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"The security of the individual and the security of the community are intrinsically linked to the services and systems that support them."
Introduction
Just as globalization has had a major impact on economies and societies, the unprecedented growth of cities over recent decades has transformed the global landscape. As the world passes over the threshold and becomes more than fifty-percent urban, future growth in cities will occur primarily in the developing world. Much of this growth will be in urban slums and informal settlements. The environmental, social, health, and economic ramifications of this emerging trend have a major impact on human security. Without access to adequate services (water, sanitation, health, finance, etc.) vulnerability and instability rises. Cities will have to respond to the challenges of rapid urbanization and carry out their new role as key actors on the world arena.
Urban security provides the environment and opportunities necessary for citizens to develop their productive potential in urban settings, as well as engage freely in issues of importance to them. The safety of public places, reliability of infrastructure and services, and the security of social and economic systems are especially critical for the urban poor to realize their potential contributions to families, communities and societies. In addition, the incessant destruction and degradation of environmental resources and systems threatens the security of already fragile communities. The lack of access to clean water and air has reached the point of a human rights issue for millions of the urban poor.
The goal of urban security is to improve basic development needs in urban and peri-urban areas: food, shelter, water, services, employment and livelihoods. Increasing urban security requires community-based, integrated programs which maximize rural-urban linkages and whole-of-municipality approaches to locally-based development. Participatory, community-centered programs must address any and all sectors necessary to improve basic development needs of citizens: public security, social well-being, economic growth, governance and rule of law.
For more information, contact Margaret Harritt at
mharritt@usaid.gov.
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