This section describes the following organizations in respect of their research interests, publications and education activities with a focus on identifying potential (digital) urban knowledge on the Global South.
- African Centre for Cities (ACC), University of Cape Town
- African Cities Research Consortium
- Agence Française de Développment (AFD)
- Asian Development Bank (ADB)
- Bartlett Development Planning Unit (DPU-UCL)
- Cities Alliance
- C40 cities
- Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF)
- European Commission
- ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability
- Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
- International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
- Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
- Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (LILP)
- Manchester Urban Institute
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
- Overseas Development Institute (ODI)
- Shack/Slum Dwellers International
- South African Cities Network – SACN
- United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)
- World Bank (Urban Development)
- World Resources Institute (WRI) Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
| Name of Organization | What it does and for what it stands |
|---|---|
| African Centre for Cities (ACC), University of Cape Town | The ACC seeks to facilitate critical urban research and policy discourses for the promotion of vibrant, democratic and sustainable urban development in the global South from an African perspective |
| Contact details | African Centre for Cities (ACC) Rm2.11, Environmental & Geographical Science Building Upper Campus University of Cape Town Rondebosch, 7701 South Africa Tel: +27 21 650 5903 Fax: +27 21 650 2032 E-mail: maryam.waglay@uct.ac.za URL: https://www.africancentreforcities.net/ |
| The site’s publication section has more than a hundred (working) papers on the following broad themes: Climate Risk and Urban Resilience; Informality; Multi-level Governance; Public Culture and Heritage; Sustainable Infrastructures; Sustainable Urban Transitions; Urban Food Systems; Urban Health and Urban Research, as well as having the following regional coverage: Africa; Cape Town; Global South; International; South Africa; Southern Africa and University of Cape Town (UCT). There are also books and chapters of books mentioned in the books section. In addition, the publications section has a periodicals section which covers the Cityscapes Magazine that aims to provide a mix of content – both verbal and non-verbal – ranging from long-form journalism, opinion pieces, interviews, data and infographics to photography and three editions of the African Cities Reader. A lot of material in this section is downloadable. | |
| Research Areas | In terms of projects the organization “aims to produce credible new knowledge on the drivers of urban crisis in African cities with an eye on systemic solutions.” |
| Education | They offer an 18-month MPhil in Southern Urbanism covering the themes: Everyday Urbanism, Multi-level Governance, Urban Science and a two-year MA in Sustainable Urban Practice, covering the themes Multi-level Governance, Sustainable Infrastructures, Sustainable Urban Transitions. |
| Name of Organization | What it does and for what it stands |
|---|---|
This new initiative aim is to generate insights and evidence that will help improve the living conditions, services and life chances of all city residents, particularly for disadvantaged communities. They have identified 13 initial cities within sub-Saharan Africa with the potential and need for urban reform: Accra (Ghana) Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) Bukavu, (Democratic Republic of Congo); Dar es Salaam (Tanzania); Freetown (Sierra Leone); Harare, (Zimbabwe); Kampala, (Uganda) Khartoum, (Sudan); Lagos, (Nigeria); Lilongwe, (Malawi); Maiduguri, (Nigeria); Mogadishu, (Somalia) and Nairobi, (Kenya). Led from The University of Manchester, the consortium includes centres of research excellence, frontline humanitarian responders, effective policy influencers, vibrant local government networks and deeply rooted civil society groups. It is funded with UK aid from the UK government until 2026. | |
| Contact details | African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC), |
| At the time of writing (July 2021), they had a general brochure about the project, four downloadable City Scoping Studies (Accra, Addis Ababa, Freetown and Maiduguri) and Working Papers were pending. | |
| Research Areas | This is still to be formulated in conjunction with (local) partners. The project’s approach is to explore urban development domains. These broad fields of power, policy and practice go beyond sectorial silos, and they are seen as having the potential to unlock reform. Topics include Structural transformation; Neighbourhood and district economic development; Land and connectivity; Housing; Informal settlements; Health, wellbeing and nutrition; Safety and security and Youth and capability development. |
| Education | There does not seem to be any specific activity that addresses education and/or training and capacity building. However, it seems that much of the research will be in conjunction with local partners, so there may be certain spin-offs regarding capacity development. |
| Name of Organization | What it does and for what it stands |
