Dube: Lack of data on informal settlements hinders urban planning

Dube: Lack of data on informal settlements hinders urban planning

The lack of up-to-date and disaggregated data on informal settlements remains a key challenge for urban planning and improving living conditions in African countries, Mercy Dube, a representative of the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development in Malawi, said at WUF13, Olaylar informs.

She stated that when working with informal settlements, it is critical to understand their precise location, size, and population composition, including age structure, social groups, and needs for basic infrastructure such as schools and services.

"In many cases, local governments only have general estimates of the number of informal settlements, but lack data on their size, population density, and socioeconomic composition," she said.

Dube emphasized that the lack of disaggregated data is particularly acute at both the city and individual settlement levels, which complicates the planning and implementation of development programs.