Urban poverty, a major challenge for sustainable cities

Ending world poverty is the number one goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and Malaysia has made ending abject poverty a priority.

Poverty presents the greatest challenge to achieving sustainability. Though poverty was always associated with rural living, it is seen shifting to the urban setting. The unstoppable worldwide phenomenon of rural-urban migration has accelerated this shift. Dealing with urban poverty is a subject of great interest among researchers and policy enthusiasts. Experts agree more should be done.

Urban poverty is a pressing issue affecting millions of people worldwide. It is characterised by inadequate access to basic needs such as housing, education, healthcare, and employment.

Rapid urbanisation, economic inequality, and the lack of social safety nets often exacerbate the problem. Malaysia is not spared from this phenomenon either, since more than 70 per cent of Malaysians live in urban centres. Much has been done to provide relief, but the massive influx of immigrant labour complicates matters. Unemployment and underemployment are among the major causes.

Jobs drive migration into cities. But the demand for work often exceeds supply, leading to high unemployment or low-paying, unstable jobs.

The comparatively higher cost of living in cities makes the situation worse. Housing, transportation, and food costs are often higher in cities, putting a strain on low-income families. There is also the issue of inefficient urban planning. Poorly-planned urban growth leads to informal settlements or slums with limited infrastructure. At least, Malaysia has done comparatively well here.

Many urban poor lack access to quality education or skills training, limiting their job prospects. Poor living conditions and the lack of affordable healthcare lead to a vicious cycle of illness and economic hardship.

The solutions are rather obvious. One is to implement government-subsidised public housing projects for low-income families. Executing this is not easy. Some countries do better than others. Malaysia still struggles with abandoned projects, not to mention abused projects. Forming partnerships with private developers to build affordable housing is an option, although it has its own set of problems. There have been suggestions to introduce rent control policies to prevent exploitation.

Job creation and skills development are critical. This involves providing vocational training programmes tailored to market demands. Supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with microfinance and grants, helps. Other measures include creating public works projects that offer temporary employment while improving urban infrastructure.

Few disagree that access to education needs to improve. This can include subsidising education costs for low-income families. Ideas such as community-based learning centres offering remedial classes and digital skills are worth exploring. Not to mention giving scholarships for higher education to marginalised groups.

Some countries implement expanded social assistance programmes, including food subsidies and unemployment benefits. Others introduce universal healthcare to alleviate medical costs for the poor. Cash transfer programmes directly targeting vulnerable urban populations are practised by many. For the informal settlements, upgrading access to water, electricity, and sanitation can do a lot of good. Improving public transportation systems can help reduce commuting costs.

Experts propose encouraging participatory governance by involving communities in the decision-making. They also support cooperatives and self-help groups to promote economic resilience. Some provide platforms for marginalised voices to advocate for policy changes. Leveraging technology for smart city initiatives, such as digital access to social services, has been widely adopted. An example is using mobile platforms to disseminate job opportunities and financial literacy.

There are examples of success. In India, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) programme aims to provide affordable housing for the urban poor. In Brazil, the Bolsa Família programme offers conditional cash transfers to reduce poverty and improve education and health outcomes. In Kenya, mobile banking services like M-Pesa have revolutionised access to financial resources for the urban poor. Malaysia has also initiated similar programmes.

Addressing urban poverty requires a multi-faceted approach involving governments, private sectors, and civil society. By investing in inclusive policies and innovative solutions, cities can transform into engines of equitable growth and development.

In fact, much of the carbon emission reduction targets of countries can be realised by making city living more sustainable. Here at home, we should replicate our success in dealing with rural poverty in the urban setting.

The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer’s and do not necessarily represent that of Twentytwo13.