Global challenges

Urbanisation

a city view in Palestine

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The world is becoming more and more urban. By 2050, 70% of the world population will live in cities. This global trend concerns both the rise of megacities and the spread of small and medium-sized cities. 75% of the world population is living in urban settlements of fewer than 500.000 people. Cities are also growing younger, with an estimated 60% of urban populations under the age of 18 by 2030.

Our approach

Access to quality public services for all

Enabel supports cities to upgrade and maintain urban infrastructure for quality services (access to water and sanitation, roads, energy), including in informal settlements.

Integrated and participatory city planning and management

Enabel supports cities in co-creating policies and tools for appropriate city planning and management. Urban authorities and civil organisations are encouraged to collaborate closely and to promote women’s leadership and participation in joint efforts to improve city life.

Business opportunities and jobs for youths and women

Enabling young people and women to develop their talents and skills and promoting entrepreneurship will boost the urban economy. Taking into account ever-changing market needs, harnessing the potential of the urban economy and tapping into the opportunities offered by the digital economy are key to foster innovative urban eco-systems.

Safe and cohesive cities

Enabel contributes in shaping cities’ ability to offer inclusive and safe environments to their citizens. Specific attention is devoted to young people, women and vulnerable groups. Urban violence and gender-based violence in particular is addressed in a comprehensive manner through enhancing access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, to gender-responsive infrastructure, and working closely with schools, the police and the judicial authorities.

More on urbanisation

The world is facing huge challenges in realising the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Enabel wants to contribute with its experience and expertise in five specific domains: Peace and Security, Climate Change and the Environment, Social and Economic Inequality, Urbanisation, and Human Mobility. In our search for adapted solutions we take into account the inevitable ongoing population explosion and we strongly believe in empowering women and youths.

This brochure describes how we address urbanisation in our projects.

Download the brochure
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News & Events

Events

17 October 2022

Accessible social health protection in low-income countries

Every country in the world faces the challenge of protecting its population. But how to set up social protection? Where to start?

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17 October 2022

Poser les bases d’une architecture durable

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young people doing volunteer work News

17 October 2022

Quelles sont les formes d’engagement prises par les jeunes actuellement ?

Si les marches pour le climat, le mouvement #metoo et les manifestations Black Lives Matter sont des exemples récents d’engagement social où les jeunes ont pris une place prépondérante, des discours catastrophiques se font également entendre : les jeunes seraient de moins en moins intéressé·es par les questions sociales.

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a portable toilet in mbuji mayi, congo News

7 October 2022

How about generating energy with your toilet trip?

In Mbuji-Mayi, sanitation is not what it should be: due to very rapid urbanisation, several families usually share facilities. Sewers are lacking and sanitation is limited to communal latrines. Enabel carries out a pilot project in the Congolese metropolis to generate energy from human excrement.

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Jean van Wetter & Delphine Moralis News

6 October 2022

Interview with Jean van Wetter & Delphine Moralis

Moving from a logic of problems to one of opportunities: Interview with Delphine Moralis (chairperson of the board of directors) and Jean Van Wetter (managing director) of Enabel

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doctor talking with a nurse News

6 October 2022

Helping people becoming better at their job

Receiving quality health care and education is not a given in Uganda. Although efforts towards better service delivery have been made by the Ugandan government, civil society and donors, a lot remains to be done. Enabel, in cooperation with the Ugandan government, set up a project to contribute to improved service delivery by helping doctors, nurses, teachers, principals and managers become better at their job.

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Busy street in Mali. Cars, motor-taxis, a person on a horse and pedestrians are going about their day.

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