativa en los problemas crónicos de transporte público en la capital colombiana, aunque aún serán necesarios ingentes esfuerzos en esta área para llegar a tener el sistema que necesita una ciudad tan grande y extendida.

Por otro lado, el plan para revitalizar el hermosos pero descuidado Centro Histórico continúa avanzando. La administración está trabajando en los protocolos necesarios para llevar a buen puerto estos planes. Para lograrlos se está contando con la ayuda de expertos internacionales de la región, así como de agencias multilaterales. Se espera que su definición termine a lo largo del año, lo que permitiría que las obras de mejora se completaran a lo largo del 2014.

En diciembre, sin embargo, la oficina del Procurador General de la República ordenó la destitución del Alcalde de Bogotá, Gustavo Petro, por supuestas deficiencias en la transferencia del servicio de basuras de concesionarios privados a la Ciudad. La decisión puede ser recurrida y el Sr. Petro ha asegurado que la combatirá tanto con acciones legales como con movilizaciones populares. El diferendo legal y político en el que está inmersa Bogotá añade un elevado grado de incertidumbre al futuro de las iniciativas actualmente en marcha.

En Cali el alcalde Rodrigo Guerrero goza de considerable apoyo político y popular, lo que trae mayores perspectivas a su plan urbano más ambicioso: el Corredor Verde. Sin embargo, Guerrero está sujeto a la misma limitación de mandatos que el resto de los alcaldes colombianos, y que prohíben la reelección consecutiva. Cuatro años es un plazo demasiado corto para acometer un proyecto de esta envergadura, por lo que se hace imprescindible generar el mayor apoyo posible a la iniciativa como mecanismo para garantizar su continuidad a largo plazo. Con este fin a lo largo del 2014 se dará inicio a proyectos piloto relacionados con el Corredor a los que daremos cumplido seguimiento en este blog.

Finalmente, el 7 Foro Urbano Mundial tendrá lugar en Medellín de 5 al 11 de abril de 2014. Se espera que el Foro atraiga más de 10.000 participantes, incluyendo jefes de estado, alcaldes, gobernadores, académicos, profesionales y representantes del sector público. El Foro ya está atrayendo la atención de los medios de comunicación colombianos. El lema del Foro, Equidad Urbana en el Desarrollo — Ciudades para la Vida, sin duda tendrá una resonancia especial en Colombia. El Foro, y su resonancia internacional, servirán como incentivo y como inspiración para las ciudades de Colombia.

Jorge Bela, Bogotá Community Manager

There is much to look forward in 2014 in Colombia. Economic growth is expected to remain strong, and the decades-old armed conflict could be close to its end if the peace conversations now underway are ultimately successful. These circumstances bring an unprecedented opportunity for the country to tackle poverty and rampant inequality. Bogotá and Cali, the two Colombian cities covered on this platform, are working on major initiatives that could have a significant impact on these fronts. However, uncertainty is also quite high, both at the national and local levels. For one, the results of the peace conversations are far from certain. Furthermore, Presidential elections, to be held in mid-year, imply a slowdown of central government activity for most of the year. Although Juan Manuel Santos is expected to win re-election handily, anything can happen in Colombian politics, and a change at the top would also bring the processes of reform to a temporary halt.

In Bogotá, several major initiatives related to mass transportation are underway. Plans for the subway system are reaching their final stages as geological studies are being undertaken on the proposed path of its first line. The engineering studies should be finished in the course of 2014, which would enable the construction of the system to be formally awarded in 2015. Above ground, the Transmilenio surface is to continue its expansion through a still undefined major avenue, while 200 hybrid buses are scheduled to run on 7th Avenue, replacing aging and highly polluting private mini-buses. Together with last week’s inauguration of the Soacha line, these Transmilenio initiatives would bring significant relief to the perennial transportation woes that plague the capital, although much work remains to be done to bring Bogota’s public transportation system up to the level needed for a city of its size.

The plan to revitalize the beautiful but largely dilapidated historic center also continues to advance. City Hall is in the process of defining the protocols that would allow these plans to come into effect. In order to do so, Bogotá is seeking technical advice from regional experts, as well as from multilateral organizations. The protocols are expected to be finalized well before the end of 2014, allowing for actual work to start in 2015.

In December, however, the Solicitor General’s office ordered the Major of Bogota, Gustavo Petro, to be ousted from the post over alleged mishandling of the garbage service reforms. The decision can be appealed, and Mr. Petro has vowed to fight it, both legally and by mobilizing people in the street. The legal and political battles surrounding Bogotá now leave serious clouds of uncertainty over the future of the projects currently underway.