|---|---|
| Agence Française de Développement (AFD) | The funds, supports and accelerates the transitions to a fairer and more sustainable world. Focusing on climate, biodiversity, peace, education, urban development, health and governance, its teams carry out more than 4,000 projects in France’s overseas departments and territories and another 115 countries. |
| Contact details | AFD Headquarters |
Publications | As of July 2021 there were 92 documents on Sustainable Cities, and of these 15 were Evaluations, 20 were Institutional Documents; 37 were Research Document and 20 were Videos. Among the Research Documents is a publication by David Dodman (and others) of IIED from 2015 entitled: Understanding the Assessment and Reduction of Vulnerability to Climate Change in African Cities : a Focus on Low-Income and Informal Settlements. AFD have sponsored a number of World Bank publications including: Cities and climate change : responding to an urgent agenda (2011); The informal sector in Francophone Africa : firm size, productivity and institutions (2012); Financing Africa's cities : the imperative of local investment (2012); Land delivery systems in West African cities : the example of Bamako, Mali (2015). In their own right they also published: Panorama of the urban and municipal sector in India (2014) Institutional pathways for local climate adaptation : a comparison of three South African municipalities (2014) |
| Research Areas | Their Library also include some policy briefs that discuss social housing in several African countries |
| Education | AFC promotes on its website a French professional masters entitled Maîtrise d'ouvrage pour le développement (MODEV) that focuses on project management and the challenges of sustainable development. |
| Name of Organization | What it does and for what it stands |
|---|---|
| Asian Development Bank (ADB) | Asia's rapidly developing cities face inadequate basic services, environmental degradation, and increasing poverty. ADB works to support the transformation of developing cities in the Asia and Pacific region into safe, sustainable urban centers. |
| Contact details | Headquarters (HQ) 6 ADB Avenue, |
Urban publications include: Creating livable Asian cities (2021), https://dx.doi.org/10.22617/SGP210110; Spatial dynamics and driving forces of Asian cities (2020), https://dx.doi.org/10.22617/WPS200220-2; Creating Livable Cities : Regional Perspectives (2019), https://dx.doi.org/10.22617/TCS190465-2; Enabling Inclusive Cities : Tool Kit for Inclusive Urban Development (2016) Urban Development in the Greater Mekong Subregion (2016); https://dx.doi.org/10.22617/TIM157428; GrEEEn Solutions for Livable Cities (2016); Green City Development Tool Kit (2015); Sustainable urbanization in Asia and Latin America (2014), https://hdl.handle.net/11540/47; Green cities (2012) https://hdl.handle.net/11540/95; Inclusive cities (2011) https://hdl.handle.net/11540/127; ADBI, The Housing Challenge in Emerging Asia: Options and Solutions (2016); Managing Asian Cities (2008). | |
| Research Areas | Many of the ADB’s current urban projects seem to focus on urban water supply and/or management and urban (coastal) climate change resilience. |
| Education | Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) provides intellectual input for policy makers in ADB’s developing member countries (DMCs). It does so by conducting research with a focus on medium- to long-term development issues of strategic importance that affects the region and through capacity building and training (CBT) activities that contribute to ADB’s overarching objective of poverty reduction. |
| Organization | What it does and for what it stands |
|---|---|
Cities Alliance | Cities Alliance describes itself as the global partnership fighting urban poverty and supporting cities to deliver sustainable development. Hosted by UNOPS. |
| Contact details | Cities Alliance |
Themes include: Gender; Migration; Slum Upgrading; Climate Change; Innovation; City Development Equitable Economic Growth and Housing. Under the themes it is possible to filter the selection according to publication type (publication, event, news and media item). | |
| Research Areas | They have Country Programmes in Liberia, Uganda, and Tunisia. Their Global Programmes include: Cities and Migration; Cities for Women; Global Programme on Informality; Climate Change, Resilience and Informality in Cities; and Equitable Economic Growth. There is also an Innovation Programme covering: Stronger Partnerships : Local Innovations for new Climate Realities in Cities; Secure Tenure in African Cities; and Migration and the Inclusive Cities. Previous Innovation Programmes included: Know Your City : Information for Transformation (2014); Youth and the City (2012) and an Open Call/Slum Upgrading (2011). The organization lists its themes AS Urban Poverty, Secondary Cities, Slums and Slum Upgrading and Strategic City Planning |
| Education | Over the last few years Cities alliance has sponsored/hosted some (on-line) events on topics such as: Migration, Housing and Cities; Seminar: The Future of The City Statute in Brazil; Slum Upgrading and Prevention in the Decade of Action and Launch: Global State of National Urban Policy 2021 (...) and many more topics. |
| Organization | What it does and for what it stands |
|---|---|
