Slumscapes - India, Mexico, Kenya, South Africa
“As the United Nations prepares a new 20-year plan to cope with the challenges of booming urbanization, residents of the world's five biggest slums are battling to carve out a place in the cities of the future. Home to more than 900 million people worldwide - or nearly one in every seven people - the UN says slums are emerging spontaneously as a "dominant and distinct type of settlement" in the 21st century. Today one quarter of the world's city dwellers live in slums - and they are there to stay.
The UN's 193 member states are now set to adopt the first detailed road map to guide the growth of cities, towns and informal settlements, ensure they are sustainable, do not destroy the environment and protect the rights of the vulnerable.”
This project was a rare occasion to produce documentary photography, video, journalism and data driven storytelling. Slumscapes was produced and published by Thomson Reuters Foundation, with assistance from Code For Africa and africanDRONE.
"Investing in participatory slum upgrading - putting people and housing at the centre - can contribute to achieving sustainable urbanization, reducing inequalities and making prosperity available for all."
Dr Joan Clos, Executive Director UN – Habitat