In Cali, Mayor Rodrigo Guerrero has wide political and popular support, which brings great hope for the city’s most ambitious urban renewal project: the Corredor Verde. Still, Mayor Guerrero is held to the same strict term limits that apply to all mayors in Colombia: four years with no consecutive reelection. Since a project as complex as the Corredor Verde cannot be undertaken in such a short time, it is essential to garner as much support as possible so that future administrations will continue to pursue the project. In order to do so, Cali is planning to launch pilot projects during 2014, to be completed through 2015. We will follow these pilot projects closely and report on them here on URB.im.

And, of course, the 7th World Urban Forum will be held in Medellin on April 5-11. The Forum, which is expected to attract 10,000 participants including heads of state, governors, mayors, academics, professionals, and members of the private sector, is already receiving significant media coverage. This year’s theme is, significantly, Urban Equity in Development — Cities for Life, which is likely to resonate strongly in Colombia. The Forum will without a doubt serve as an incentive and an inspiration for all Colombian cities.

Priyanka Jain, Delhi Community Manager

For those of us living in Delhi today, let’s start our look at 2014 by admitting that we’re lucky. We don’t live in the city we lived in two years ago, where our political choices were so limited and our collective conscience was in a state of sleepy inertia. If you followed the debates and movements of the year 2013, you know there is still hope for our city. But all of this aside, we still have a problem: water scarcity through corruption, slum rehabilitation, and sexual assaults affect the citizens of Delhi across class, caste, and gender boundaries. Before Delhi progresses up the ladder of livability, the year 2014 will require answers to four big questions.

The Nirbhaya Fund

First, did the horror of a girl who was brutally gang-raped and injured, with a rod shoved inside her genitals, fast-track the reforms for women’s safety? The answer today is a resounding “No.” 94 percent of 2,178 people surveyed in the Times of India poll said that our cities aren’t any safer for women a year after the horrific Nirbhaya gang-rape. On the one hand, we saw the case as a catalyst. It led to the Nirbhaya Act, which increased the quantum of punishment for crimes against women, and to the “One Billion Rising” campaign, which galvanized women from across the world. But the perception of insecurity hasn’t changed. In the 2013-14 Union Budget, GOI announced the Nirbhaya Fund, 10 billion rupees to enhance women’s safety in public spaces. Year 2014 will show the effectiveness of Nirbhaya Fund in changing the perception of safety for women in Delhi.

Debut of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and None of the Above (NOTA) vote option

Second, will the introduction of the None of the Above (NOTA) vote option, and 2011 and 2012 anti-corruption protests, followed by the success of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2013, increase accountability in governance and help cut corruption? A total of 44,000 voters (0.63 percent) exercised the NOTA option in Delhi. The number, when compared to other states — Chhattisgarh (4.6 percent), Rajasthan (1.92 percent), and Madhya Pradesh (1.9 percent) — is quite low. But it has made the politicians more accountable. Another sign of progress is the unprecedented rise of AAP, with 28 seats in the Legislative Assembly elections. It’s most likely that AAP will form the government with the support of congress. But, more importantly, it has shaken up the political order in Delhi and spurred the parties to pass the Lokpal Bill. The Lokpal Bill, armed with the Right to Information Act, will provide the necessary institutions for people to fight corruption effectively.

Setback with Section 377 IPC

On the other end of the spectrum is the reversal in the fundamental rights of Delhi’s citizens with the recent Supreme Court verdict upholding Section 377 IPC, a law criminalizing homosexuality — a ruling that some activists called a “black day” for the LGBT community. It quashed a 2009 Delhi High Court verdict that had decriminalized homosexuality. Free for the last four years, will the LGBT community of India again face sexual assault, harassment, blackmail, and extortion by the police, neighbors, and even family members?

Water scarcity and Delhi’s tanker mafia

Water scarcity is Delhi’s biggest challenge, despite the fact that no other capital in the world has the kind of water availability Delhi has. According to Ashish Kundra, additional chief executive officer at Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Delhi has 670 million gallons per day (MGD) of water supply. The supply would go up to 810 MGD after completion of the Sonia Vihar project. And if divided by the 150 million people who reside in Delhi, it comes to 220 liters per capita per day (almost 11 buckets). DJB says that it loses 50 percent of its water. The speculation is that private suppliers or “water tanker mafia” tap DJB booster stations as well as bore wells in farmhouses located on the outskirts of Delhi, and distribute the water at exorbitant prices. If the above is untrue, where is the remaining 335 MGD of water supply going?