C40 Cities | C40 is a network of the world’s megacities committed to addressing climate change. C40 supports cities to collaborate effectively, share knowledge and drive meaningful, measurable, and sustainable action on climate change. |
| Contact details | C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, Inc, |
Many of the organizations research publications around the issue of climate change can be found here. The site makes extensive use of blog posts to communicate with its members. There are also numerous case studies that can be found here and a section on Green House Gas (GHG) emissions, here. | |
| Research Areas | The organization has the following network initiatives: Adaptation Implementation (Including: Connecting Delta Cities; Cool Cities and Urban Flooding); Air Quality; Energy & Buildings (Including: Clean Construction Forum; Clean Energy; Municipal Building Efficiency; New Building Efficiency and Private Building Efficiency); Food, Waste & Water (Including: Food Systems; Sustainable Waste Systems and Waste to Resources) and Transportation & Urban Planning (Including: Land Use Planning; Mass Transit; Mobility Management; Walking & Cycling and Zero Emission Vehicles). In addition to formal peer-to-peer networks, C40 also offers member cities additional services through its Programme model. These include the following areas: City Finance: (Including: Financing Sustainable Cities Initiative; C40 Cities Finance Facility and Divest/Invest Forum); City Intelligence; Diplomacy (C40 City Diplomacy); Direct Support (Including City Advisers and Building Energy 2020 Programme); Measurement & Planning (Including: Measurement & Planning and Climate Action Planning Resource Centre); Programmes, Business & Innovation (Including: Low-Carbon Districts Forum; Green Economy & Innovation Forum; City Business Alliance; City Solutions Platform and Empowering Cities With Data) and Special Projects (Reinventing Cities; Inclusive Climate Action and Women4Climate). |
| Education | The site did not have many specific training activities for its members, but much of the networking efforts are geared to improving the capacities of all its members. |
| Name of Organization | What it does and for what it stands |
|---|---|
| Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) | CLGF promotes and strengthens democratic local government to support sustainable development across the Commonwealth and provides a collective voice to advocate for greater empowerment at the local level. It does this through conferences and events; technical assistance programmes and research; and practitioner to practitioner support, promoting the exchange of good practice in local government policy, structure and services |
| Contact details | Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) |
Publications | Their Resource Centre houses CLGF publications that cover the Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance, CLGF statements and speeches, the latest and previous issues of the CLGF Bulletin, Country profiles, CLGF research reports, toolkits and policy briefings. The other section, the Knowledge Hub has the following themes: Local Democracy; Local Government Finance; Local Government Service Delivery; Women in Local Government; Local Government in Small States; Global Development Agenda; Cities and Urbanisation and Local Economic Development. The section Cities and Urbanisation has the following topics: Urbanisation and migration; Urban planning; Informal settlements; Formal and informal urban economy; Disaster risk reduction and emergency planning; Safety and security in cities; Smart cities and ICT; Financing cities and New Urban Agenda |
| Research Areas | The CLGF Research Advisory Group (RAG) is a network of research and training institutions including university departments, civil service training centres and think tanks from across the Commonwealth from the associate members of CLGF. The RAG helps inform CLGF's programme, policy and advocacy work. It is involved in events, publications and policy research projects. The Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Network (CSCN) was established in June 2015 and has held three meetings in Singapore (2015), London (2016) and Kigali (2018). |
| Education | The CLGF sees capacity building in partnership with others as one of its key activities for its members. The site has some training manuals on Local Economic Development, but nothing was noted for training about Cities and Urbanization. |
| Name of Organization | What it does and for what it stands |
|---|---|
| European Commission | The Commission is working together with cities to ensure a good quality of life. The Commission aims to help cities to grow sustainably through sharing of knowledge, funding, and other urban policies and initiatives. The point of departure is Europe. |
| Contact details | See website for details of individual departments |
Publications | The following report was compiled with the help of ICLEI European office: Making socially responsible public procurement work : 71 good practice cases (2020) https://doi.org/10.2826/844552. Another publication available from the Publications Office of the EU includes: Handbook of sustainable urban development strategies (2020) https://doi.org/10.2760/32842; and furthermore, IHS worked on the following document for the European Commission: New perspectives for urban development : a strategic approach (December 2011) (Consultative Guidelines for Sustainable Urban Development Cooperation) (2011) which is available here. |
