Inclusive and Healthy Urban Environment in the Global South: Definition, Characteristics and Benefits

Abstract

The power that develops when communities define their urban planning agendas is now becoming more and more evident, and community-led development may offer long-lasting upgrades to metropolitan areas. A city's social and physical environment can either enable or hinder its residents' well-being and ability to become independent whereas there are still wide gaps between understanding the inclusive urban environment and a healthy environment. There remains an overwhelming reality of alienation of the users from their environment. The term inclusive cities are widely used to refer to the inclusion of marginalized communities – slum dwellers, migrants, minority groups, women or young people – in urban processes. This paper aimed at defining an inclusive and healthy urban environment in the global south, its benefits, and its characteristics to redefine the community. An empirical article review was conducted to establish the concepts.  Findings from the reviews show different indicators of urban environment exclusion and drivers of inclusivity concepts. It is therefore concluded that for urban sustainability, each community should be given priority for an inclusive healthy urban environment. Stakeholders of the global south should therefore provide policies and implement programs for total inclusiveness.