Le continent africain se trouve en proie à des mutations majeures qui se déroulent simultanément dans les domains démographique, économique, technologique, environnemental, urbain et sociopolitique. La conjoncture économique est actuellement prometteuse en Afrique, où le dynamisme des villes va de pair avec l’essor des classes moyennes et l’avènement de marchés de consommation conséquents. Toutefois, en dépit d’une croissance d’ensemble non négligeable, ce n’est pas toute l’Afrique qui va bien. Dans les villes, l’expansion très rapide de la population s’accompagne d’une pauvreté massive et de nombreuses autres difficultés sociales. Voilà qui suggère que les trajectoires de développement suivies par les pays africains depuis les lendemains de l’indépendance risquent de ne pas pouvoir satisfaire les aspirations à l’épanouissement et à la prospérité pour tous. Le présent Rapport invite donc à réinventer avec audace, afin d’orienter les transitions en cours dans un sens plus “durable” et en prenant en considération toutes les grandes options possibles. Cela s’impose d’autant plus que les grands enjeux auxquels sont confrontées les villes africaines prennent une dimension plus aiguë du fait de la montée des menaces et des diverses formes de vulnérabilité qui accompagnent les bouleversements du climat et de l’environnement. Egalement disponible en version anglaise.  

The African continent is currently in the midst of simultaneously unfolding and highly significant demographic, economic, technological, environmental, urban and socio-political transitions. Africa’s economic performance is promising, with booming cities supporting growing middle classes and creating sizable consumer markets. But despite significant overall growth, not all of Africa performs well. The continent continues to suffer under very rapid urban growth accompanied by massive urban poverty and many other social problems. These seem to indicate that the development trajectories followed by African nations since post-independence may not be able to deliver on the aspirations of broad based human development and prosperity for all. This report, therefore, argues for a bold re-imagining of prevailing models in order to steer the ongoing transitions towards greater sustainability based on a thorough review of all available options. That is especially the case since the already daunting urban challenges in Africa are now being exacerbated by the new vulnerabilities and threats associated with climate and environmental change. Also available in French Version.  

The lack of recognition of the right of self-determination and the large-scale dispossession and degradation of their lands, resources and territories has had a devastating effect on indigenous peoples’ livelihoods, cultures and overall socio-economic conditions. Widespread poverty and destitution flowing from this has had a significant impact on their housing. Indigenous peoples often lack security of tenure and live constantly with the threat of forced eviction from their homes and/or lands. In some countries, indigenous peoples are often found in over-crowded houses that are in poor condition and that often have neither schools nor hospitals nearby. Indigenous women and men face discrimination in most aspects of housing. Housing and development policies and programmes either discriminate against indigenous peoples directly or have discriminatory effects. The loss of traditional lands andhousing contributes to the increased migration of indigenous peoples to urban centres, where barriers to adequate housing (such as unemployment/poverty, discrimination, and lack of affordable and adequate housing) are particularly acute.

Indigenous women in particular often bear the brunt of these inadequate conditions. At the same time, they experience gender-specific problems, such as domestic violence, together with discrimination and inequality as a result of institutional and cultural factors. These often curtail or prohibit women’s access to, control over and the right to inherit land, property and housing. Indigenous peoples with disabilities, youth and children, elders and sexual minorities also experience greater adverse conditions in housing.