EDITORIAL

The Journal of Inclusive Cities and Built Environment Issue Number 3 Volume 2 of 2022 comprises of eight (8)papers. These papers revolve around critical issues that have been trending globally and negatively impacting oncities. While some of these issues have become a perpetual negative emblem of cities (such as informal settlementsand spatial exclusion); others (such as floods and covid-19) are new entrants with equally devastating effects oncities. These papers are contextually driven by imperical evidence from African cities – however, their depth ofanalysis goes beyond the African context. Hence cities, accross the global, can be depicted in the same contextespecially when observed from the maraunding effect of floods and the covid-19 pendemic

Introduction

Inclusivity challenges that are prevailing in African cities and beyond, require concerted multi-thronged efforts from allstakeholders to address them. This is so because inclusivity issues cannot just be viewed from a narrow periscopebut a comprehensive spectrum of inputs and actions. On the strength of the aforesaid, it became expedient for theSARChI-Chair for Inclusive Cities to organise a critical symposium that interrogated the concept of inclusivity froma multi-disciplinary dimension. Such an enquiry into the nature and extent of urban inclusivity in an African citycontext, provides an appropriate platform to understand factors underpinning the need to establish desired inclusivity(Medayese et al., 2016)

Challenges of Vulnerable Immigrants: A focus on Refugees and Housing , Their Canadian Experience

The refugee and immigrant problem in Canada are gradually descending into a crisis. Women and elderly people are among the categories of people who experience differentiated integration processes and some forms of discrimination in society. A percentage of immigrants live in poverty, insecurity, and social exclusion, for these individuals, may be in great distress, itinerant, or living in precarious housing conditions. This dire situation made this research imperative to better understand the challenges and measures needed to address the housing challenges of these vulnerable groups. This paper examines the immigrant and refugees housing challenges in Canada. Immigrants and refugees find themselves under diminished capacity as an individual or group to anticipate, cope with, resist, and recover from the impact of the natural or man-made hazard. Qualitative research method was adopted, and data were generated by both primary and secondary sources. Focus groups and policymakers were also interviewed to come up with a logical conclusion on the topic of discussion. The study concludes that there are tripartite causes of housing challenges for refugees and migrants cannot be overemphasized, and it is interconnected to economic, political, and cultural systems. Also, that at best, what has been obtainable is ethnic-specific efforts targeted at some certain migrant groups, which further creates ethical dilemmas as different groups of refugees and different groups of immigrants receive different levels of assistance which is not sustainable, and also antithetical to recommendations from international organizations whose mandate is to ensure quality and adequate housing as a pressing human right issue.  The study concluded that creating economic opportunities for migrants and refugees, making information, quality housing, more available and accessible. Also, when housing providers bring cultural agencies into social housing, it would go a long way in mitigating the challenges housing by immigrants and refugees in Canada.  Key words: Immigrants; refugees; housing challenge

Mediation Function of Desired Quality of Life Between Place-Making and Liveable Communities in African Cities

The challenges which confront urban spaces in developing countries have become so enormous, and they continue to challenge the capacity of States in these countries to respond effectively. These challenges range from poor infrastructure to weak infrastructure governance systems, which has created urban liveability differentials within these Cities across Africa. Therefore, this paper examines the mediation role of Desired Quality of life between Place-making and Liveable communities in Africa using a partial least squares path analytic method. This study employed the use of a questionnaire to investigate the desired Quality of life criteria, the place-making preferences, and the focus of liveable communities within these African Cities through an online Google form survey, posted through social media outlets to different respondents across various cities in Africa. The Snowball technique was employed to achieve sampling of 390 respondents across Africa. The responses obtained were synthesized and analyzed using a path analytic approach; the paper examines the relationship between the study's constructs. The data analysis findings show that place-making indeed influences Liveable communities, and Desired Quality of life mediates the relationship between place-making and liveable communities. The results indicate that Cities that prioritize Quality of Life and place-making have better liveable community spaces over those that do not. The study findings have implications for Liveable communities, as it could help city development planners to acknowledge the influence of Quality of life on Placemaking and liveable communities. The study contributes to the current debate on measuring urban Livability within the African City Space by creating a set of desired indicators that suit the African setting's needs regarding City infrastructure planning and provision

Examining women’s access to rural land in UMnini Trust traditional area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

This article examines land tenure reform in South Africa with a focus on women in the rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal. Using the case study of UMnini  Trust Traditional Area, it critically analyses the extent to which current land reform programmes address gender disparities – especially equal  access  to land and secure land rights by women. In order to provide an insight into this issue, this study used both secondary and primary data sources. The major findings emanating from this study suggest that land remains an emotive issue in rural South Africa, especially among women  who are side-lined by government intervention measures. Previous policies and legislations that purposefully neglected and isolated women as  beneficiaries of any developmental initiatives are still very much entrenched in contemporary society. The article concludes by recommending for redesigning as well as implementing policies and legislations that are accommodative of women’s plight as far as access to land and security of tenure is concerned.&nbsp

Urban Forced Eviction: Experiences in the Metropolitan City of Lagos, Nigeria

Urban poverty coupled with housing shortages have contributed to the proliferation of informal settlements and slums. This is one of the complex problems arising out of urbanization and which is piling pressure on urban authorities to use unorthodox methods (such as forced evictions) to ameliorate the situation. This paper revisits the use of forced migration in Badia East Community of Lagos city. Using the human security concept as a framework for analysis, the paper chronicles how urban forced migration is used as a tool to relocate the vulnerable urban poor by urban authorities in their bid to achieve sustainable development. Critical insight into the nature of these migrations was achieved by gathering data using the mixed approach. Finding from the study revealed rampant human abuse through the use of force during the eviction process. The paper concludes by recommending that the government should use best practices, (such as adequate government-assistance) during relocations and rehousing option explored.

