Characteristics of urban slums

Lack of access to improved water source

improved drinking water source → protected from outside contamination (faecal matter's contamination)

piped water into dwelling

public tap / standpipe

protected dug well

protected spring

rainwater collection

poor / unclean sanitation facilities → high levels of malaria and diarrhoea rates → reduce child mortality

unprotected wells

unprotected springs

water provided by small tanks and drums

surface water taken directly from water bodies

Lack of access to improved sanitation facilities

improved facilities → hygienically separates human waste from human contact

flush toilets connected to sewer

ventilated improved pit latrines

pit latrines with a slab or platform that covers the pit completely

composting toilets / latrines

unimproved facilities

flush toilets / latrines discharged directly into open sewer

pit latrines without slab

bucket latrines

hanging toilets or latrines directly discharged into water bodies

open pooping in the bush, field or bodies of water

Lack of sufficient living areas

sufficient living area → house → not more than three people share the same habitable room (minimum of four square metres in area)

Lack of space in slums

Lack of Privacy in slums

Lack of housing durability

durable house → built on non-hazardous location and has a permanent and adequate structure → able to protect inhabitants from extreme climatic conditions

precarious quality of slum constructions → dwellings made up of iron sheets, wood and mud floors → most characteristic features of slums

Lack of security of tenure

secure tenure → right to effective protection by the law against arbitrary unlawful evictions

proof of secure tenure → de facto or perceived protection against forced evictions