a) Major successes in family planning, health and education

Most administrators rate these conditions among the best in their cities. They recognize the effectiveness of the family planning programs in reducing fertility, promoting health, and reducing some population stress on the cities. The evidence here is both positive and negative. For most countries, fertility has fallen or is falling, and family planning programmes are in place. Family Planning, primary health care and primary education have been advanced throughout the region, and the urban administrators clearly see this as an area of real progress. In Pakistan, however, family planning has not been effective, and fertility has not fallen. It is the Pakistani administrators alone who see this as an urgent and major problem for the city.


b) Major problems center on inadequate infrastructure

Most cities face major problems in their infrastructure, which is typically stressed by rapid population and economic growth. The most serious problems are found in transportation, traffic, the rapid growth of vehicles and resulting increase in air pollution.

Water shortage and pollution are also seen as major and urgent problems, and the administrators see these arising largely from rapid population growth.

Closely related are problems of housing and employment, which are integrally related to individual poverty. In addition, public utilities are often inadequate and exacerbate problems of individual poverty.


c) Major urban problems are closely related to wealth

Not surprisingly, levels of wealth and rates of economic development are closely related to the assessment of urban conditions. In the more wealthy countries, urban administrators report less serious problems, and usually have more resources to deal with those problems.


d) Population size and growth both increase and alleviate urban problems

Population growth is an ambiguous force. Administrators see pressures from rapid inmigration, but they also often see stagnation or decline as more of a problem than mere growth by itself. Larger cities seem to face more problems, but in smaller cities, administrators often see that more people would give them more resources and greater influence with the central government.


e) Poverty and gender inequality remain serious problems

While progress has been made in reducing levels of poverty in many areas, it remains a problem throughout the poorer countries of Asia. In all countries progress has been made in reducing gender inequality, but it, too, remains a persistent problem. In most areas women have made great progress in education and health, but far less in equal employment and in positions of power and influence.