(Fwd) Report from 'Strengthening the Knowledge and Information Systems of the Urban Poor'

["Irfan Khan" <khania@super.net.pk>]

[from "Knowledge and Information Systems of the Urban Poor in
Developing Countries" mailing list]

------- Forwarded message follows -------
Date sent:      	Mon, 15 Apr 2002 15:24:09 +0100
From:           	Julie Woodfield <J.Woodfield@lboro.ac.uk>
To:             	URBAN-POOR-INFO@JISCMAIL.AC.UK


STRENGTHENING THE KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS OF THE URBAN POOR


Theo Schilderman, ITDG


Poor men and women living in urban informal settlements do need
knowledge and information to cope with risks and improve their
livelihoods, but they sometimes find it hard to access. How do the
urban poor obtain information and develop knowledge? Do they get what
they require and is it appropriate? And how could development
agencies fill the gaps and help to strengthen their knowledge and
information systems (KIS)? These were key questions addressed by a
research project implemented by ITDG with funding from DFID.

Where most previous studies considered this issue from the supply
side, analysing the dissemination of information, this research
considered primarily the demand side, focusing on the information
needs of the urban poor, and the sources they use in accessing that
information. Fieldwork was carried out in low-income settlements in
the capital city and at least one secondary town in three countries
in the developing world: Peru, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. This was
complemented by case studies elsewhere, a review of the literature
and an electronic conference.

The research concludes that poor men and women in urban areas are
often deprived by a lack of information and knowledge. Not knowing
about their rights, services they could access,  plans for their
areas, or what options there are for tackling certain problems, puts
them at a disadvantage and increases their vulnerability. Life in
urban areas in complex, and the urban poor therefore have a range of
information needs; these may vary between locations, with local
context and politics, target groups etc.

State institutions often discriminate against the urban poor when
they seek access to information, or are simply inefficient. The poor
thus turn for help to non-governmental organisations and private
institutions, which are more trusted and efficient, but also cannot
cope with the scale of the demand. Faced with that situation, the
urban poor largely have to rely on their social networks and key
informants within their communities, or sometimes outside, for
support in developing their livelihoods and coping with crisis. In
doing so, they make good use of their indigenous knowledge, but this
is inadequate to deal with every problem. The urban poor are not a
homogeneous group: some are clearly better informed than others;
social exclusion leading to inadequate access to information often
affects women, the disabled and ill, and the homeless. Exclusion is
influenced by the ways how networks function, but also by external
factors such as urban violence, politics and illegality.

Development agencies can undertake a number of actions that would
help to make the knowledge and information they hold more accessible
to the urban poor, and to strengthen their knowledge and information
base: · Rethink their information strategies, to ensure that the poor
get equal access to information, treat them as equals who are a
useful source of knowledge too, create two-way communication systems,
and address a range of needs comprehensively. · Reduce exclusion, by
targeting groups of poor people that have problems in accessing
information, and by reducing external factors that increase
exclusion, such as urban violence, oppressive politics and
illegality. · Support communities to build their knowledge and
information capital, amongst others by taking stock of existing
resources and addressing gaps, building the capacity of key
informants, empowering communities, stimulating meeting places,
resource centres and exchange visits. · Improve the attitudes and the
impact of information suppliers, by sensitising and supporting public
authorities, producing appropriate information resources and building
capacity, by documenting and sharing good communication practice, and
using a range of media to communicate, including traditional methods
alongside modern ones. · Invest in developing sustainable ICTs for
the urban poor, which will require research into a number of issues,
the inclusion of ICT equipment and training into urban projects, and
the production of appropriate information materials for ICTs. · Look
at the impact of their information dissemination on the urban poor,
develop additional methods and indicators, as well as more knowledge
of the cost-effectiveness of alternative communication methods and
share the results of urban development work more widely.


The full report on this research as well as a summary aimed at
development agencies are accessible on the ITDG web site:
www.itdg.org. Click on the Shelter Programme, and follow the links to
Shelter Projects and Strategy and Research Findings
[http://www.itdg.org/html/shelter/docs/kis_urban_poor_report_march2002
 .doc and
http://www.itdg.org/html/shelter/docs/kis_urban_poor_policy_paper.doc]
 .  Initially, the results will also be directly accessible from the
homepage. For those with no access to the Internet, those reports can
also be obtained in hard copy from the author, at ITDG, The
Schumacher Centre for Technology and Development, Bourton-on-
Dunsmore, Rugby, CV23 9QZ, UK.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dr. Julie Woodfield,
Research Associate / Assistant Programme Manager
Urban Services Unit
Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC)
Loughborough University,
Leics, LE11 3TU  England, UK
Tel:  +44 (0)1509 222393        Fax:     +44 (0) 1509 211079
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/cv/wedc/specialist-
activities/kt/index.htm (WEDC) http://www.lboro.ac.uk/garnet/
(GARNET)



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