Los ríos, son los ejes vivos que estructuran un territorio, son dadores de vida y desarrollo de pueblos y ciudades, sin embargo, el crecimiento urbano acelerado y poco planificado ha dado la espalda a los ríos, convirtiéndolos en sarcófagos de concreto. Esta investigación se realizó en la ciudad de Bambamarca, Cajamarca, con el fin de detener la apropiación deterioro y contaminación de las riberas del río Tingo Maygasbamba, que en gran parte de su tramo esta en contacto con viviendas informales, en sus fajas marginales. La investigación se estructuró en tres fases: analítica, interpretativa y propositiva; que componen la Metodología de Renaturalización. La primera fase se enfocó en el análisis de la situación actual y la problemática de los bordes urbanos del río Tingo Maygasbamba, se desarrolló bajo dos enfoques, el primero estudió y analizó el paisaje urbano y sus diversos indicadores y el segundo se enfocó en el entorno natural y componentes del paisaje. Tras el análisis de esta primera fase, se describió y analizó cada indicador, llegando a conclusiones. La segunda fase se enfocó en el estudio de teorías, referentes y estrategias relacionados con Renaturalización de riberas y bordes de ríos. Se analizaron estrategias como corredor ecólogico, anillo verde, corredor biótico, zonas de amortiguamiento, eco urbanismo, entre otras, las cuales fueron analizadas e interpretadas para ser aplicadas en la tercera fase en donde se aplicaron estas estrategias en el territorio a nivel macro, que incluye ciudad y entorno, se ejecutó en una primera instancia un Master Plan y Plan Piloto, donde fueron aterrizadas todas las teorías y estrategias previamente estudiadas. / Rivers are the living axes that structure a territory, they are givers of life and development of towns and cities, however, accelerated and poorly planned urban growth has turned its back on the rivers, turning them into concrete sarcophagi. This research was carried out in the city of Bambamarca, Cajamarca, in order to stop the appropriation, deterioration and contamination of the banks of the Tingo Maygasbamba River, which in a large part of its stretch is in contact with informal housing, in its marginal strips. The research was structured in three phases: analytical, interpretive and propositional; that make up the Renaturalization Methodology. The first phase focused on the analysis of the current situation and the problems of the urban edges of the Tingo Maygasbamba River, it was developed under two approaches, the first studied and analyzed the urban landscape and its various indicators and the second focused on the environment. natural and landscape components. After the analysis of this first phase, each indicator was described and analyzed, reaching conclusions. The second phase focused on the study of theories, references and strategies related to the renaturalization of river banks and edges. Strategies such as ecological corridor, green ring, biotic corridor, buffer zones, eco-urbanism, among others, were analyzed and interpreted to be applied in the third phase where these strategies were applied in the territory at a macro level, which includes city and environment, a Master Plan and Pilot Plan was executed in the first instance, where all the theories and strategies previously studied were landed.

This thesis discusses the involvement of informally housed communities in shaping local government policies aimed at poverty alleviation. Involving the poor in the design of anti-poverty policies at local level is regarded as an invaluable opportunity that should be used by municipal governments to make poverty alleviation efforts more demand-driven and therefore more relevant to the people they are meant to benefit. The argument is that because the poor know about poverty first-hand, they would be in a position to revive local government's capacity to respond effectively to their needs. But this does not come without a price. Because of the complexity of public management, participative democracy is liable to slow down the process of governance. It may also become advantageous to the interests of some people or groups of people at the expense of others if attention is not paid to the representation and consideration of all the voices in the community–to name two drawbacks. For this reason, it is essential to the realization of an effective bottom-up approach to anti-poverty policy-making that certain conditions are in existence and practical issues of involvement are worked through. Accordingly, it is the intention of this study to focus on two particular areas (conditions and practical issues that would facilitate the process of involving informally housed communities in the design of local government policies that affect their lives), which are investigated with particular reference to the South African context. Drawing upon a series of field surveys and a broad selection of relevant works of scholars from both the international and local scene, the picture that emerges is that there needs to be a proper level of government's commitment, capacity and legally binding responsibility coupled with a healthy degree of community's motivation, ability and organizational capacity in order to involve the poor in local governance efficiently. The study has also found that there needs to be proper forms of involvement (the most relevant of which are identified as an ombudsman, public meetings and residents' committees) that are to be employed with attention to such issues as stakeholders to be engaged, degree of participation, timing of involvement and topics for which public debate may be sought. / Development Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)

