This series of six briefs celebrates the innovative efforts of organised groups of slum dwellers to tackle, recover from, and mitigate against the overlapping crises and multifaceted vulnerabilities of urban informality, such as inadequate infrastructure, environmental hazards, and social inequalities.
By addressing these challenges, they work to mitigate the impact of these issues and improve their living conditions.
This brief highlights the complexity and tensions involved in implementing community-led initiatives within informal settlements, where political, social, and economic instability often intensifies existing vulnerabilities.
The brief focuses on the critical need for conflict-sensitive approaches that not only build trust and social cohesion but also promote resilience in the face of potential unrest.
By fostering strong community relationships and proactively mitigating risks, these approaches can ensure that development interventions are sustainable and inclusive, even in challenging contexts.
Examples include the implementation of robust safeguards and conflict-sensitive practices during electoral periods in Kenya, which help protect communities from politically motivated violence, and the strategic navigation of political turmoil in Brazil through adaptive and flexible project planning.
Additionally, in Liberia, youth civic engagement initiatives are actively promoted to support peaceful elections, reducing the risks of polarisation and conflict, and encouraging young people to contribute positively to their communities.
The brief is part of the Building Resilience in Informal Settlements programme, a broader initiative led by Cities Alliance and Slum Dwellers International (SDI), with funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). The programme aims to support sustainable and inclusive development in informal settlements, focusing on locally-led climate adaptation and resilience building.
Other briefs in this series
Brief 1: For Sustained Solutions to Urban Challenges, Focus on Strengthening Grassroots Leadership
Brief 2: Negotiating with Cities: Transformative Collaborations for Sustainable Resilience
Brief 3: Locally Led Infrastructure Projects: Small but Scalable Climate Adaptation
Brief 4: Mainstreaming the Marginalised Majority: A Grassroots Perspective on Gender and Youth
Brief 6: Locally Led Environmental Management for Climate Resilience
