By Jamal Munir, researcher with ASER Pakistan at Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi
Pakistan is home to one of the largest slums in South Asia. The Orangi Town in Karachi-West is the largest informal settlement in Pakistan with an estimated 2.4 million people residing there. The booming urbanization in Pakistan is a serious challenge for the state. Providing basic provisions for the residents of bursting slums, who are battling to carve out a place in the cities of the future, is not an easy task. Due to population growth and unstoppable migration trends from rural areas to cities, these slums are clearly here to stay.
Without affordable housing, Katchi Abadi (KA) is the only workable solution for low-income groups. However, it comes at the price of overcrowded homes, inadequate health and educational facilities, a lack of clean water, no sewage or waste disposal facilities, unsanitary living conditions, high levels of pollution, lack of basic protection and safety, each disproportionately burdening children and adolescents, and especially girls. Most families know that their homes are under consideration for resettlement or rehabilitation.
A recent study by Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) on KAs in Pakistan reveals the poor living conditions and education challenges faced by vulnerable children living there. There is no daily access to water, while 20% of KAs in Karachi-West get water once in a week. About 56% of KAs do not have a clean source of drinking water at all.
In 64% of KAs in Karachi-West there is no routine mechanism for cleaning the drains and in 48% of KAs there is no proper system for garbage collection. While 90% of households have their own toilets, 2% only have access to shared and 4% to public toilets, while 4% have no access to a toilet at all. Moreover, 29% of households have only one-room and 45% have two-room houses. There is a clear scarcity of space for families and children. Contrary to perceptions that residents are transient in KAs, over 52% inhabitants have lived in the same KAs for more than a decade.
Children’s learning is compromised in this challenging daily living routine. According to the ITA study, learning levels in literacy and numeracy in Karachi-West are the lowest of all slums. Among 5- to 16-year-olds in Karachi-West, only 26% can read a story in Urdu/Sindhi/Pashto compared to 41% in Korangi, 40% in Karachi-Malir and 33% in Lahore. Only 30% of children in Karachi-West can read a sentence in English, compared to 48% in Korangi, 38% in Karachi-Malir and 34% in Lahore. The percentage of children able to do two-digit divisions in Karachi West is 26%, whilst it is 33% in Karachi-Malir, 28% in Korangi and 27% in Lahore.
Ten times more children are enrolled in madrasahs in Karachi-West (24%) than in Karachi-Malir and Korangi. Only 4% of children in madrasas can read a story in Urdu/Sindhi/Pashto compared to 13% of those out of school. Likewise, only 4% of children in madrasas can do two-digit division compared to 17% of those out of school.
Technology availability and usage in KAs of Karachi-West, meanwhile, is higher than the other surveyed districts. Among households, 65% have smartphones, almost 93% have cellphones and 15% have computer/laptops. Overall, 40% of the households reported that they used the internet, opening some opportunities for technology-based learning and livelihood solutions in KAs.
Government’s neglect of KAs is in violation of their fundamental human rights. In view of the fast-growing urban slum population, the government, in coordination and collaboration with public sector and private sector service delivery partners, should introduce programs to ensure that all KAs have conducive facilities for decent living. This includes infrastructure, sewerage, drainage, garbage disposal, water supply, and education and skills facilities. KAs require well-coordinated governance structures, restoration of local government structures, municipal engagement and sub-national governance programs to oversee education and skills as essential services and entitlements. Their continued neglect will undermine human resource development, economic stability, climate change challenges, disproportionately affecting children throughout their life cycle.
