Slums Development in Gaza Strip, Problems Challenges and Comprehensive Solutions

Abstract

Slums upgrading and development are one of the vital projects at the developing countries. When slums appear, they spread and expand rapidly, this leads to maximize the problem and prevent to find effective solutions. Gaza Strip lays in one of these developing countries in which slums are significantly spread. Gaza Strip is suffering from the spread of slum areas resulted from the random control of some population on government land without any organization or planning of the spaces, services or buildings. This is due to the limited space and land available for urban expansion in Gaza Strip cities, with the rapid increase in population and rising demand for new housing projects. This requires thinking of interim solutions to prevent the creation of new slums areas and durable solutions for the existing ones. The study identifies the slum areas and presents their problems and reasons of formulating. It mentions the main stakeholders who should share to develop slums and prevent new settlements. This research aims also to shed light on slum areas in Gaza Strip to find out comprehensive solutions to upgrade existed slums and prevent new ones. The study depends on analyze the origins of slums, the urban and socioeconomic problems inside. In addition, the research shows two similar case studies. The first from India and the second from neighboring country which is Egypt in order to conclude lessons learned. Based on these experiences, the study analyzes a slum area in Gaza Strip, presents the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MoPWH) plan to upgrade a local slum. The study finds that the slums residents suffer from bad conditions and there should be plans to improve their living conditions The study suggests practical solutions and strategies to solve slum problems in Gaza Strip. This strategy depends on the integration of all efforts : local, national and regional levels. The study concluded that to improve slum areas at Gaza Strip, there should be strategies and action plans. The responsibilities should distributed for each target institution. The main stakeholders are; the Ministry of Public Work and Housing, Land Authority, Municipalities and residents of slums. They work together under the control of a legal framework, organizes all needed polices and implementation plans.