Photo credit: sandeep bisht

Widya Anggraini, Jakarta Community Manager

Bagi kebanyakan orang Jakarta identik dengan kota macet, kota polusi, kota mall atau kota banjir. Sedikit atau bahkan hampir tidak ada yang menyebut Jakarta sebagai kota Hijau. Sebutan ini bukan tanpa alasan mengingat kondisi Jakarta saat ini yang kian macet, polusi udara yang parah, pembangunan yang banyak menyalahi penggunaan lahan dan tingkat urbanisasi yang tinggi dan munculnya kam. Kondisi ini membuat masyarakat merindukan kehadiran ruang terbuka hijau atau taman-taman di pusat kota yang berfungsi sebagai tempat rekreasi, olahraga, serta interaksi sosial. Hal-hal inilah yang menjadi harapan masyarakat di tahun 2014 yang ingin melihat lebih sedikit pembangunan mall dan lebih banyak taman kota. Secara kebijakan, pemerintah telah merespon dengan mengeluarkan undang-undang Penataan Ruang yang secara tegas mengamanatkan bahwa 30% dari wilyah kota berwujud Ruang Terbuka Hijau (RTH). Undang-undang ini kemudian diterjemahkan kedalam sebuah program bernama Program Pengembangan Kota Hijau (P2KH).

P2KH merupakan kolaborasi antara pemerintah pusat, pemerintah kota, masyarakat dan dunia usaha dalam menciptakan kota hijau. Program ini sendiri merupakan tindak lanjut dari 10 Prakarsa Bali dari Forum Sustainable Urban Development (SUD). Kota yang berkomitmen mewujudkan kota hijau dalam kerangka program ini diharuskan menyusun rencana aksi kota hijau (RAKH) yang mulai dijalankan tahun 2012. Sebagai pembagian peran maka dalam hal ini pemerintah pusat wajib memberikan bantuan dan bimbingan teknis, pelatihan dan dukungan program. Untuk pelaksanaan program seperti implementasi fisik, sosialisasi, penjaringan aspirasi masyarakat dan replikasi program menjadi tanggung jawab pemerintah kota bersama dengan masyarakat dan dunia usaha terutama untuk implementasi dan advokasi kegiatan.

Dalam rencana kerja yang telah disusun terdapat dua strategi yang kini pemerintah Jakarta terapkan, yaitu penerusan kondisi sesuai peran Jakarta saat ini dan transformasi fisik serta perubahan perilaku masyarakat yang lebih sadar lingkungan. Dalam hal transformasi fisik dan perlilaku masyarakat telah disiapkan 5 strategi mendasar yaitu:

• Meningkatkan kemampuan tenaga perencana ekonomi lingkungan. Untuk ini sudah dilakukan kerjasama dengan UNDP dan World Bank dalam hal penyediaan training dan workshop terkait isu-isu perubahan iklim.

• Menerapkan program pencegahan meliputi bagaimana menumbuhkan kesadaran masyarakat tentang efek perubahan cuaca. Kegiatan seperti car free day sudah dimulai dan dilakukan tiap hari minggu. Kemudian menggalakkan kegitan Bike to Work untuk mengurangi polusi. Tahun-tahun mendatang Jakarta berharap ada sekitar 30% dari total pekerja akan menggunakan sepeda.

• Mendorong masyarakat untuk lebih aktif dalam program-program perubahan lingkungan (climate change). Dalam hak ini pemerintah akan mendorong para perencana di Dinas Tata kota Jakarta untuk bekerjasama dengan komunitas dalam menciptakan masyarakat yang lebih ramah lingkungan seperti mendorong komunitas membuat lebih banyak taman.

• Menambah jumlah ruang hijau publik. Untuk mengupayakan penambahan ruang terbuka hijau, sejak tahun 2011 telah dibuka lebih banyak ruang hijau dan kini telah mencapai 6% dari target 30%.

• Menambah jumlah kendaraan ramah lingkungan. Pemerintah juga akan terus mengupayakan penambahan fasilitas transportasi ramah lingkungan contohnya MRT yang sedang dalam proses pengerjaan dan transformasi model bis Trans Jakarta yang menggunakan bahan bakar ramah lingkungan dan terintegrasi dalam system transportasi perkotaan.

