social inclusion and inequality

a discussion in the office and later on during dinner, on inequality, left me thinking.

singapore faces rising income inequality. that is a fact at the moment (and maybe we really shouldn't try to be too defensive about it, but instead really admit we have a problem and think about how we shd go about solving it).

but rather than purely focusing on rising Gini coefficients, which is a direct measure of inequality, i was reminded that there might be other measures of 'inequality' that matter, in particular, the access the population has to basic public goods, to quality education, to public infrastructure and transport, to security, to jobs. these are measures of social inclusion - the extent to which the population can participate in society.

On Public Spaces
i saw something in the straits times today - a memo from medellin, Colombia's 2nd largest city, and one of the most violent cities in the world in the 1990s. it carried a quote by former mayor, who presided over the city from 2003 - 2007, during which it underwent a radical transformation.

"the first step towards quality education is the quality of space...when the poorest kid in Medellin sets foot in its best classroom, that's a powerful message of social inclusion."

and i saw something else recently http://www.favelapainting.com/


powerful, iconic public spaces. symbolism. access. inclusion.

and i wondered abt the power that design and urban planning could have on this sense of inclusion and access for the population.



on another note, i'd like to go to rio, actually. to see the favelas with my own eyes. to experience what it's like.

maybe some trip planning is in order. :)