The attraction of international conferences extends beyond academic discourse; they present a unique opportunity to explore new cultures, connect with peers, and broaden one’s horizons. From September 4th to 11th, 2023, I embarked on a cherished journey to attend the IIPPE’s 13th Annual Conference on Political Economy at the University Rey Juan Carlos in Madrid, Spain. This adventure not only …
Access to water services in informal settlements in Mongla, Bangladesh
Globally, 24% of the urban population lives in informal settlements. Such settlements often have inadequate essential services, including housing, water, sanitation, energy, transportation and communications. In Bangladesh, 47.2% of the population lives in urban informal settlements. According to the World Health Organization, 60% of people in Bangladesh are forced to drink contaminated water, many of whom live in urban informal settlements. Thus the lack of availability …
Success story from the informal settlements of Bangladesh
Maybe access to a stable and secure job opportunity encourages/influences the informal settlers to seek legal housing status
Informal settlements emerge and flourish globally, although they are still primarily found in developing countries’ metropolitan areas. Economic stagnation and despair, excessive unemployment, natural disasters, and social disputes have caused many people to migrate from rural to urban regions. Different strategies, including clearance, relocation, upgrading, urban development, and public housing, are used in other nations to eliminate and conceal informal …
Community perceptions about social research in informal settlements
‘What benefit will we get by talking to you?’ is one of the most common questions residents ask researchers in informal settlements in Bangladesh. Both extreme and slow-onset climate change-induced events are increasing the vulnerability of people, especially those who are already socially and economically marginalised. As this trend is becoming more prominent globally, social research on climate change and its impacts …
Guwahati, India: How informal settlers are building resilience in the face of compounding shocks
In Guwahati, India, residents of informal settlements are making collecting efforts and spreading awareness to tackle the impacts of COVID-19 and monsoon floods. Syeda Mehzebin Rahman and Minakhi Tamuli report This is the twenty-fourth in the series of stories from Voices from the Frontline initiative by ICCCAD and CDKN. Guwahati is a sprawling city beside the Brahmaputra River in the …
Contextualizing the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on food security in two small cities in Bangladesh
Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic is an evolving urban crisis. This research paper assesses impacts of the lockdown on food security and associated coping mechanisms in two small cities in Bangladesh (Mongla and Noapara) during March to May 2020. Due to restrictions during the prolonged lockdown, residents (in particular low-income groups) had limited access to livelihood opportunities and experienced significant or …
