The
director of the International Institute for Environmental and Development
(IIED), Camilla
Toulmin has called for adequate policy to
tackle all form of gender inequality and seize the urban potential to improve lives
as growth in the urban area is inevitable while poverty is not.
A
recent research conducted by IIED with the support of the United Nations
Population Fund (UNFPA) revealed that urbanization provides more job
opportunities for the women but this doesn’t always give a fair distribution of
wealth and other advantages that come with it.
The
research result, NaijaAgroNet gathered shows that residents of low-income and informal
urban settlements suffer hugely from inadequate living conditions with limited
access to services that disproportionate burden on women's unpaid time and
results in far-reaching consequences for the well-being.
Speaking
about the report, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, UNFPA Executive Director said that
the research gave room for a new and emerging area of work which is of critical
importance in order to reduce poverty and work towards gender equality.
“Responding
effectively to rapid urbanization—which is occurring in many countries—requires
empowering women and young people and improving their access to education,
health and employment,” he said.
Speaking
on the same note, a researcher from IIED, Cecilia Tacoli affirmed that gender
inequalities in free time, working and living conditions, as well as exposure
to violence, are some of the hidden aspects of poverty that affect women more
disproportionately.
“When
people talk of poverty they focus on income, but poverty has other aspects that
affect men and women, old and young people in different ways,” Cecilia noted.
Further,
NaijaAgroNet
gathered from the report of the research that urbanization leads to lower
fertility rates, but women living in poor areas may have as many children as
rural women because their access to reproductive health services can be just as
bad, if not worse.
The
research also notes the potential for urbanization to deliver sustainable
development and better quality of life for all individuals, noting that society
as a whole should recognize the important role of unpaid female care work in
ensuring that children, older people and those who are sick or disabled are
looked after, especially where communities lack adequate services and
infrastructure.
'Yinka Awosanya
... Linking agrobiz, people & technology
