Topic:
Country: United States of America
Delegate Name: Kate Risley
With a steady increase in the number of people living in cities worldwide, the number of informal settlements around these cities, especially in developing nations, has also increased rapidly. Informal settlements are housing options, usually located on the edge of urban areas, that offer residents no security of tenure over their housing. They are often located in areas where risk of violence, disease, and environmental disasters is high. The United States recognizes the issue of informal settlements worldwide and is dedicated to working towards a solution in line with the goals of UN sustainable development goal eleven.
The vast majority of people currently living in informal settlements are located in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Central and South Asia, so the US believes that a lot of solutions should be focused around those nations, at least initially. The United States believes that the issues of informal settlements can be tackled by listening to the needs of the countries most affected and then planning aid programs based on those needs.
Not only does the US believe that the issues of informal settlements should be addressed through better housing, but also by better connection between the areas where informal settlements are located and the cities they are associated with. Only 53% of people worldwide have convenient access to public transportation, with the vast majority of those who don’t living in developing nations. Increased access to public transportation would indirectly help mitigate the effects of informal settlements because it would give those living in informal settlements easier access to the economic opportunities that the cities provide for them.
The United States understands that tackling the problem of informal settlements requires cooperation amongst nations and is prepared to discuss possible solutions with other nations.
