Participation of EWB Bangladesh on Urban Thinker Campus in Bangladesh

Introduction:

Urbanization generally refers to a process in which an increasing proportion of an entire population lives in cities and surrounding of cities. Bangladesh is one of the fastest urbanizing countries in the world. Since
independence, its urban population has grown at about 6% annually.The
number of urban areas increased five-fold in less than twenty years and is
concentrated in the four largest cities: Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi.

But urbanization does not bring only fortune to our society, it bears some demerits as well. Some of the disadvantages of urbanization are:

1.     Increase of population.

2.     Movement of people from rural to urban areas.

3.     Increase of industries and factories.

4.     Farmers losing their farms.

5.     Cutting down forests.

6.     Global warming.

7.     Distraction in the eco-system.

So UTC (Urban Thinkers Campus) has recently organize a program Where EWB Bangladesh was the participant which is about “The Participatory & People-Centered New Urban Agenda: Voice from the Grassroots”. Despite some disadvantages, a better city for all and for continuing urbanization process a new urban agenda must be bring into front. The last program was about to discuss and come into result for those main points about urbanization.

Brief :

Their main Brief is about Urban migration is largely a result of seeking better educational and employment opportunities, especially in the readymade garments sector. Push factors are also important: While most people migrate for economic reasons, more than 26% do so due to environmental and climate related reasons such as natural disasters, river erosion and recurrent flooding. Many of the migrants are concentrated in urban slums as squatters where they live in poor conditions, with limited access to urban basic services.

Theme:

The theme of the UTC is “Voice from the Grassroots towards CITY for ALL” and the objectives are as follows:

1.     Sharing the New Urban Agenda for better understanding at the local level.

2.     Strengthen the engagement of the urban poor community, local
representatives, and the private sector in implementation of the New Urban
Agenda.

3.     Develop a declaration that lays out an agreed upon strategy for future
courses of action.

 

Roundtable sessions on the ground with poor community leaders and
ward councilors

Our participation program was completed in three levels:
(i) Roundtable sessions on the ground with poor community leaders and
ward councilors

(ii) To get extended coverage and publicity, a session on Meet
the Press

(iii) Two days program main event was held at AUST with parallel sessions;
urban lab, opening and closing session, and final declaration.

The main points of that program were to solve below problems by specific solvent for a better city:

1.     Household worker agency must.

2.     Labour pension must.

3.     Slum people identification as human settlement.

4.     Slum improvement.

5.     Create RMG worker housing by owner.

6.     Slum must be demolished by notice and make a housing for them.

7.     Make a way for poor people housing with micro credit.

8.     Slum capture by housing company.

9.     Slum sanitation must for a better health where toilet must be done with pit or without pit.

Conclusion                                                                                        
The principal outcome is a declaration that outlines future action, by private
sector, local authorities and grassroots women and men. The New Urban Agenda will almost certainly include significant focus on equity in the face of globalization as well as how to ensure the safety and security of everyone who lives in urban areas, of any gender and age.

New Urban Agenda adopted at Habitat III

The United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development has wrapped up in Quito, Ecuador, with delegations adopting the New Urban Agenda – a new framework that that lays out how cities should be planned and managed to best promote sustainable urbanization.

“We have analyzed and discussed the challenges that our cities are facing and have [agreed] on a common roadmap for the 20 years to come,” Joan Clos, Secretary-General of the conference and Executive Director of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), told participants at the closing session.

Urban Inclusive at UTC

Event Title: “The Participatory and People-Centered New Urban Agenda”

WUC Partner Organization Hosting the Campus: Participatory Development Action Program (PDAP) / Coalition for the Urban Poor (CUP)

Venue: Dhaka/Bangladesh/Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST) 141 & 142, Love Rd

 

We are proud to be attain such kind of program and thanks to the all organizer and participants.