Editorial

The discourse on inclusion and exclusion in contemporary cities goes beyond the mere physical manifestation of the various dimensions of inclusivity and exclusivity. While it is acknowledged that this discourse has been raging for years in the history of cities, its conceptual and physical manifestation has also been changing in line with societal dynamics. It is an undeniable fact that forces at work in contemporary cities are driven by power, race and class (among other factors) which in turn provide a platform for calculated and coordinated practices that contribute towards inclusion and exclusion. There is therefore need to consistently and progressively interrogate this phenomenon in order to create a dialogue that is responsive to contemporary cities in the 21st century. While conceptual, theoretical and epistemological frameworks might not provide instant solutions to challenges under consideration, their articulation of contemporary issues provide deeper insight and understanding which contributes towards achieving sustainable solutions. Would it be fair to interrogate the manifestation of inclusionary and exclusionary practices in contemporary cities without taking a nip from the past? The reality of the matter is that there are underlying perculiarities which provide continuous meanings – thereby offering comparative gazes for diagnosis, understanding, elaboration and which allow for subverting inclusionary tendencies, attitudes and practices. Therefore, those historical “moments” of action can be instrumentalised into plans of action for the new agenda in the creation of inclusive cities. However, contemporary cities are made up of a multiplicity of activities – therefore, it is this diversity which equally impact on inclusivity and exclusivity. It is the search for true answers that this issue articulate inclusion and exclusion issues around the following areas:• Environmental Justice and Equity• Social Exclusion and Inclusion• Inclusion and Safety• Inclusion and Resilience• Social Inclusion and Built Environment• Policies that addres the needs of the vulnerable within cities.• Survival strategies among vulnerable group• Innovative remedial measures that can be employed to counter exclusio

THE IMPACT OF ISLAND CITY IN THE POST-APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA: FOCUS ON BANTUSTANS

Proceedings of the XXV ISUF International Conference “Urban Form and Social Context: from Traditions to Newest Demands” (Krasnoyarsk, July 5–9, 2018)The apartheid doctrine of racial segregation has been inextricably bound up with urbanization. The creation of so-called ‘Homelands’ or ‘Bantustans’ for the African majority population, was largely an attempt to constrain urbanization, with the notorious ‘pass laws’ controlling entry to the cities in a manner consistent with demands for labour. The South African cities were therefore subjected to unnatural growth patterns; brought through apartheid planning that legitimised exclusionary practices in cities and which created and maintained racal, social and class differences between people. More than two decades after the end of apartheid, urban settlement planning in a democratic South Africa has created secluded settlements with fragmented public services delivery. These settlements are isolated in any terms from mainstream city development and also reflect a mismatch to development trajectory of the country’s economy. From the very essence of this mismatch or misfit, sprouts the concept of an Island City. From the backdrop of apartheid city, this paper interrogates the perpetuation of spatial inequality in former Bantustan urban centres, which in this context continue existing as “islands”. The argument stems from a concerning challenge confronting the post-apartheid government to eradicate legacies associated with the apartheid regime

Spatial Matrices of Urban Expansion in Lafia, North-Central Nigeria

Rapid urbanisation in African cities has caused considerable problems by hindering their ability to meet infrastructure and service needs, resulting in rising land-use consumption. This study examines how land use/land cover change in Lafia, a city in North-central Nigeria, has impacted the city's boundaries between 1999 and 2019 and includes a projection using GIS simulation of land use/ land cover to 2029. The methodology includes remote sensing techniques, spatiotemporal analysis of geographical measurements, and statistical models. This study involved spatial analysis and projection of city growth from 1999 to 2029 in Lafia using GIS. This analysis focuses on the changes in built-up areas, vegetal cover, bare land, and water bodies using land-use/landcover data. The results indicated significant urban expansion and its impact on the city's spatial patterns. The Urban Expansion Differentiation Index (UEDI) and Urban Expansion Intensity Index (UEII)were used to assess urban sprawl and socioeconomic patterns such as population density and density gradient. High residential and employment densities, varied land uses, continuous development, and multi-modal transportation are all important for sustainable urban growth. The study indicates a direct relationship between population growth and urban expansion, as seen in Lafia. Furthermore, the findings suggest that cities grow beyond their typical boundaries, resulting in peri-urban expansion, as shown in the Alakio districts of the Lafia Metropolis. The study findings have important implications for urban growth policy and land use/land cover change. They will contribute to a better understanding of the effects of urban growth on the spatial matrix and morphology of cities, assisting city planners in recognizing these effects. Furthermore, the study adds evidence to the continuing debate about urban expansion, liveability, and spatial sustainability in African cities. The thorough examination of land use/land cover change in Lafia sheds light on the spatial dynamics of urbanisation and its implications for sustainable urban development