Urban poverty

For the first time in history more people live in cities than rural areas, making urban poverty one of the most important, yet most overlooked issues, of the 21st century.

Kibera slum is a key reminder of the consequences of urbanisation
Nairobi, Kenya: In one part of Kibera, one of the world's largest slums, there is one latrine per 4,000 people. This forces people have to deal with their own waste, much of which ends up in the streets creating a huge health risk.
© 2006 CARE

One billion people already live in shocking conditions in the slums of Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The situation is getting worse, with slum populations set to double in the next 25 years. ARE helps poor people in more than 100 cities around the world fulfil their rights to clean drinking water, sanitation, health care and education.

Our work focuses not only on the symptoms but on tackling the causes of urban poverty.  We believe these are:

  1. Poor governance – where those with power do not have the money, ability, or desire to help the poorest people live in dignity,
  2. Powerlessness and voicelessness – where the poor do not have the confidence, skills or opportunity to speak up for themselves. And where they do, they are not heard,
  3. A lack of access to basic services - like clean water and rubbish collection,
  4. A lack of opportunities to earn a decent living.

On the ground, we work with local authorities, civil society organisations, and companies to make sure poor people in cities get clean water, sanitation, healthcare, rubbish collection and other services. Poor people have a right to all of these, but so often they do not see the results.

Slums in poor cities are growing by 100,000 people per day – one person every second

We support poor people in cities to voice the challenges they face, and a have their say in how their city is run.  We help officials in local and national government, as well as private companies, to create and put into action policies that will help the poor.

CARE is focussing on tackling the underlying causes of urban poverty in the world’s cities and towns, to help us donate now.