Urban processes, statistics, monitoring and sources of data

The United Nations Millennium Declaration recognizes the dire circumstances of the world's urban poor.

It articulates the commitment of member States to improve the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers by the year 2020 (Target 11, Millennium Development Goal No. 7).

As large as 100 million may seem, however, it is only 10% of the present worldwide slum population, which, left unchecked, will multiply threefold to 3 billion by the year 2050.

The challenge is to ensure that the processes of urbanisation are fully understood and that relevant data is available, particularly in developing cities with limited resources.

This data will reveal the extent and complexity of urban poverty and support the development of policies that promote local economic development, increase citizen participation, and improve the quality of life for all city dwellers.