Bangalore

Retooling 'Cities for Life': New approaches to urban infrastructure and service provision

To me, the more difficult part of this question may not be answering what a more equity-driven approach to city infrastructure would look like — but figuring out how we would get there from here. In Chennai, we have interacted with government servants from a number of agencies that regularly deal with the urban poor, such as officials from the Slum Clearance Board or the city department that builds and maintains public toilets. Especially in India, government officials are often portrayed as corrupt and lazy, barriers to better governance. However, what we have found is that many officials are actually sincere and hardworking, but that they themselves face barriers that prevent them from taking actions that benefit the poor and create a more equitable city Read more.

Submitted by Editor — Thu, 03/13/2014 - 15:43

AIDS orphans in India

The AIDS crisis continues to loom large in India, with more than 2.5 million people infected with HIV. The country has taken steps toward addressing the issue, including launching a National AIDS Control Program. Still, the virus has taken the lives of millions of mothers and fathers, and UNICEF estimates that there could be as many as 4 million children affected in India, including those living with HIV — estimated to number nearly 100,000 — those orphaned by AIDS, and those whose parents are living with HIV. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Carlin Carr — Mon, 12/02/2013 - 00:00

Building confidence, not just skills

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. Read more or join the discussion.

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

Loans for more than just livelihoods

The poor live in precarious circumstances on a daily basis. Unexpected illnesses or job losses that would put a strain on any family often leave the poor on the brink. With no access to the formal banking system, microloans have not only served to help in emergency situations, but have actually helped these families to build up savings and gain access to important, life-saving products. The loans, mainly to women, have expanded in purpose and scope since Grameen launched its rural banking system in the 1990s. Today, microfinance institutions such as Samasta in Bangalore have used the women's groups that form the basis of lending to focus loans on other important intervention areas, including insurance, home gas connections and water purifiers. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Carlin Carr — Mon, 10/28/2013 - 00:00

How RAY put housing rights into policy

Housing tenure can have a transformative impact on the lives of the poor. The security of ownership rights opens pathways for slum dwellers themselves to upgrade their living environments without fear of relocation or demolition. Beyond improved structural environments, tenure security also leads to improved health conditions, education levels and income levels. In this sense, housing tenure's ripple effects make it one of the single most important aspects of improving the lives of slum dwellers. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Carlin Carr — Mon, 10/21/2013 - 00:00

The risk of bundling the 65 million that live in ‘slums’ in India

Slums in the census are defined as "residential areas where dwellings are unfit for human habitation" because they are dilapidated, cramped, poorly ventilated, unclean, or "any combination of these factors which are detrimental to the safety and health". For the latest round, the census designated slums in three different ways - notified, recognized and identified (identified slums do not have legal status as a slum, but must consist of at least 60-70 tenements with at least 300 people). Read more.

Submitted by Rakhi Mehra — Wed, 10/09/2013 - 07:42

2013 marks a new direction in India's mental healthcare

This year marks an important turning point in mental healthcare in India. The landmark Mental Healthcare Bill 2013 has been introduced and is under review to be passed as law. The new bill decriminalizes suicide and protects the rights of the mentally ill from inhumane treatment. It also "aims to ensure that proper medical treatment is provided to mentally ill patients" and "seeks to regulate the public and private mental health sectors and establish a mental health system integrated into all levels of general health care," says an article in the Indian Express. Gaps in care have been filled by NGOs that not only work to provide treatment but to increase public awareness around issues of mental illness that have added to stigmatization of these patients. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Carlin Carr — Mon, 10/07/2013 - 00:00

Solar rickshaws pave the way for prototypes at mega-events in India

The 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi brought the world's attention to India. The major event was one of the first and largest of its kind to be held in the country. "A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games to date. It was also the largest international multi-sport event to be staged in Delhi and India, eclipsing the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982," according to statistics on the event. While the mega sporting event was rife with controversy, it also presented the opportunity for the city to test out new transport methods and for international organizations to introduce greener and cleaner ideas. Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Carlin Carr — Mon, 08/19/2013 - 00:00

Dreaming of positive paths for India's youth: Dream a Dream

Juvenile crime all over the world often goes hand-in-hand with lack of opportunities. Blight-stricken areas from New York to Nairobi with low employment rates and education levels leave directionless youth with few options. Lacking support systems to show them alternative paths, teens often take to criminal activities. While crime amongst youth has not been such an issue in India's urban areas, recent studies show a marked escalation in illicit activities. In fact, the "State of the Urban Youth India 2012: Employment, Livelihoods, Skills" report that came out last year says that juvenile crime in urban areas of India rose by 40 percent between 2001 and 2010. The youth involved in criminal activity were largely from low-income working families; the study found that "lack of education is an important factor with over 55 percent juvenile criminals being illiterate or with limited primary education." Read more or join the discussion.

Submitted by Carlin Carr — Mon, 08/12/2013 - 00:00

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