| Research Areas | The Cities and urban development page of the EU includes the following areas of interest: Urban Agenda for the EU; Priority themes for EU cities (encompassing: Air quality in cities; Circular economy in cities; Climate adaptation in cities; Culture and Heritage; Digital transition in cities; Energy transition in cities; Housing in cities; Innovative and responsible public procurement in cities; Inclusion of migrants and refugees in cities; Jobs and skills in the local economy; Sustainable use of land and nature-based solutions in cities; Urban mobility and accessibility, and Urban Poverty); City initiatives; Funding for cities; and Knowledge for cities. |
| Education | No training/education activities pertaining to cities (in the Global South) were noted. |
| Name of Organization | What it does and for what it stands |
|---|---|
| ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability | ICLEI is a global network of more than 2500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. Active in 125+ countries, they aim to influence sustainability policy and drive local action for low emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient, and circular development. |
| Contact details | ICLEI World Secretariat
|
The publications section is divided into the following categories: Books; Case Studies; Guides; ICLEI Archives; Policy briefs; Promotional Materials; Reports and Research and journal articles. Most of the publications seem to be aimed at local government and provide policy advice and case studies. | |
| Research Areas | The focus of the organization is on sustainable urban development, resilience, and climate change for local governments. There is a global coverage with an African Secretariat; an East Asian Secretariat; a Mexico, Central America & Caribbean Secretariat, an Oceania Secretariat; a South American Secretariat; a South Asia Secretariat, a Southeast Asia Secretariat; a Canada Office; a Japan Office, a Korean Office, a USA Office and the Kaohsiung Capacity Centre (Taiwan). Some of these locations, such as the African Secretariat, and offer some resources with the following ‘pathways’ Resilient development (151); Equitable and people-cantered development; Nature-based development; Low emission development and Circular development. These included documents varying from: Publications & reports; Brochures & fact sheets; Posters & infographics; Case studies and Webinars and videos. |
| Education | It is more of a campaigning/networking type of organization and there is little evidence on the site of any specific training courses for its members. However, there may by exceptions, as evidenced by the existence of a TRAINING CURRICULUM Integrating Air Pollution and Climate Change Planning in Cities in Asia (2021) which ICLEI East Asia delivered together with Clean Air Asia and the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES). |
| Name of Organization | What it does and for what it stands |
|---|---|
| Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) | The IADB works to improve lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. Through financial and technical support for countries working to reduce poverty and inequality, it seeks to improve health and education, and advance infrastructure. it aims is to achieve development in a sustainable, climate-friendly way. With a history dating back to 1959, the bank is a leading source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean. It provides loans, grants, and technical |
| Contact details | IADB Headquarters |
Publications | Some of their publications relevant to urban development include the following: Conceptual and Methodological Note to Measure Discrimination Against Slum Dwellers and the Impact on Discrimination of Slum Upgrading Interventions : Case Study of Buenos Aires (2020); http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0002907; Slum Upgrading and Housing in Latin America (2016); Shelter from the Storm : Upgrading Housing Infrastructure in Latin American Slums (2014); Evaluation of Slum Upgrading Programs : Literature Review and Methodological Approaches (2013); Cities for All : Recent Experiences with Neighborhood Upgrading Programs (2002); Gender Inequalities in Cities (2020) Housing What's Next? : From Thinking The Unit to Building The City (2019); The State of Social Housing in Six Caribbean Countries (2016); Rental Housing Wanted : Options for Expanding Housing Policy (2014); Transit Oriented Development: How to Make Cities More Compact, Connected and Coordinated : Recommendations for Brazilian Municipalities(2021); Climate Resilient Biodiverse Cities in Latin America and the Caribbean (2020), http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0002618; General Guidelines for the Development of Studies to Reduce Hydroclimatic Risks in Cities : Lessons Learned from the Emerging and Sustainable Cities Initiative in Face of the Climate Change Challenge in Latin America and the Caribbean(2019); Creating Livable Cities : Regional Perspectives (2019), http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0001939; Big Urban Data : a Strategic Guide for Cities (2019); Steering the Metropolis: Metropolitan Governance for Sustainable Urban Development (2017), http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0000875; and Bairro : Ten Years Later (2020), http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0002430 |
