Indicators reveal children are somewhat better off in urban areas than their rural counterparts. However, analysis of data show a growing “urban penalty” related to numbers of the urban poor and deteriorating conditions. Malnutrition is also becoming more of an urban problem, related to higher food costs, reliance on a cash economy and unsanitary The urban poor live in informal settlements without the secure tenure that protects them from eviction. The lack of a legal address can also mean disenfranchisement and difficulty to access services (. schools and clinics) and infrastructure (. provision for water,117 sanitation,118 drainage and waste removal). The implications for children are profound. The concentration of human and household wastes in poor urban.
