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Reducing Urban Poverty: A Policy Workshop

Recognizing a need to develop and strengthen urban-focused practitioner and policy-making ties with academia, and disseminate evidence-based development programming, the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Comparative Urban Studies Project, USAID’s Urban Programs Team, the International Housing Coalition, the World Bank, and Cities Alliance teamed up to co-sponsor the second annual academic paper competition for graduate students studying urban issues.

Date & Time

Tuesday
Nov. 1, 2011
9:00am – 11:00am ET

Location

6th Floor, Woodrow Wilson Center
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Overview

In 2008 the global population reached a remarkable turning point; for the first time in history, more than half of the world’s people were living in cities. Moving forward into the 21st century, the world faces an unprecedented urban expansion with projections for the global urban population to reach nearly 5 billion by the year 2030. Virtually all of this growth will occur in the developing world where cities gain an average of 5 million residents every month, overwhelming ecosystems and placing tremendous pressure on the capacity of local governments to provide necessary infrastructure and services. Failure to incorporate urban priorities into the global development agenda carries serious implications for human security, global security, and environmental sustainability.

Recognizing a need to develop and strengthen urban-focused practitioner and policy-making ties with academia, and disseminate evidence-based development programming, the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Comparative Urban Studies Project, USAID’s Urban Programs Team, the International Housing Coalition, the World Bank, and Cities Alliance teamed up to co-sponsor the second annual academic paper competition for graduate students studying urban issues. 

On November 1, three winners of the academic paper competition presented their papers at a Woodrow Wilson Center workshop on urban poverty. The paper topics reflected the complexity and multidisciplinary nature of urban issues. Fatima Wajahat, a PhD student at Florida State University, discussed her research on urban slum tenure, concluding that the perception of secure land and housing tenure is more important than having an actual title or deed itself. Lesli Hoey, who is doing her PhD at Cornell University, shared her field research from Bolivia and underscored the importance of recognizing the specific health needs of urban populations. Finally, Daniel Warshawsky, a PhD student at the University of Southern California, presented on his findings related to food policy in South Africa, noting the “silent tsunami” of urban food insecurity.  

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Hosted By

Urban Sustainability Laboratory

Since 1991, the Urban Sustainability Laboratory has advanced solutions to urban challenges—such as poverty, exclusion, insecurity, and environmental degradation—by promoting evidence-based research to support sustainable, equitable and peaceful cities.  Read more

Indo-Pacific Program

The Indo-Pacific Program promotes policy debate and intellectual discussions on US interests in the Asia-Pacific as well as political, economic, security, and social issues relating to the world’s most populous and economically dynamic region.   Read more

Africa Program

The Africa Program works to address the most critical issues facing Africa and US-Africa relations, build mutually beneficial US-Africa relations, and enhance knowledge and understanding about Africa in the United States. The Program achieves its mission through in-depth research and analyses, public discussion, working groups, and briefings that bring together policymakers, practitioners, and subject matter experts to analyze and offer practical options for tackling key challenges in Africa and in US-Africa relations.    Read more

Environmental Change and Security Program

The Environmental Change and Security Program (ECSP) explores the connections between environmental change, health, and population dynamics and their links to conflict, human insecurity, and foreign policy.  Read more

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