Addressing the 24 hour cycle of urban risk: Gendered perspectives on non-conflict violence and climate change impacts in cities
This pilot project, funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), will examine how non-conflict violence and climate change risks overlap and compound vulnerability in low-income communities in three cities (Karachi, Pakistan; Nairobi, Kenya and Colombo, Sri Lanka). The study aims to investigate how the experience and perceptions of such risks varies with gender across contexts. The first study of its kind, the project will develop methodologies and concepts from the fields of both urban climate adaptation and urban violence research to address the complexities of capturing the data and understanding their multiple inter-connections.
The cities under study – Nairobi, Colombo and Karachi – play a vital role in the economic, political and cultural life of each country. However, sustainable development across all of these cities is negatively impacted by the conjoined factors of a conflict cycle (ranging from everyday violence to communal and national violence), unplanned, rapid, urbanisation and the severe ongoing and projected impacts of climate change on infrastructure, economy, health and wellbeing. Each participating partner has identified city-level opportunities for impact from the research, including wider work on women's participation in infrastructure development (Nairobi), informing changing narratives on climate change (Karachi) and raising questions about gender, violence and climate change in a rapid urban development process (Colombo). By thinking about the nature, distribution and drivers of vulnerability, and systemic risks related to gender, violence and climate change, the study will inform possibilities for change in policy and practice and establish a baseline for future research work.
Participation in COP26
Documentaries: Karachi, Colombo and Nairobi Blogs & Policy Brief
Webinar-24-hour cycles of urban risk
The Team
Dr. Arabella Fraser
Principle Investigator, Arabella Fraser at the University of Nottingham, specialises in research relating to urbanisation and climate
change and experience supporting research for local impact, working for the Overseas Development Institute and Oxfam Great Britain among others.
She is the co-director of the GCRF CCUVN Network and a co-investigator on the GCRF research hub 'Tomorrow's Cities'.
Frances Crowley
Arabella Fraser will be supported by research assistant, Frances Crowley, whose background includes research in disaster response, resilience, local and embodied knowledge.
Dr. Nausheen H. Anwar
Co-Investigator, Nausheen Anwar is Director of the Karachi Urban Lab and Director of the CCUVN Network, and has worked with local organisations in Pakistan, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and International Development Research Center (IDRC).
Dr. Gulnaz Anjum
Our other partner from Karachi Urban Lab is Gulnaz Anjum. Gulnaz is Associate Professor of Psychology at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi, currently a Visiting Researcher at Simon Fraser University. She has previously conducted research linking heat stress and interpersonal violence.
Atoofa Samo
Atoofa Samo is an anthropologist, working as Research Associates at Karachi Urban Lab, IBA, Karachi, who will lead on data collection. Previously she has worked on Development-Induced Displacement Caused by Thar-Coal Project in Sindh, Pakistan.
Mohammed Toheed
Mohammed Toheed is an Urban planner and Geographer, working as Senior Research Associate/ GIS Analyst at Karachi Urban Lab, IBA, Karachi, who will lead on data collection.
Regina Opondo
In Kenya, Co-Investigator, Regina Opondo of KDI, has a track record of building participatory public spaces for flood protection in Kibera, Nairobi, with women and girls.
Allan Ouko K'oyoo
In Kenya, Allan Ouko K'oyoo, who works with KDI as a research coordinator will support with data collection. Allan's background is in urban design & environmental planning and has worked in multiple projects aimed at improving conditions of informal settlements in Kenya.
Dr. Danesh Jayatilaka, CMRD, Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, Co-Investigator, Danesh Jayatilaka (CMRD) co-founded and chairs the Centre for Migration Research and Development (CMRD). He has collaborated with a number of research institutions on issues covering displacement, resettlement and relocation in urban and community settings. He will work with Indika Samarakoon who is an urban planner with a background in gender and social safeguards.