Browsing by Author "Shawul, Meskerem"

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    A Study of Intercensal Changes in Urban Housing Availability and Quality in Ethiopia: the Case of old and New Regional Capitals
    (Addis Ababa University, 2000-05) Shawul, Meskerem; Mulugeta, Solomon (PhD)
    This study is based on the UN arg7lment that every hody has the right to adequate she/ter and that society for its welfare depends on the fulfillm ent of the basic needs: food, health, and shelter. As one mpect, the housing availahility and qllality in regional capitals of Ethiopia over the 198-/-1994 period are explored here. Ethiopia witnessed a government change in 1991 together with an ideological and economic reform. the urban restructuring that follO\ved this changes maintained 3 of the 12 previ01ls regional administrative capitals while the rest 9 were given zonal center s/a/lls. The redefinition also included 5 newly upgraded centers which all gained regional capi/al statlls. After a detailed examination of the 17 individllal regional capitals the study established that there are considerable variations in the peljormallce and in the pace of h01lsing availability and quality hetween and within eqllal status centers. The major determinants were the favorahle physical location, the easy access of b1lilding material and the h01lseholds' capacities. The selection of the centers as administrative capitals indllced overall improvements, which also infl1lenced the pace. Yet it seems municipalities and local governments did not recognize nor had not the capacity to 1Ise this opport1lnity. The flltllre s/ill hold<; possibilities f or longterm sustainable strategies across development centers to 1IItimately redress ineq1lalities in the access to basic good<; and services and to improve the living conditions of the urhanites.