Having a disability (either congenital or acquired), being elderly (with reduced mobility or degeneration of the cognitive abilities) or being a child in a city in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is not an easy task because most public spaces and services are neither accessible nor inclusive. In LAC, about 80 million people have some type of disability (more than the … [Read more...] about How to Plan Accessible Cities?
Sustainable development
Between 1950 and 2014, Latin America and the Caribbean urbanized at an unprecedented rate, increasing its urban population from 50 to 80 percent (as a percentage of the total); a figure that is expected to reach 86 percent by 2050. On the other hand, Latin American cities are extremely vulnerable to extreme weather events, droughts and floods: three-quarters of Latin Americans live in low-lying coastal areas. How to promote sustainable urban development? Learn more by reading our blog and downloading this publication.
How to improve urban planning and water governance by strengthening water management in cities?
On the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, we want to get close to the metropolitan area of Lima and Callao. Here, the competent authorities are acting to tackle the shortage of water that affects to a large part of its population. This problem, although it is being worsen by the effects of climate change, has its origin in past poor water and urban … [Read more...] about How to improve urban planning and water governance by strengthening water management in cities?
Women as pillars for the recovery of cities
On March 8, 1857, thousands of female workers from textile factories took to the streets of New York to protest the precarious and unfair working conditions. This event inspired hundreds of mobilizations that completely turned the vision of women's rights. Today, more than a hundred years later, in tribute to the bravery of these women, we celebrate “International Women's Day,” … [Read more...] about Women as pillars for the recovery of cities
Cities of the Future: Between Dreams and Nightmares about Ideal Urban Planning
Shortly before the explosion of a global crisis generated by the COVID-19, in the well-known "2020 Consumers Electronics Show" (CES), Akio Toyoda, C.E.O. of the automotive giant Toyota, unveiled his plans to build the "City of the Future" near the mystical Mount Fuji, in an area of approximately 70 hectares, in a factory due for closure. The initiative is called "Woven City" in … [Read more...] about Cities of the Future: Between Dreams and Nightmares about Ideal Urban Planning
Favela-Bairro Upgrading Program: Assessing results 10 years later
More than a billion people live in informal neighborhoods around the world, also known as slums, barriadas or villas, or favelas in Brazil. These neighborhoods usually lack access to clean water and sanitation systems, and residents live in inadequate and overcrowded housing. In 1995, Favela Bairro (FB) program in Rio de Janeiro Brazil, aimed to connect these informal … [Read more...] about Favela-Bairro Upgrading Program: Assessing results 10 years later