The United Nations has designated the first Monday in
October every year as World Habitat Day to reflect on the
state of human settlements and the basic right to adequate
shelter for all. It is also intended to remind the world of
its collective responsibility for the future of the human
habitat.
The theme of
this year’s World Habitat Day on Monday 1 October 2007 is
A safe city is a
just city.
The United Nations chose this year’s theme in order to raise
awareness and encourage reflection on the mounting threats
to urban safety and social justice, particularly urban crime
and violence, forced eviction and insecurity of tenure, as
well as natural and human-made disasters.
One of the most significant causes of fear and insecurity in
many cities today is crime and violence. Between 1990 and
2000, incidents of violent crime per 100,000 persons
increased from 6 to 8.8. Recent studies show that over the
past five years, 60 per cent of all urban residents in the
world have been victims of crime, with 70 per cent in Latin
America and the Caribbean. Clearly, crime, whether violent
or not, is a growing and serious threat to urban safety all
over the world.
As the world becomes increasingly urban, it is essential
that policymakers understand the power of the city as a
catalyst for national development. Cities have to be able to
provide inclusive living conditions for all their residents.
Rich or poor, everyone has a right to the city, to a decent
living environment, to clean water, sanitation, transport,
electricity and other services. How we manage this is
arguably one of the greatest challenges facing humanity.
Another significant threat to urban safety today is forced
eviction and insecurity of tenure. Incidents of forced
eviction are regularly reported from all parts of the world.
They are often linked to bulldozing of squatter settlements
and slums in developing countries, as well as to processes
of gentrification, beautification and urban redevelopment in
both developed and developing country cities. Forced
evictions have been highly publicized in recent years,
partly because freedom from forced eviction has become
recognized as a fundamental human right within international
human rights law.
Disasters, natural and human-made, are yet another current
threat to urban safety. Recent evidence suggests that
natural and human-made disasters are increasing in frequency
the world over, and that this trend is partly linked to
climate change. From 1975 to 2005, the number of disasters
in the world increased from 100 to 400 per year. Hurricane
Katrina, the Asian Tsunami and the Pakistan Earthquake are
some of the recent disasters that exposed our woeful lack of
preparedness.
Combined, these
three threats to urban safety currently pose a huge
challenge to both national and city governments, and this is
the reason behind the United Nation’s choice of the theme
A safe city is a just
city
for this year’s World Habitat Day
