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In This Update:
In Rio de Janeiro, Community Dashboard Combats Coronavirus Underreporting
Finding Answers in Wuhan, the City of Silence
India "Housing for All" Program Seeks to Entice Migrant Workers Back to Cities
Report Finds Housing Insecurity Jeopardizes Rehabilitation of Prisoners
Why Shade Matters for Workers in Hyderabad
In American Cities, Murder Rate Climbs Sharply
Violence Against Women and COVID-19: Can We Learn from the Pandemic?
This Week in Photos
In the News And Around the Web
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In Rio de Janeiro, Community Dashboard Combats Coronavirus Underreporting
In Rio de Janeiro, nonprofit organization Catalytic Communities has developed an information dashboard that aggregates and displays data on coronavirus from 120 favelas in the city as part of an effort to combat underreporting in Brazil. Rio's favelas are home to about 1.3 million people who live in inadequate and overcrowded housing without access to clean water and sanitation, conditions that
facilitate virus transmission as people are unable to socially distance or hand wash. The dashboard has identified several cases that indicate underreporting. For example, the city of Rio recorded 83 coronavirus deaths in the the Complexo da Mare favela, while the dashboard data identified 112 fatalities.
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Finding Answers in Wuhan, The City of Silence
In a BBC interactive photo essay, journalist John Sudworth investigates the origins of coronavirus in Wuhan, China and the "manipulation of information" that continues to make it difficult to map its chronology. In the "city of silence," the government refuses to provide critical information to the public and has forbidden residents and healthcare workers from speaking to foreign journalists. Evidence suggests that hiding information about the virus severely impeded the city's ability to contain the virus. One study suggests that although Wuhan did implement one of the world's longest and strictest lockdowns by January 23, the city could have reduced its cases by 66% had it acted a week earlier.
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India "Housing for All" Program Seeks to Entice Migrant Workers Back to Cities
In India, "Housing for All," a new affordable rental housing initiative, hopes to entice millions of migrant workers who left India's major cities during coronavirus lockdown to return.
India's lockdown left as many as 140 million migrant laborers without jobs and homes. In some cases, large groups who left cities were then prevented from returning home as the lockdown forbade cross-state travel. The government says it will provide affordable rental housing for 300,000 workers by 2022. But, experts say
rental housing alone may not be enough to entice migrant workers back to cities, considering many
walked hundreds of miles home, beg for food and transport, and go home empty-handed.
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Report Finds Housing Insecurity Jeopardizes Rehabilitation of Former Prisoners
An investigation by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation in the United Kingdom has found that unstable housing jeopardizes the rehabilitation of offenders. The investigation followed 116 people after release and found that those released into homelessness or insecure housing were 20% more likely to re-offend within twelve months than those released into secure housing. Chief Inspector of Probation Justin Russell explained that secure housing is key to helping former offenders establish a crime-free life after incarceration, noting: "A stable address helps individuals to resettle back into the community: to find work, open a bank account, claim benefits and services."
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Why Shade Matters for Workers in Hyderabad
A study of the Indian city Hyderabad finds that loss of shade in cities, by trees felled from construction projects, damages the livelihoods and health of street vendors. The report's co-authors say that shade is crucial to "ensuring a comfortable, liveable work environment" for street vendors, especially in cities like Hyderabad where summertime temperatures average at 104 degrees Fahrenheit. But, despite the fact that street vendors and informal workers are the primary occupiers of urban streets, they are often excluded from urban ecological planning," and green spaces and shade tend to proliferate in wealthier, residential areas of the city. The authors urge city planners to see public green spaces as an equity, rather than aesthetic issue
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In American Cities, Murder Rate Climbs Sharply This Summer
The murder rate in major American cities has climbed sharply this summer, disproportionately affecting communities of color. Experts say a confluence of summer heat, COVID-19, police protests, and job loss are responsible for the trend. In New York City last month, minorities comprised 97% of shooting victims. Crime expert Daniel Webster says systemic urban inequalities play a role, noting: "People who get involved in violence, many of them are financially insecure, housing insecure, food insecure - their whole life insecure." Webster also believes that many cities lack resources to adequately address crime and says: "Communities are desperate for resources, particularly at this time, and it goes beyond what a city can do. This is really a national public policy issue."
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Violence Against Women and COVID-19:
Can We Learn from the Pandemic?
At
URBANET, IHC Global Program and Policy Coordinator Natalie Gill explores how frontier technologies can support women's safety in cities.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought existing inequalities and social injustices worldwide to the forefront, while cities have borne the brunt of the virus. Gender inequalities, and particularly violence against women and girls have become more obvious than ever before. Gill explains how the IHC Global Smart City Just City framework applying a gender lens can help cities to employ technology for equity, inclusiveness, gender equality, and women's empowerment.
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This Week in Photos
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Belgrade Protesters Demonstrate Against Coronavirus Lockdown: Protests broke out in the Serbian capital following the announcement to reinstate a weekend lockdown.
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Following President Jair Bolsonaro During Coronavirus
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After months of encouraging large gatherings and minimizing the risk of COVID-19, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro contracted the virus.
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In The News and Around the Web
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Melbourne Locks Down Again: Melbourne, Australia's second largest city, announced a second six-week lockdown.
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Tokyo Hits Record Single-Day Coronavirus Cases:
Tokyo confirmed a record-high single-day figure for COVID-19 cases.
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Kerala Imposes Strict Lockdown:
Neighborhoods in the Indian city are sealed with a single entry and exit and people who go out must carry signed forms for police inspection.
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Protests in Belgrade this week against coronavirus restrictions turned violent. (Oliver Bunic/ AFP)
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