Urban Poverty in Nepal( A Case Study of Shankhamul Squatter Settlement in Kathmandu)

Abstract

In Nepal, poverty has been urbanized over the last few years, physically manifesting in squatters settlements. With the objectives to explore the causes of squatting and current socioeconomic condition of squatter community, a descriptive study has been carried out at Shankhamul squatter settlement, one of the oldest settlement in Kathmandu. The study is based on the direct field observation method accompanied by interviews and group discussions. The present study reveals that Shankhamul squatter settlement comprises 104 households, totaling a population of 533, with an average household size of 5.13. Majority of households has started to squat in hope of improving the quality of their lives through better jobs and income, landslide, flood and famine at their birth place. More than fifty per cent of the houses are made-up from non-durable materials like wooden flakes, bamboo, straw, mud, unbaked bricks. However, every house has electricity and toilet. They primarily depend on water supplied in tanker by Water Corporation for drinking water. Of the 533, there are more males than females, with an average sex ratio of 109. More than fifty per cent of the population lies in the productive age group, 15- 45 years. Onefourth of the people are under 15 while only about 5 per cent are above 60 years of age. Surprisingly, 0.56 per cent of them still continue to survive even after 75 years of age. Highest number of female lies in the age group 20-24 years whereas the age group 15-19 years accounted for the highest number of male. More than one-fourth of the population is still illiterate. More males have achieved higher level of education than their female counterparts. Although 34.52 per cent have completed primary education only 20 per cent have passed SLC and 17.8 per cent have completed their high school. Likewise, only7.83 per cent has passed bachelor's level and above. Most people are engaged in physical labor works like construction workers, some are drivers, job holders, some has small shops in their own house and 36 youths have left the gulf countries. About 16 per cent of the households are surviving with a monthly income below 2,000/- NRs. while more than one-fourth have monthly income of NRs. 10,000/- or above. They expense more on food followed by education, medicine, clothing and others. About 30 per cent of the households used to take loans to support the basic needs of family members whereas some save money mostly below 100 RS. per month. Majority of them ranked as 'very poor' by themselves. Such a growing complexity reflects the need of a separate and concrete squatter policy. It should be recognized by various international and national organizations who are working towards the goal of poverty alleviation, in addition to the governmental sector. Moreover, Nepal's national policy still seems to be rural poverty bias, so its time to give national policy priority to urban poverty issues. Keywords: urban poverty, squatter settlement, household