Urban Services and Child Migration to the Slums of Nairobi

Abstract

An estimated 30–70% of Nairobi’s population lives in informal settlements with very poor access to basic services, yet children are notably absent from the informal settlements. This paper combines qualitative research with three micro data sets and finds that the presence of urban basic services is importantly linked to child residence of migrant parents. This finding is critical for policy debates on slum improvements. It predicts that improvements in services need to be accompanied by appropriate social and educational improvements servicing children and supports recent calls for a more multi-sectoral, participatory, and child-centered approach to urban informal planning.