Global challenges
Urbanisation
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The world is becoming more and more urban. By 2050, 70% of the world population will live in cities. This global trend concerns both the rise of megacities and the spread of small and medium-sized cities. 75% of the world population is living in urban settlements of fewer than 500.000 people. Cities are also growing younger, with an estimated 60% of urban populations under the age of 18 by 2030.
Our approach
Access to quality services for all
Enabel supports cities to upgrade and maintain urban infrastructure for quality services (access to water and sanitation, roads, energy), including in informal settlements. In fragile settings, Enabel focuses on secondary cities, in consolidating their capacity building to plan for and respond to shocks and, to deliver scalable and dynamic basic services and opportunities.
Encouraging Integrated and participatory urban and territorial governance
Enabel supports cities in co-creating policies ,tools and projects for appropriate city planning and management and fostering open and transparent authorities. Urban authorities and civil organisations are encouraged to collaborate closely and to promote women’s leadership and participation in joint efforts to improve city life adopting a gender transformative approach to city planning.
Cities and territories as positive actors of climate change
Cities are main producers of GreenHouse Gases yet also main driver in the fight against climate change. Enabel supports access to clean technology and infrastructure and fosters supportive business and policy environment to advance the green and circular economy. By rethinking the ways we use energy, materials, products, and assets in cities, Enabel responds to urban resource challenges faced by climate change and high rate of urbanisation.
Socio economic integration for women and men, and in particular youth
Enabling young people and women to develop their talents and skills and promoting entrepreneurship will boost the urban economy. High-quality training accessible to all, and support systems are needed for getting people into jobs that are adapted to the needs of various categories of people and to the needs of the local market and urban issues. Taking into account ever-changing market needs, harnessing the potential of the urban economy and tapping into the opportunities offered by the digital and circular economy are key to foster innovative urban eco-systems.
Safe and cohesive cities
Enabel contributes in shaping cities’ ability to offer inclusive and safe environments to their citizens. Specific attention is devoted to young people, women and vulnerable groups. Urban violence and gender-based violence in particular is addressed in a comprehensive manner through enhancing access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, to gender-responsive infrastructure, and working closely with schools, the police and the judicial authorities.
More on urbanisation
The world is facing huge challenges in realising the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Enabel wants to contribute with its experience and expertise in five specific domains: Peace and Security, Climate Change and the Environment, Social and Economic Inequality, Urbanisation, and Human Mobility. In our search for adapted solutions we take into account the inevitable ongoing population explosion and we strongly believe in empowering women and youths.
This brochure describes how we address urbanisation in our projects.
Download the brochure
Other global challenges
News & Events
News
20 November 2024
COP29: Enabel welcomes climate financing from the Walloon region for the preservation of lake Kivu and Tanganyika in Africa
The Tanganyika Kivu Water Management Project (TAKIWAMA), with a total budget of 31 million euro, is part of the Team Europe Initiative on Transboundary Water Management in Africa, which aims to improve cooperation between African countries for the sustainable management of shared water resources.
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Events
07 November 2024
EU climate policies and impact on youth in developing countries
In the framework of COP29, Enabel is co-organising a side event to discuss how EU climate policies impact low and middle-income countries.
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Events
25 October 2024
Delivering impact by strengthening collaboration in fragile low-income contexts
In the framework of the 2024 World Bank Group Annual Meeting, Enabel organised a side-event together with Expertise France, GIZ and SNV.
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Resources
09 October 2024
Belgium-Rwanda bilateral cooperation – Programme report 2019-2024
The 2019-2024 Belgium-Rwanda Cooperation programme contributed to the advancement of Rwanda’s sustainable development goals, enhanced socio-economic well-being, and fostered inclusive growth.
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Resources
08 October 2024
Promoting the widespread use of ecological and resilient infrastructures
In the face of climate and environmental challenges, Enabel is in favour of the widespread application of green building principles in cooperation programmes.
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News
27 September 2024
The winners of the 2024 Awa Prize are known
The second edition of the Awa Prize ran from 12 June to 17 September 2024, with the cultural and creative industries as its central theme.
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