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 community-driven infrastructure initiatives that are vital for enhancing climate adaptation in informal settlements. It focuses on practical, locally-led solutions that improve access to essential services such as water, sanitation, energy, and waste management, while simultaneously building long-term climate resilience and addressing the specific needs of these vulnerable communities.
These initiatives are key to reducing the risks posed by climate change and ensuring that informal settlements can thrive despite the challenges they face.
Examples include rehabilitating water reservoirs in Zambia to ensure continuous community access to clean water during prolonged dry spells, utilising solar-powered water pumps in Zimbabwe to mitigate the severe impact of recurrent droughts, and renovating public sanitation facilities in Tanzania to maintain hygiene standards, reduce the spread of disease, and prevent potential outbreaks, particularly in densely populated areas.
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 4: Mainstreaming the Marginalised Majority: A Grassroots Perspective on Gender and Youth
Brief 5: The Conflict Sensitive Nature of Working in Informal Settlements
Brief 6: Locally Led Environmental Management for Climate Resilience