| Research Areas See: https://www.iadb.org/en/sector/urban-development-and-housing/overview and https://www.iadb.org/en/urban-development-and-housing/housing-and-urban-development | There is a Sector Housing and Urban Development whose aim is: “To extend the benefits of urbanization to all urban residents in Latin America and the Caribbean.” Focus areas include: |
| Education There is a catalogue of IADB courses (most are in Spanish) | The Inter-American Institute for Economic and Social Development (INDES) is a unit of the IDB group that is responsible for promoting knowledge and learning products related to economic and social development in Latin America and the Caribbean. |
| Name of Organization | What it does and for what it stands |
|---|---|
International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) | IIED’s mission is to build a fairer, more sustainable world, using evidence, action and influence, working in partnership with others |
| Contact details | International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), |
Publications The IIED publications library contains over 7000 free publications. | Urban publications include: Better cities after COVID-19 (2021); The complex dynamics of Nairobi’s low-income housing services and land markets (2019); “No time to waste” in applying the lessons from Latin America’s 50 years of housing policies (Journal article} (2019), https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0956247818781499; Responding to climate change in cities and in their informal settlements and economies (2018); Revealing and Responding to Multiple Health Risks in Informal Settlements in Sub-Saharan African Cities (2018); https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-018-0264-4; Pakistan : the causes and repercussions of the housing crisis (2018). IIED also compiles the journal Environment and Urbanization that is published by Sage. See also the Journal section of this resource. Furthermore, some IIED staff have published books and book chapters in various books dealing with cities and urban development in the Global South, a number of these books are cited in the e-book thematic sections of this resource. |
| Research Areas | In terms of their urban focus IIED states: Their focus is on urban poverty and urban environmental issues, including rural-urban linkages, urban risk and urban crises, health, water and sanitation, inclusion, gender and disability, and shelter and basic services. They work with in-country partners to promote equitable, inclusive, sustainable and resilient urban development. |
| Education | A search of the IIED library gave 826 results for the term “training", many of the documents seeming to be reports on in situ capacity building workshops on various topics in the Global South. |
| Name of Organization | What it does and for what it stands |
|---|---|
| Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS) | IHS envisions cities that are liveable and just as well as socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable. Its mission being to inspire and empower urban professionals and citizens to make cities work for all. |
| Contact details | Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), |
The publications section consists of the following sections: staff publications; working papers; project papers; occasional papers; thesis series and some guidelines for publications. | |
| Research Areas | IHS education, advisory services and research all revolve around 3 main thematic areas: Urban Socio-Spatial Development; Urban Sustainability and Climate Change Resilience; and Urban Economics and Governance. Since 1976, IHS works on a global scale providing advisory services to local and national governments, non-governmental and civil society organizations, as well as academic and training institutions. The institute has worked on contract for the World Bank, UN-HABITAT, UNDP, the Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, SIDA, the EU, GTZ, and Cordaid. It also works on contract for local and national government clients. Services provided by IHS include policy-level support and institutional development, on the job training for government professionals, aid in the development of citywide strategic planning and participatory processes, development of methodologies and frameworks, research and programme evaluation. |
| Education | Coming from a tradition in capacity building and training IHS has a long history in running courses at home and in situ in the global South on housing and urban development. It currently offers and contributes to a number of courses including an MSc in Urban Management and Development (UMD) that includes the following tracks for the next UMD20: Urban Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change; Strategic Urban Planning and Policies; Urban Digital Transformation and Innovation; and Urban Housing and Land Justice. There is an Urban Governance Master run together with the Department of Public Administration of the Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). In addition, each year IHS offers a range of short courses. In recent years IHS has also expanded its PhD. programme. |
| Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (LILP) | The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (LILP) seeks to improve quality of life through the effective use, taxation, and stewardship of land. It is a non-profit private operating foundation whose origins date to 1946, the Lincoln Institute researches and recommends creative approaches to land as a solution to economic, social, and environmental challenges. Through education, training, publications, and events, they integrate theory and practice to inform public policy decisions worldwide. Their work is organized around six goals: six goals: low-carbon, climate-resilient communities and regions; efficient and equitable tax systems; reduced poverty and spatial inequality; fiscally healthy communities and regions; sustainably managed land and water resources; and functional land markets and reduced informality. |
| Contact details | Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (LILP)
|
Publications | Their publications include: Bridging divides : building an inclusionary housing policy in Cape Town (2021); Legal aspects of inclusionary housing In South Africa (2021); Property tax in Africa : status, challenges, and prospects (2017); Financing metropolitan governments in developing countries (2013); Value capture and land policies (2012); China's housing reform and outcomes (2011); Inclusionary housing in international perspective : affordable housing, social inclusion, and land value recapture (2010); Municipal revenues and land policies (2010); The community land trust reader (2010) Property rights and land policies (2009); Making the property tax work : experiences in developing and transitional countries (2008) and Urbanization in China critical issues in an era of rapid growth (2007). |
| Research Areas | The Institute is committed to nonpartisan, evidence-based research and policy analysis. Utilizing a variety of methods, from case studies and surveys to econometric modelling, it undertakes research across a wide range of topics, all in service of the mission to solve real-world problems through better land policy. The Institute periodically issues requests for proposals on key themes and offers fellowship programmes. |
| Education | Their courses and events provide a platform for the discussion of emerging and current research in land policy. |
| Name of Organization | What it does and for what it stands |
|---|---|
| Manchester Urban Institute (MUI) | The mission of MUI is to serve as a leading academic urban institute that generates world-class research, achieves high levels of engagement and impact with non-academic stakeholders and trains the next generation of urban activists, decision-makers, researchers and scholars. It aims to be a leading global location for urban research, with a combined focus on both the global north and Global South. |
| Contact details | Manchester Urban Institute (MUI) |
The publication section is sorted by year and includes book chapters, journal articles, reports and papers, the more recent ones often being Open Access. | |
| Research Areas | The Institute has three signature research themes: Green and Resilient Urban Futures; Smart and Sustainable Cities and Spatial Inequalities and Poverty. It also has the following research groups: Cities, Politics, economies Research Group; Cities and sustainability; Global Urban Futures; Manchester Architecture Research Group; Manchester Urban Aging Research Group; and Spatial Policy and Analysis Laboratory. |
| Education | The Institute has four PhD students funded through the University of Manchester’s and the University of Melbourne’s Global doctoral Research Network (GOLDEN) programme which features a dual-award scheme. There is also the International Doctoral Cluster – Cities and Infrastructure in a Global Age which is a post graduate collaboration between the universities of Manchester and Toronto. |
| Name of Organization | What it does and for what it stands |
|---|---|
| Shack/Slum Dwellers International (SDI) | SDI is a network of community-based organisations of the urban poor in 32 countries and hundreds of cities and towns across Africa, Asia and Latin America. In each country where SDI has a presence, affiliate organizations come together at the community, city and national level to form federations of the urban poor. SDI is committed to supporting a process that is driven from below. It facilitates, and sometimes resources, horizontal exchange and information sharing programmes amongst member federations. It also seeds precedent-setting projects. These exchange programmes and projects have a “political” dimension, to the extent that they are geared towards catalyzing change processes at all levels, from informal community-based institutions to formal institutions of the state and the market. |
| Contact details | Shack/Slum Dwellers International (SDI) |
Publications | Some of its partners published the following: Realising the multiple benefits of climate resilience and inclusive development in informal settlements (2019); Know your city : slum dwellers count (2018); Understanding the contribution of the BSUP (JNNURM) to inclusive cities in India (ESID Working Paper ; 97) (2018); Where will the money come from? SDI and local-level finance (2017); Taking money to making money : SPARC, NSDF and Mahila Milan : Transform low-income shelter options in India (2017); Muungano nguvu yetu (unity is strength) 20 years of the Kenyan federation of slum dwellers (2017) and “We beat the path by walking” How the women of Mahila Milan in India learned to plan, design, finance and build housing (2016). |
