With the number of slum dwellers expected to reach 889 million by 2020 it has been recognized that there is a need to move away from piecemeal project-based slum upgrading interventions. Instead, it is necessary to bring slum upgrading to a citywide scale and implement a twin-track approach that promotes both the upgrading of existing slums and simultaneously uses policy to prevent the multiplication of slums and urban informality.
This Training Module advocates for a coordinated approach to slum upgrading which works with UN Habitat strategic planning components – urban planning, urban legislation, and urban economy – to provide the platform for a sustainable urban future. The approach encourages programme-based improvement of the physical and socio-economic conditions in informal settlements and promotes urban regeneration, transformation and their integration into the overall city planning agenda.