Dengan demikian di tahun 2014 akan mulai terlihat rintisan berbagai kegiatan yang akan membawa Jakarta menuju kota Hijau (Green City) baik melalui pembukaan lebih banyak ruang hijau, inovasi transportasi ramah lingkungan dan masyarakat yang kiat sadar untuk berperan serta dalam menciptakan lingkungan yang bersih dan hijau.

Foto: Yudho

Widya Anggraini, Jakarta Community Manager

For most people, Jakarta is associated with traffic, pollution, shopping centers, or floods. Rarely do people identify Jakarta as a green city. This is unsurprising considering the city’s increasing traffic jams and air pollution, the rapid land development in violation of city plans, and growing slums. These circumstances have led Jakartarians to long for the presence of green open space or public parks that could function as locations for recreational, exercise, and social activities. This is the hope of Jakarta’s residents for 2014: less shopping malls, more public parks. In terms of city ordinance, the government has responded to the people by passing the Spatial Planning Bill, which strictly states that 30 percent of the city must consist of green open space. This bill then was translated into a project called the Green City Expansion Project (P2KH).

P2KH is a collaborative project between the central government, the city government, local residents, and the business community. The program is a continuation of the Ten Bali Initiatives from the Sustainable Urban Development Forum. Cities that are committed to achieving the green city status within the framework of the program are required to draw up a Green City Action Plan, which Jakarta started in 2012. As a part of the arrangement, the central government provides the cities with technical supervision, training, and program support. The project execution – physical implementation, dissemination, communal feedback, and program replication – is the responsibility of the city government, along with the residents and the business community, especially regarding implementation and advocacy.

The work plan consists of two strategies being implemented by the government of Jakarta: Jakarta’s physical transformation, and raising community awareness about the environment. In terms of physical and communal behavior transformation, five fundamental strategies have been prepared:

• Increasing the capacity of environmental and economic policymakers. This strategy has been conducted in cooperation with the UNDP and the World Bank in terms of providing workshops and trainings about climate change issues.

• Implementing preventive programs, including ways to raise public awareness about the effects of climate change. Events like car-free days have been started and now happen weekly. Biking to work initiatives are promoted to reduce congestion and pollution. In coming years, 30 percent of Jakarta’s workers are expected to commute by bike

• Encouraging the local community to be more active in climate change awareness events. To accomplish this, the government is encouraging policymakers at the Jakarta Urban Planning Agency to collaborate with the community to create a more environmentally-friendly society, for example through the creation of parks.

• Increasing the number of public green spaces. In adherence to the green open space plan, there has been an expansion of green areas since 2011, which has now reached six percent of the city (the target being 30 percent).

• Increasing the number of environmentally friendly vehicles. The government will continue increasing the amount of environmentally-friendly public transport options. Examples include the MRT project and the TransJakarta bus model, which runs eco-friendly fuels.

2014 will therefore witness the expansion of projects that will lead Jakarta towards its goal of being a green city, including through the expansion of green areas, innovations in eco-friendly transportation, and an increasingly aware community to participate in promoting a green society.

Photo: Yudho

All around Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro, the term favela is used to refer to a low-income neighborhood. Favelas are often associated with poverty, insecurity, and violence; however, although such problems are still present in many of these communities, there is a lot more to favelas than that — and their negative reputations should be corrected to reflect this. A number of local NGOs and social organizations are currently helping to change the negative perception of favelas and their residents. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Catalina Gomez — Mon, 04/15/2013 – 00:00

No Brasil, incluindo Rio de Janeiro a palavra “favela” é utilizada para fazer referência a assentamentos de baixa renda. Na maioria dos casos, as favelas também são associadas com pobreza, insegurança e violência. Embora aqueles problemas sejam uma realidade na maioria destas comunidades, existe muito mais além de nosso conhecimento que merece ser aprofundado sobre as favelas para tirar aquela percepção negativa delas. Leia mais o discutir.

All around Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro, the term favela is used to refer to a low-income neighborhood. Favelas are often associated with poverty, insecurity, and violence; however, although such problems are still present in many of these communities, there is a lot more to favelas than that — and their negative reputations should be corrected to reflect this. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Catalina Gomez — Mon, 04/15/2013 – 00:00

Brasil está fazendo grandes esforços na consolidação de suas politicas públicas enfocadas na promoção da segurança alimentar e de hábitos saudáveis com foco na população mais pobre e vulnerável. Para atender esta prioridade, o Ministério de Desenvolvimento Social e Combate a Fome (MDS) tem desenvolvido um Plano Nacional de Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional para guiar o trabalho. Leia mais ou discutir.

