Life in a slum: understanding living conditions in Nairobi’s slums across time and space
This paper overviews the role of slums in urban Africa, focusing on Nairobi. It reveals the characteristics of slums and how these have changed over time. Spatially disaggregated data show that slum areas are very dense with poor-quality buildings, lacking access to key services such as sewage dispo...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal article |
| Published: |
Oxford University Press
2017
|
| _version_ | 1826273926003556352 |
|---|---|
| author | Bird, J Montebruno, P Regan, T |
| author_facet | Bird, J Montebruno, P Regan, T |
| author_sort | Bird, J |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | This paper overviews the role of slums in urban Africa, focusing on Nairobi. It reveals the characteristics of slums and how these have changed over time. Spatially disaggregated data show that slum areas are very dense with poor-quality buildings, lacking access to key services such as sewage disposal and electricity. However, improvements to building quality, public-service provision, and socio-economic characteristics are mostly outpacing those seen in the formal sector. Measures such as child health and school attendance have caught up or are on pace to catch up in the near future with the formal sector, while improvements in building quality and service provision are advancing more slowly. We find significant heterogeneity across the city, and in particular that central slums look to be 'stuck' with low-quality buildings and poor service provision, though not with low socio-economic indicators. We explore potential explanations for why slums located on highly prized land near the centre may be stuck with poor infrastructure. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T22:35:39Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:59cb5465-0a38-4d65-ba97-9a972cbf13a1 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T22:35:39Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Oxford University Press |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:59cb5465-0a38-4d65-ba97-9a972cbf13a12022-03-26T17:11:51ZLife in a slum: understanding living conditions in Nairobi’s slums across time and spaceJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:59cb5465-0a38-4d65-ba97-9a972cbf13a1Symplectic Elements at OxfordOxford University Press2017Bird, JMontebruno, PRegan, TThis paper overviews the role of slums in urban Africa, focusing on Nairobi. It reveals the characteristics of slums and how these have changed over time. Spatially disaggregated data show that slum areas are very dense with poor-quality buildings, lacking access to key services such as sewage disposal and electricity. However, improvements to building quality, public-service provision, and socio-economic characteristics are mostly outpacing those seen in the formal sector. Measures such as child health and school attendance have caught up or are on pace to catch up in the near future with the formal sector, while improvements in building quality and service provision are advancing more slowly. We find significant heterogeneity across the city, and in particular that central slums look to be 'stuck' with low-quality buildings and poor service provision, though not with low socio-economic indicators. We explore potential explanations for why slums located on highly prized land near the centre may be stuck with poor infrastructure. |
| spellingShingle | Bird, J Montebruno, P Regan, T Life in a slum: understanding living conditions in Nairobi’s slums across time and space |
| title | Life in a slum: understanding living conditions in Nairobi’s slums across time and space |
| title_full | Life in a slum: understanding living conditions in Nairobi’s slums across time and space |
| title_fullStr | Life in a slum: understanding living conditions in Nairobi’s slums across time and space |
| title_full_unstemmed | Life in a slum: understanding living conditions in Nairobi’s slums across time and space |
| title_short | Life in a slum: understanding living conditions in Nairobi’s slums across time and space |
| title_sort | life in a slum understanding living conditions in nairobi s slums across time and space |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT birdj lifeinaslumunderstandinglivingconditionsinnairobisslumsacrosstimeandspace AT montebrunop lifeinaslumunderstandinglivingconditionsinnairobisslumsacrosstimeandspace AT regant lifeinaslumunderstandinglivingconditionsinnairobisslumsacrosstimeandspace |