Mapping Yangon, Myanmar – The Untapped Communities

The purpose of the project is to address the  fundamental issue of lack of knowledge and understanding of spatial dynamics, location, and organisation of informal and resettlement areas in city of Yangon . Furthermore the project will contribute to develop an understanding of the socio-economic characteristics and primary needs of populations in informal settlements in Yangon. The proposed actions in the project will enhance the urban planning and management capacity of the Yangon City development Committee to a)  engage with all their constituents, including the most poor; b) plan and promote provision of infrastructure and basic services to the city's poorest; c) act on potential future regularization of tenure; gain knowledge underpinning the development of a poverty or slum strategy at a national or city-wide level; d) the identification of policy settings that may assist in preventing the development of further informal settlements in Yangon; e) create a platform of knowledge sharing between city authorities and dwellers in urban poor settlements. 

The project will partner with YCDC, Department of Human Settlement and Housing Development, Urban Research Development Institute and community organizations in pilot locations. UN-Habitat will bring global and  regional experience and expertise to the project  particularly in training and capacity building of YCDC and also the community organizations. Most importantly UN-Habitat will introduce  ICT tools for mapping and create procedures which can be up-scale with in YCDC and replicate into  other city authorities. 

The project will: identify the location of informal settlements at a city-wide scale; map the internal street layouts of sample settlements; undertake a drive-by enumeration, and detailed socioeconomic survey.