Quotes: HOW DO WE DIFFERENTIATE TYPES OF INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS?

                                            HOW DO WE DIFFERENTIATE TYPES OF INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS?

"HUMAN SETTLEMENTS, WHICH FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS DO NOT MEET REQUIREMENTS FOR LEGAL RECOGNITION (AND HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED WITHOUT RESPECTING FORMAL PROCEDURES OF LEGAL OWNERSHIP, TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP,AS WELL AS CONSTRUCTION AND URBAN PLANNING REGULATIONS), EXIST IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES AND HAMPER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WHILE THERE IS SIGNIFICANT REGIONAL DIVERSITY IN TERMS OF THEIR MANIFESTATION, THESE SETTLEMENTS ARE MAINLY CHARACTERIZED BY INFORMAL OR INSECURE LAND TENURE, INADEQUATE ACCESS TO BASIC SERVICES, BOTH SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOUSING FINANCE."

                                                                                                                                                 (VIENNA DECLARATION 2004, Pl.)

"I DIDN’T SAY I WOULDN’T GO INTO GHETTO AREAS (AMERICAN TERM FOR INFORMAL SETTLEMENT), I’VE BEEN IN MANY OF THEM AND TO SOME EXTENT, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THIS: IF YOU’VE SEEN ONE CITY SLUM, YOU’VE SEEN THEM ALL."

SPIRO T. AGNEW – AMERICAN VICE- PRESIDENT (1918- 1996)

"PROVIDING THE RESIDENTS WITH “SECURITY OF TENURE” AN ASSURANCE THAT THEY WON’T GET EVICTED."

-NEUWIRTH (“STEALTH OF NATIONS”)

"CITY DWELLERS PRODUCING SPACE TOGETHER, RECLAIMING THE COMMON AND RATHER THAN PARTICIPATE, THEY DECIDE ON THE DESIGN OF THE SPACE."

–SLUM LAB: AN INITIATIVE THROUGH DIALOGUE BETWEEN   RESEARCHERS AND CITY

DWELLERS.   

  

"IN PAKISTAN, AS IT IS ELSWHERE IN THE WORLD INCLUDING MALAWI, ARCHITECTS, PLANNERS, SURVEYORS ARE TAUGHT HOW TO DESIGN , BUT THEY ARE NOT TAUGHT HOW THEY CAN IMPART THIS KNOWLEDGE TO THE OTHER PEOPLE ESPECIALLY THE GROUP THAT HAS NEVER BEEN TO SCHOOL. HOWEVER, THESE PEOPLE HAVE A MANDATE TO GIVE BACK TO SOCIETY. FURTHER, AS THEY GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE, THEY LEAVE WITH AN ILLUSION THAT THEY WILL BE DESIGNING BIG BUILDING AND EXPENSIVE APARTMENTS FOR RICH PEOPLE. REALITY ON GROUND, STATES THAT, THIS WILL ONLY BE BUT A DREAM TO SOME OF THESE LEARNED PEOPLE. AT THE SAME TIME THE GAP THAT THEY CREATE ESPECIALLY ON THE NEED TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE TO COMMUNITIES WILLING TO DEVELOP THEIR COMMUNITIES IS USUALLY FILLED BY SOCIAL EXPERTS FROM NGOS LIKE CCODE. THIS MEANS THEREFORE, THAT OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM HAS TO CHANGE TO REFLECT THIS REALITY ON THE GROUND."

-ARIF HASSAN