Brazil is in the process of consolidating its public programs that work toward food security and healthy habits for its poorest communities and most vulnerable populations. The Ministry of Social Development (MDS) has therefore developed various programs and initiatives. One of the most important steps forward has been the creation of the National Food Security and Nutrition Strategy. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Catalina Gomez — Mon, 04/08/2013 – 00:00

Brazil is in the process of consolidating its public programs that work toward food security and healthy habits for its poorest communities and most vulnerable populations. The Ministry of Social Development (MDS) has therefore developed various programs and initiatives. One of the most important steps forward has been the creation of the National Food Security and Nutrition Strategy. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Catalina Gomez — Mon, 04/08/2013 – 00:00

A renovação urbana do Porto Maravilha no Rio de Janeiro é um ambicioso projeto de requalificação da deteriorada zona portuária que abrange uma área de 5 milhões de metros quadrados. O projeto busca criar novas condições de moradia, trabalho, transporte e lazer para a população que ali vive principalmente aquela de baixa renda, mais tentando gerar um espaço de uso misto pioneiro na cidade. Leia mais ou discutir.

The Porto Maravilha project in Rio de Janeiro is an ambitious urban renewal initiative taking place in the old port, one of the most deteriorated parts of the city, spanning 5 million square meters. The project aims at improving the living conditions of its poorest residents, especially with regard to housing, labor, transportation, and recreation, as well as generating a pioneering mixed-income space within the city. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Catalina Gomez — Mon, 03/25/2013 – 00:00

The Porto Maravilha project in Rio de Janeiro is an ambitious urban renewal initiative taking place in the old port, one of the most deteriorated parts of the city, spanning 5 million square meters. The project aims at improving the living conditions of its poorest residents, especially with regard to housing, labor, transportation, and recreation, as well as generating a pioneering mixed-income space within the city. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Catalina Gomez — Mon, 03/25/2013 – 00:00

Rio de Janeiro has fairly good water service coverage, with only 1,5 percent of the city’s 32,908 households lacking proper service. The city has also made important improvements regarding sewer coverage in the past decade. According to Rio Como Vamos, in 2000 21 percent of the city’s households didn’t have sewer services, while ten years later, only five percent did not. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Catalina Gomez — Mon, 03/18/2013 – 01:00

Rio de Janeiro tem boa cobertura de serviços de água, com só 1,5 por cento dos domicílios cariocas (32,908) sem serviço adequado. A cidade também tem avançado na ampliação da cobertura da rede de esgoto na passada década. Segundo Rio Como Vamos, no ano 2000, cerca de 21 por cento dos domicílios do Rio (387,367) não tenham conexão de esgoto. Em 2010, o indicador de famílias sem esgoto desceu para 5 por cento (109,258 domicílios). Leia mais o discutir.

Rio de Janeiro has fairly good water service coverage, with only 1,5 percent of the city’s 32,908 households lacking proper service. The city has also made important improvements regarding sewer coverage in the past decade. According to Rio Como Vamos, in 2000 21 percent of the city’s households didn’t have sewer services, while ten years later, only five percent did not. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Catalina Gomez — Mon, 03/18/2013 – 01:00

Segundo a Pesquisa Nacional sobre a População de Rua feita em 2009 pelo Ministério de Desenvolvimento Social e Combate a Fome (MDS), a cidade de Rio de Janeiro tem 4,585 pessoas em “situação de rua”. Infelizmente esta pesquisa só tem levantamento de maiores de 18 anos, porem não existe muita clareza sobre o número total incluindo crianças. Este grupo populacional possui em comum a pobreza extrema, os vínculos familiares fragilizados ou rompidos e a inexistência de moradia convencional regular. Leia mais ou discutir.

According to the National Survey of People Living on the Streets carried out by the Ministry of Social Development (MDS) in 2009, Rio de Janeiro has around 4,585 homeless people. Unfortunately, this survey only counts adults 18 years or older, thereby excluding homeless children. What we know about the homeless population is that although it’s quite heterogeneous, it shares common characteristics including poverty, fragile family bonds, and the absence of permanent shelter. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Catalina Gomez — Mon, 03/11/2013 – 01:00

According to the National Survey of People Living on the Streets carried out by the Ministry of Social Development (MDS) in 2009, Rio de Janeiro has around 4,585 homeless people. Unfortunately, this survey only counts adults 18 years or older, thereby excluding homeless children. What we know about the homeless population is that although it’s quite heterogeneous, it shares common characteristics including poverty, fragile family bonds, and the absence of permanent shelter. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Catalina Gomez — Mon, 03/11/2013 – 01:00