excursion, inadequate access to education community and law enforcement is and information combined with peer essential in most Asian cities in addition to pressure are aggravating factors when it empowering the law enforcement in comes to youth violence. Drug-related number and capacity in order to effectively violence and gang activity is common in deal with megacities. the Region since the urban youth is exposed to high levels of drug trafficking, especially considering the existence of Golden “the Triangle” Laos and Thailand- and –Burma, Women and Urban Poverty Golden Crescent” “the –Afghanistan, Problems relating to poverty examined Pakistan and Iran-, areas named for the above, such as increase in crime rates, triangular and crescent shapes on the map, inadequate sanitation and the growing significant source of opium growth from numbers of informal settlements which heroin is made. Opium growth in the particularly affect urban women. Women’s Golden Crescent, according to 2007 role is quite significant when sustainable projections of the UN, accounted for 92% urbanisation and economy is in question, of the world’s total opium growth. therefore the lives of women living in Ineffective policing in the cities of Asia and Asian cities must be improved for overall Pacific also remains a significant issue in development. the face of increasing crime rates. Policing Firstly, face many problems relating to is generally defined as “the civil force of a accessing water and sanitation in slums. state, responsible for the prevention and According to the United Nations Women detection of crime and the maintenance of Watch: and girls typically take “Women According to UNESCAP’s public order”. responsibility for fetching water when report on Urban Safety and Poverty in Asia supply is poor, and this can take hours out and the Pacific, the isolation of slums and of their day, reducing time for education, the elitist, corrupt façade of the police employment, childcare and rest. When forces, bribery and lack of access to a relatives become sick because of poor strong justice system create a non-trust hygiene, it is also women and girls who relationship with the poor and police. The bear the greatest burden of care. A lack of recreation of the trust between the separate-sex toilet facilities in schools,
excursion, inadequate access to education and information combined with peer pressure are aggravating factors when it comes to youth violence. Drug-related violence and gang activity is common in the Region since the urban youth is exposed to high levels of drug trafficking, especially considering the existence of “the Golden Triangle” –Burma, Laos and Thailand- and “the Golden Crescent” –Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran-, areas named for the triangular and crescent shapes on the map, significant source of opium growth from which heroin is made. Opium growth in the Golden Crescent, according to 2007 projections of the UN, accounted for 92% of the world’s total opium growth. Ineffective policing in the cities of Asia and Pacific also remains a significant issue in the face of increasing crime rates. Policing is generally defined as “the civil force of a state, responsible for the prevention and detection of crime and the maintenance of public order”. According to UNESCAP’s report on Urban Safety and Poverty in Asia and the Pacific, the isolation of slums and the elitist, corrupt façade of the police forces, bribery and lack of access to a strong justice system create a non-trust relationship with the poor and police. The recreation of the trust between the community and law enforcement is essential in most Asian cities in addition to empowering the law enforcement in number and capacity in order to effectively deal with megacities. Women and Urban Poverty Problems relating to poverty examined above, such as increase in crime rates, inadequate sanitation and the growing numbers of informal settlements particularly affect urban women. Women’s role is quite significant when sustainable urbanisation and economy is in question, therefore the lives of women living in Asian cities must be improved for overall development. Firstly, face many problems relating to accessing water and sanitation in slums. According to the United Nations Women Watch: “Women and girls typically take responsibility for fetching water when supply is poor, and this can take hours out of their day, reducing time for education, employment, childcare and rest. When relatives become sick because of poor hygiene, it is also women and girls who bear the greatest burden of care. A lack of separate-sex toilet facilities in schools,
UNESCAP.docx