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Cleaning up a dirty business - improving waste governance through partnerships
01.04.2007
As urban areas grow, the problem of solid waste management in developing countries takes on alarming dimensions. Partnerships between public sector supervisors, private sector service providers and local people may be the way to harness both the skills and resources to meet this challenge. -
Improving waste management in small towns of Azerbaijan
01.04.2007
In countries in transition like Azerbaijan, waste management services that were once provided by the state have largely been abandoned. Extra work must be done by NGOs in building a sense of responsibility for the environment and for recycling. -
Resources guide: Solid waste management
01.04.2007
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Single service – double benefit: the sweepers of Karachi
01.06.2004
Providing sustainable and affordable services to the urban poor is one of the major hurdles in achieving millennium targets. The service cost is often high if it is provided by governments or their appointed contractors. However, there are examples of services which are provided by the poor to the poor which are both affordable and appropriate, and it is important that these activities are not ignored when modernization programmes are introduced. This article discusses one such service – the waste collection service by street sweepers in Karachi. Sweepers provide an affordable service to various income groups including slum dwellers. The poor get double benefits: as service recipients and as service providers. This article proposes how such work could be recognized by and integrated into the future strategies of public–private partnerships.