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National Conference
on Urban Poverty
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A joint effort of Aga Khan University and
National Urban Poverty Alleviation Program-UNDP
Poverty is a global problem and like other developing countries, the
problem of poverty in Pakistan is also at an alarming stage and becoming
rapidly intolerable. The continuity of such a condition, with no timely
responses from the state/policy makers may leads to a deplorable situation
in the civil society of Pakistan.
Poverty is significant in rural life, but with the passage of time
it is becoming severe in urban areas of Pakistan as well. Urbanization
in Pakistan has been rising at a steady rate. As a whole, the urban
population has grown universally in all provinces. Urbanization has
a major impact on political process, social services, and distribution
of financial and human resources among various regions. It causes
severe issues of poverty, empowerment, governance, marginality, level
of development and impending urban problems. The rural migrants usually
form the addition to the existing low-income segment of the city's
population, although, the problems created by rapid urbanization are
shared by both the original residents and rural migrants because of
its impact on housing, employment, wage level, health, education and
other civic amenities, resulting in over-straining of the infra-structure
of the area and thereby leading to civic disorders.
Various urbanization socio-economical problems have risen as a result
of uncontrolled urbanization which requires immediate attention. There
is an increase in the rate of urban poverty, problems of adjustment
of the rural migrants in urban setting, loss of social control and
values, rise in juvenile delinquency, youth violence, corruption and
crime, lack of civil amenities and necessary social services viz.
inadequate water supply and sanitation systems, transport, electricity,
educational, recreational and health facilities and social services
for handicapped, increase in conflicts between different ethnic, political
and religious groups, increase in rate of unemployment, unplanned
growth of slums and suburban areas; congestion and unhygienic conditions
of living in slums and old urban areas.
Urban planning and management deserve greater attention and resources
than what they are presently receiving. There is an urgent need to
recognize the significance, the magnitude and nature of urbanization
and urban poverty, therefore, suitable measures need to be taken without
delay. To resolve these issues, United Nations Development Program
(UNDP) is striving for sustainable development solution for rural
as well as urban localities of Sindh. UNDP, with the P&D Department,
initiated National Urban Poverty Alleviation Program (NUPAP) in Sindh,
in October 2004. It supports and promotes affordable, self help based
incremental developing initiates.
In an effort to solve problems of urbanization, PUPAP-UNDP would like
to explore, assess and sensitize the different stakeholders of civil
society. For this, NUPAP-UNDP would like to conduct seminars and workshops
by involving common community people, NGOs, GOs, intellectuals, researchers,
academic institutions, media and policy makers.
To highlight the above said issues, NUPAP-UNDP contacted the Department
of Community Health Sciences -CHS, Aga Khan University, to coordinate
a National level Conference. In connection to this, NUPAP-UNDP is
organizing a National Conference on Aug 28-29, 2006 in Aga Khan University
Karachi by involving different stakeholders of the society from each
province. The conference is expected to bring together key stakeholders
in an effort to build urban societies in Pakistan.
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