Rapid urbanisation, rural neglect and inadequate infrastructure and basic services create challenges for communities.
As cities grow both spatially and demographically, formally semi-urban areas become urban. Rural are as experience depopulation and movement of people (especially youth) as cities grow.
In rapidly developing cities, urban dwellers experience enormous challenges including: lack of arable land, high cost of living, poor housing conditions, scarcity of water, food, waste management, and insufficient skills to adjust to urban life.
Some cities are also very unequal, and marginalised communities are left without adequate access to essential services such as water, sanitation and waste management, creating environmental health risks and human rights infringements.
Across the TESF Network, projects focussed on exploring how education and training can be transformed so that urban dwellers acquire skills, knowledge, and competences to mitigate urban challenges and develop sustainable cities and communities. Projects found that education in urban areas needs to include communities, politicians, planners, and community leaders. In rural areas, traditional leaders also need to be included. New forms of solidarity are needed.
Read our Call to Action and evidence informed recommendations for transformative education that co-creates sustainable cities and communities.
This Call to Action is one of six:
