STATE OF THE WORLD'S CITIES 2012/2013 Prosperity

from 3.4 km to over 25 km and across four municipal
jurisdictions. At national level, the Mexican government
has launched an ambitious programme to recover public
spaces in a bid to improve quality of life and enhance public
security, particularly in marginalized neighbourhoods in
various cities. 30 In Cuba, as part of a ‘non-discriminatory
enjoyment of public spaces’ policy, several cultural
programmes have been made free or affordable for all, with
plazas, avenues and even vacant lots featuring various events
that enhance quality of life. 31
In Europe, public greens which take the form of corner
lots, small community parks, street greens, linear parks,
Endnotes
1 Stiglitz, J.E., A. Sen, and J-P. Fitoussi (2009) Report by the Commission on the
Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress, The Commission, Paris,
http://www.stiglitz-sen-fitoussi.fr/en/index.htm
2 Stiglitz, J.E., A. Sen, and J-P. Fitoussi (2009) op. cit.
3 Andrulis ,D.P., H.M. Reid, L. M. Duchon (2004), Quality of Life in the Nation’s 100
Largest Cities and Their Suburbs: New and Continuing Challenges for Improving
Health and Well-Being, The Social and Health Landscape of Urban and Suburban
America Report Series, USA.
4 Stiglitz, J.E., A. Sen, and J-P. Fitoussi (2009) op. cit.
5 www.worldvaluessurvey.org
6 European Environment Agency (2009), Ensuring quality of life in Europe’s cities and
towns: Tackling the environmental challenges driven by European and global change,
EEA Report 5/2009,Office for Official Publications of the European Communities,
Luxembourg
7 http://www.mercer.com/articles/quality-of-living-survey-report-2011; Also targeting
business, the Economist Intelligence Unit designed a Quality of Life Index using
nine factors: material well-being, health, political stability and security, family life,
community life, gender equality, political freedom, climate and geography, and job
security, Refer to http://www.economist.com/media/pdf/QUALITY_OF_LIFE.pdf
8 European Environment Agency (2009) op. cit.
9 Bodin-Buyle Z., and C. Hermant-De Callataÿ (2011), Urban Prosperity and Quality of
Life in European cities – Beyond GDP, European Union, Brussels, prepared for UN-
Habitat as part of EU – UN-Habitat collaboration.
10 European Environment Agency (2009) op. cit.
11 Dzung, D. D. (2011) City Report on Ho Chi Minh City, Unpublished UN-Habitat
background study for “State of the World’s Cities Report 2012/2013”
12 Fernandez, F.L. (2011) City Report on Cebu, Unpublished UN-Habitat background
study for “State of the World’s Cities Report 2012/2013”
13 Lupala, A. (2011) City Report on Dar es Salaam, Unpublished UN-Habitat background
study for “State of the World’s Cities Report 2012/2013”
14 European Environment Agency (2009) op. cit.
15 Al-Bassam, D. and J. Mouris (2011) City Report on Dubai, Unpublished UN-Habitat
background study for “State of the World’s Cities Report 2012/2013”
16 Mena, A. (2011) City Report on Doha, Unpublished UN-Habitat background study for
“State of the World’s Cities Report 2012/2013”
17 Centre for Livable Cities (2011) City Report on Singapore, Unpublished UN-Habitat
background study for “State of the World’s Cities Report 2012/2013”
18 Fawaz, M. and N. Baghdadi (2011) City Report on Beirut, Unpublished UN-Habitat
background study for “State of the World’s Cities Report 2012/2013”
19 Omenya, A. (2011) City Report on Nairobi, Unpublished UN-Habitat background study
for “State of the World’s Cities Report 2012/2013”
67
and river banks as well
as large city parks, are
designed for specific types
of activity. The liveliness
and continuous use of
public space as a public
good leads, in turn, to
urban environments that
are well-maintained and
safe, making the city an
attractive place to live and
work in. 36
Quality of Life and Urban Prosperity
POLICy “Having
access to
public spaces does not
only improve quality
of life, it is a first step
to civic empowerment
on the way to further
institutional and political
spaces”. 37
20 Lima Como Vamos (2010) Lima Según sus Ciudadanos, Observatorio Ciudadano,
Informe de Percepción sobre la Calidad de Vida, Lima.
21 Veolia Environment (2010), Villes à Vivre 2010, Observatoire Veolia de Modes de Vie
Urbains, Paris.
22 Davis, D. (2007) “Urban Violence, Quality of Life, and the Future of Latin American
Cities,” in Allison M. Garland,A.M, M. Massoumi and B. A. Ruble (Eds) Global Urban
Poverty: Setting the Agenda. Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars,
Comparative Urban Studies Project, Washington D.C, pp. 57-87.
23 UN-Habitat (2007) Enhancing urban safety and security: Global report on human
settlements 2007, Earthscan, London
24 Mendoza, I. R. (2011) City Report on Panama City, Unpublished UN-Habitat
background study for “State of the World’s Cities Report 2012/2013”
25 Fernandez, F.L. (2011) op. cit.
26 Al- Kubaisy, F. (2011) City Report on Al-Muharrak, Unpublished UN-Habitat
background study for “State of the World’s Cities Report 2012/2013”
27 UN-Habitat (2010), Bridging the Urban Divide, State of the World’s Cities Report
2010/2011, Earthscan, London
28 Shabou, A., N. Soboh, K. Jalouka, and D. A. Thaib (2011) City Report on Amman,
Unpublished UN-Habitat background study for “State of the World’s Cities Report
2012/2013”
29 Fernandez, C. (2011) City Report on Cape Verde, Unpublished UN-Habitat background
study for “State of the World’s Cities Report 2012/2013”
30 SEDESOL (2007). Guia de Diseno del Espacio Publico Seguro, Incluente y
Sustentable. Secretaria de Desarrollo Social, México
31 Coyula, M. (2011) City Report on Havana, Unpublished UN-Habitat background study
for “State of the World’s Cities Report 2012/2013”
32 The agreed international ratio is 8 square meters per capita. For instance, Lima, the
capital of Peru, has around 3 square meters, the Mexican border city of Tijuana has
around one or two, and Al-Muharrak in Bahrain has less than 1 square meters.
33 Jin, L. and Y. Liu (2011) City Report on Shenzhen, Unpublished UN-Habitat
background study for “State of the World’s Cities Report 2012/2013”
34 Liu, Y. and Y. Wang (2011) City Report on Chongqing, Unpublished UN-Habitat
background study for “State of the World’s Cities Report 2012/2013”
35 Centre for Livable Cities (2011) op. cit.
36 Shehayeb, D. (2008) ‘Safety and Security in Public Space’ in International Report on
Crime Prevention and Community Safety: Trends and Perspectives, ICPC, Montreal,
pp. 107-112
37 Castellanos, G. (2011) City Report on Santo Domingo, Unpublished UN-Habitat
background study for “State of the World’s Cities Report 2012/2013”