Comments on: Why is humanitarian work so hard in cities? http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/?p=1760 duncan green poverty to power oxfam development Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:21:47 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Sara http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/?p=1760&cpage=1#comment-10584 Sara Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:35:42 +0000 http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/?p=1760#comment-10584 Actually, the majority of the world's population now reside in cities. This is a fact and the plights and perils of the poor in burgeoning cities of developing countries, like Port au Prince, are only getting worse by the day. Yes, local and some national NGOs exist, but none with the scale and capacity that Oxfam and other international NGOs can bring in terms of expertise. While rural poverty is incredibly hard, I do not know of what life could be worse than that of a youth who migrates from the fresh air and most likely better quality of life, and family in his/her rural village to an urban squalor in search of employment, opportunities, etc. and then end up living the slum life. Furthermore, he/she is too ashamed to return home for fear of being considered a failure by his/her community! But we as humanity did this because rural has been considered 'backwards' and all the media portrays success and the 'good easy hifi life' (that everyone wants) as obtainable in the city. Anyways, I am an urban planner and a fellow urban planner in the US has suggested creating a 'Planners without Borders' organization. See the link to the discussion via the Sustainable International Development group on LinkedIn. What are your thoughts on this? http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?discussionID=12361137&viewQuestionAndAnswers=&gid=143299&trk=EML_anet_qa_cmnt-cDhOon0JumNFomgJt7dBpSBA Actually, the majority of the world’s population now reside in cities. This is a fact and the plights and perils of the poor in burgeoning cities of developing countries, like Port au Prince, are only getting worse by the day. Yes, local and some national NGOs exist, but none with the scale and capacity that Oxfam and other international NGOs can bring in terms of expertise. While rural poverty is incredibly hard, I do not know of what life could be worse than that of a youth who migrates from the fresh air and most likely better quality of life, and family in his/her rural village to an urban squalor in search of employment, opportunities, etc. and then end up living the slum life. Furthermore, he/she is too ashamed to return home for fear of being considered a failure by his/her community! But we as humanity did this because rural has been considered ‘backwards’ and all the media portrays success and the ‘good easy hifi life’ (that everyone wants) as obtainable in the city.

Anyways, I am an urban planner and a fellow urban planner in the US has suggested creating a ‘Planners without Borders’ organization. See the link to the discussion via the Sustainable International Development group on LinkedIn. What are your thoughts on this?

http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?discussionID=12361137&viewQuestionAndAnswers=&gid=143299&trk=EML_anet_qa_cmnt-cDhOon0JumNFomgJt7dBpSBA

]]> By: pushpanath http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/?p=1760&cpage=1#comment-10576 pushpanath Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:09:22 +0000 http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/?p=1760#comment-10576 The fundemental reson is that we as Oxfam have an aversion to history(Of the organization)which sometime translates into wondefully enabling older and experienced staff to exit or ignore. You only have to visit the archives to find out some of the urban programme before oxfam decided on global stategic objectives. There was an attempt in late late 19902s to revisit the subject but nothing happened. The moment we talk about Urban -we worry about having an expert,having an expert knowledge and writing the most compelling paper which all the great and good have to agree... there you go-where are the field staff who could just go into an urban shanty and start a conversation -today? The fundemental reson is that we as Oxfam have an aversion to history(Of the organization)which sometime translates into wondefully enabling older and experienced staff to exit or ignore.

You only have to visit the archives to find out some of the urban programme before oxfam decided on global stategic objectives.

There was an attempt in late late 19902s to revisit the subject but nothing happened.

The moment we talk about Urban -we worry about having an expert,having an expert knowledge and writing the most compelling paper which all the great and good have to agree…
there you go-where are the field staff who could just go into an urban shanty and start a conversation -today?

]]> By: Paul C http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/?p=1760&cpage=1#comment-10558 Paul C Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:22:41 +0000 http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/?p=1760#comment-10558 At the macro level, it's complexity in general - we're poor at dealing with it. Urban environments are far more complex than rural environments, and the sort of linear interventions preferred by the humanitarian community simply don't do that well. At the macro level, it’s complexity in general – we’re poor at dealing with it. Urban environments are far more complex than rural environments, and the sort of linear interventions preferred by the humanitarian community simply don’t do that well.

]]> By: Rosaline Hirschowitz http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/?p=1760&cpage=1#comment-10557 Rosaline Hirschowitz Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:17:28 +0000 http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/?p=1760#comment-10557 I wish to express my shock and disgust at the Obama-led American government’s behaviour in Haiti. In the face of crisis and tragedy, they have shown nothing but contempt for other countries wishing to help those who are dying in Haiti. The US has commandeered and taken over the airport at Port au Prince.Planes from other countries have been turned away by US military personnel. Even planes carrying medical equipment such as mobile hospitals, mobile operating theatres, and dialysis machines are being turned away. Planes carrying food have been turned away. This is unacceptable and shocking behaviour. I hereby publically distance myself from the Obama government, which I so strongly supported during the election campaign. I sincerely hope other concerned people wanting to help those in need, have the courage to denounce the actions of the US government. I wish to express my shock and disgust at the Obama-led American government’s behaviour in Haiti. In the face of crisis and tragedy, they have shown nothing but contempt for other countries wishing to help those who are dying in Haiti. The US has commandeered and taken over the airport at Port au Prince.Planes from other countries have been turned away by US military personnel. Even planes carrying medical equipment such as mobile hospitals, mobile operating theatres, and dialysis machines are being turned away. Planes carrying food have been turned away. This is unacceptable and shocking behaviour. I hereby publically distance myself from the Obama government, which I so strongly supported during the election campaign. I sincerely hope other concerned people wanting to help those in need, have the courage to denounce the actions of the US government.

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