| Research Areas | Know Your City is a global campaign of Slum Dwellers International (SDI), United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG-A), and Cities Alliance. Around the world, slum dwellers collect city-wide data and information on informal settlements. This work creates alternative systems of knowledge that are owned by the communities and have become the basis of a unique social and political argument that supports an informed and united voice of the urban poor. It has 7,712 Slums profiled 224 Cities profiled. However, there seems to be no update since 2018 beta version. |
| Education | No training/education programmes were found on their site, but at a local level one expects some activities around community mobilization. |
| Name of Organization | What it does and for what it stands |
|---|---|
| The South African Cities Network (SACN) is a network of South African cities and partners that encourages the exchange of information, experience and best practice on urban development and city management. Working together with South African cities and partners through research, knowledge sharing, peer learning and innovation, it aims to achieve the urban futures vision outlined in the Integrated Urban Development Framework and the National Development Plan. | |
| Contact details | South African Cities Network (SACN) |
In its Knowledge Hub, publications are arranged by year and sorted by the following categories: Publications; Integrated Urban Development Framework; State of Cities Reports; Reference Groups and Infrastructure Dialogues. There are also plans to publish Case Studies on the themes of Inclusive Cities; Sustainable & Resilient Cities; Productive Cities and Well-Governed Cities | |
| Research Areas |
|
| Education | The South African Cities Network seems to have a number of publications focusing on local practice, such as: A how-to-guide on running effective expanded public works programmes (2021). |
| Name of Organization | What it does and for what it stands |
|---|---|
| United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) | The organization aims to promote transformative change in cities and human settlements through knowledge, policy advice, technical assistance and collaborative action. They set standards, propose norms and principles, share good practice, monitor global progress and support formulation of policies related to sustainable cities and human settlements. In recent years there has been a shift from providing technical assistance to in-country implementation of projects. By sharing the organization seeks to mobilize public, political and financial support and collaborative action to inspire qualitative change in national development plans, policy frameworks, development practice and investment choices for sustainable urban development at the local, national and global levels. It collaborates with collaborates with governments, intergovernmental, UN agencies, civil society organizations, foundations, academic institutions and the private sector to address the challenges of urbanization. |
| Contact details | United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) |
UN-Habitat’s Research and Publications section has an extensive listing of the organization’s publications. Among those are the following (incomplete selection) : Cities and pandemics : towards a more just, green and healthy future (2021); World Cities Report 2020 The Value of Sustainable Urbanization (2020); Global Experiences in Land Readjustment: Urban Legal Case Studies: Volume 7 (2018); Leveraging land : land-based finance for local governments : a reader (2016); World Cities Report 2016 : Urbanization and Development - Emerging Futures (2016); National urban policy : a guiding framework (2015); The Challenge of Slums - Global Report on Human Settlements (2003).Numerous housing/urban profiles and tools/guidelines have been developed: The Housing Barometer. A tool to support a rapid housing sector review (2018); Baidoa Urban Profile 2020 (2020); Beletweyne Urban Profile (2020); Johwar Urban Profile (2020); Kismayo Urban Profile (2020); Tabbaneh Neighbourhood Profile (2018); Housing Profile Mozambique (Portuguese) (2018); Afghanistan (2017); Maachouk neighourhood profile and strategy. Tyre, Lebanon (2017); Egypt housing profile (2016); Lesotho housing profile (2015); Perfil de la Vivienda Cuba (2014); El Salvador (2014); Liberia housing profile (2014); Viet Nam housing sector profile (2014); Profil du Secteur du Logement Urban au Senegal (Senegal Urban Housing Sector Profile) (2013); Solomon Islands national urban profile (2013); Fiji national urban profile (2012); Fiji Greater Suva Urban Profile (2012); Fiji Lautoka Urban Profile (2012); Fiji Nadi Urban Profile (2012); Solomon Islands: Gizo Urban Profile (2012); Mauritius :Black River urban profile (2012) Uganda urban housing sector profile (2012); Uganda : Kitgum Urban Profile (2012); Zambia urban housing sector profile (2012); Ghana housing profile (2011); Nepal urban housing sector profile (2011); Tunisia housing profile (2011); A practical guide for conducting housing profiles (2011); A practical guide for conducting housing profiles - revised version (2011); Malawi urban housing sector profile (2010); Papua New Guinea: Goroka city profile (2010); Ethiopia : Addis Ababa urban profile (2008); Ethiopia : Dire Dawa urban profile (2008). | |
