TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2000//
TI  - El Mezquital: a community’s struggle for development
JO  - Environment and urbanization
A1  - Velásquez, Verónica Sajbin
A1  - del Cid Vargas, Paula Irene
A1  - Grant, Emma
A1  - Díaz, Andrés Cabanas
SP  - 87
EP  - 106
VL  - 12
IS  - 1
N2  - This paper describes the history of the community in El Mezquital, from the land invasion in the mid 1980s, through its consolidation and growth, until the present, drawing principally on interviews with the inhabitants and staff from supporting agencies. It analyzes the development of the different, and sometimes conflicting, community organizations and compares their different mandates and objectives. It shows important processes of community empowerment, the changing role of women and community self-help initiatives. It also describes how, in much of the settlement, basic infrastructure and services were in place and of good quality. However, it also highlights the lack of employment opportunities, how many people still live in overcrowded conditions, and the problems of violence, drug addiction and street children. It also highlights the inadequacies on the part of government agencies - including their incapacity to respond to the needs of the community, their under-estimation of community capacity and the attempts at political manipulation.<p /> 
LA  - 
SN  - 0956-2478
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/095624780001200107
ID  - ref1
ER  -