| Research Areas | The organization covers the following topics: Climate Change; Disability; Economy and Finance; Energy; Gender; Governance and Decentralization; Housing; Human Rights; Innovation; Land; Legislation; Metropolitan Management; Migration; Mobility and Transport; Municipal Finance; Planning and Design; Public Space; Regeneration; Rehabilitation; Resilience and Risk Reduction; Safety; Slum Upgrading; Urban Health; Urban Policy; Urban-Rural Linkages; Voluntary Local Reviews; Waste Management; Water and Sanitation and Youth and Livelihoods. The organization has developed The New Urban Agenda Platform which is a knowledge portal for gathering voluntary reports, best practices, and data - both quantitative and qualitative, for reviewing the progress made in implementing the New Urban Agenda to achieve the 2030 Agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals. There are also five ‘Flagship’ programmes: 1. Inclusive, Vibrant Neighbourhoods and Communities; 2. People-focused Smart Cities; 3. RISE-UP : Resilient Settlements for the Urban Poor; 4. Enhancing the Positive Impact of Urban Migration; and 5. SDG Cities. |
| Education | The organization offers training and capacity building projects through the transfer of skills and knowledge to governments and urban stakeholders; enhancing government capacities through regional training centres; its (online) Cities and Climate Change Academy; and an e-learning platform and capacity building package for participatory slum upgrading. Some of these seem to have been rebranded as UN-Habitat Learn an on-line platform which has the following course categories: New Urban Agenda; General; Measuring Sustainable Development Goals Indicators and, Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme. With Coming soon: Public space and UN-Habitat staff (internal staff training). They also have the Global Urban Lectures on YouTube including lectures on many urban issues by leading experts. |
| Name of Organization | What it does and for what it stands |
|---|---|
| WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities | This is the World Resources Institute’s program dedicated to shaping a future where cities work better for everyone. It consists of a team of 300+ local and international experts with deep expertise in urban planning and development, mobility, energy efficiency, resilience, housing, water management and more. Eighty percent of the staff are based in offices in Brazil, China, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Mexico and Turkey. The focus is on integrated solutions to new and long-standing urban challenges, primarily in the global south. Cities in Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia, South Asia and the Pacific represent the greatest opportunity for a radical shift in how urban areas are planned, built and governed. Through innovative research, deep engagement, and global partnerships, their network of local and international experts puts cities on a trajectory of more sustainable and equitable development. They catalyze and accelerate transformative initiatives that turn cities into resilient, inclusive, low-carbon places that are good for people and the planet. The WRI Ross Center was established in 2014 following a $30.5 million contribution from Stephen M. Ross, chairman and founder of Related Companies. It expands the transport and urban development expertise of the EMBARQ network to catalyze innovative solutions in other sectors, including water, buildings, land use and energy. |
| Contact details | WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities |
On their publications page it is possible to search for publications using a Project and a City filter. The organization also compiled the World Resources Report : towards a more equal city | |
| Research Areas | Practice areas include: Buildings; Energy and Climate; Health and Road Safety; Sustainable Urban Mobility; Urban Climate Resilience, Urban Development; and Water. Their approach builds upon WRI’s successful track record in urban activities, introducing game-changing solutions that create more prosperous, livable cities. It translates rigorous research into tangible practice at the scale and pace cities in the developing world need, leveraging a global network of trusted experts in urban economics, engineering, planning, finance, and policy. They work closely with leading financial, business, and city institutions—such as the World Bank and regional development banks, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development WBCSD), C40, ICLEI, and UN-HABITAT—to expand their influence and expedite the shift to sustainable cities. Through these partnerships, they seek to provide objective information and practical proposals for policy and institutional change. The intention being to fill the gap between knowledge and practice and creating a tangible impact on the ground. They work in 100+ cities and they have influenced 300+ more across 75+ countries. The list offers a non-comprehensive look at some of the cities where they have worked. |
| Education | No recent education activities were noted. |
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