Promoting household food security for many poor people globally and more so in Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be a challenge today. Ever rising poverty levels, an influx in the prevalence of the HIV/ AIDS pandemic, reduced rainfall accompanied by changing climatic patterns, environmental bankruptcy, the complexities associated with urbanization, globalisation as well as technology shift in the agricultural sector and capitalistic market economies all play a role in the food security debate. This research has highlighted some of the factors that influence the food economy and related these to the household food security of poor informal settlement dwellers. Achieving household food security for poor urban households requires an integrated approach in terms of poverty eradication as well as deliberate efforts with regards to food production and distribution within a framework of ecological integrity, with an aim of empowering the poor and ensuring that their household food security is guaranteed. / Development Studies / Thesis (M.A. (Development Studies))

The perceived lack of progress by the Department of Human Settlements (“Department”) in meeting the increased demand for subsidised housing post-1994 is a ticking time bomb, given the repeated promises without any prospect of meeting the commitment to eradicate or upgrade all informal settlements by 2014. Despite ongoing delivery of subsidised housing, the backlog remained at 2,4 million households from 2005 to 2009, the indicator being the number of informal settlement households. The “Department” has acknowledged the existence of bureaucratic blockages throughout the housing delivery chain. Despite the urgency of the situation, there appears to be no research on the departmental factors hampering delivery under the Upgrading of Informal Settlements Programme (“programme”) and finding a solution that would maximise delivery within budgetary constraints. This research assesses the suitability of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC), a Strategic Management Accounting performance measurement and management tool, for addressing the departmental factors hampering delivery (“factors”) under the “programme” and develops a conceptual framework to guide any future application of the BSC to the “programme”.The complexity of housing delivery and the proposed integration of the BSC call for a detailed literature study of the post-1994 national housing and “programme” documentation and that of the public sector BSC. The theoretical study will establish how and by whom housing delivery should be done, the “factors” and the BSC framework and translation process. This will serve as the basis for the assessment of the suitability of the BSC for addressing the “factors” and the development of the conceptual framework.This study revealed that the BSC is suitable for addressing seven of the eight departmental factors hampering delivery under the “programme” and partially suitable for addressing the remaining factor. The recommendation is that the BSC be applied to the “programme” according to the conceptual framework provided. This study has contributed to knowledge by: producing an overall picture of the national framework for the delivery of subsidised housing, presenting the BSC as a suitable performance measurement tool for addressing the departmental factors hampering delivery under the “programme”, and developing a conceptual framework for any future BSC application to the “programme”. / Accounting Sciences / D. Com. (Accounting)

The bulk of the matrimonial property regimes operating in Botswana were inherited from the country's colonial past. Since independence there ha'> not been any realistic attempt to reform them. The thesis set out to appraisal the legal regimes governing the determination of matrimonial property on divorce to ascertain their efficacy in realising the legitimate aspiration of married couples. Comparisons were made with similar countries to determine how these have tackled problems relating to determination of matrimonial property on divorce. The study found that where there is a dispute about matrimonial property in marriages out of community, the courts have no discretion to readjust the rights of the parties. This situation adversely affect nonworking wives who spent most of their time looking after their husbands and children without being able to acquire capital assets. Recognition is not given to such domestic contribution to the welfare of the family. It was also found that the exercise of the marital power by husbands of marriages in community of property deprives wives of those marriages the right to administer the joint estate. The patriarchal nature of customary law, which governs the majority of disputes about matrimonial property, discriminates against women. Consequently, the following, inter alia, are suggested as reform measures. (a) The courts should be g1ven a wide discretionary power, circumscribed by statutory guidelines, to reallocate matrimonial property on divorce irrespective of the matrimonial property regime that governs the marriage. TI1e underlying principle should be equality of sharing but this may be departed from where the circumstances of the particular case warrant it (b) A spouse's domestic contribution towards the welfare of the family should be recognised. (c) The marital power of husbands should be abolished. (d) The provisions of the Matrimonial Causes Act should be made applicable to customary marriages. / Private Law / LL.D.

School readiness is a stage in a child's development when he learns easily and effectively. A child who is not yet ready for school on school entry is already at a disadvantage in the formal learning situation. This in itself can affect his school performance in the later years. The researcher, being a primary school teacher noticed that the children from the informal settlements that had no pre-school intervention arrived at school unready to learn. This investigation set out to evaluate the school readiness of children from an informal settlement without a pre-school programme. The school readiness of these children were compared against children from an informal settlement with a pre-school programme. Test and questionnaires were used to determine the five year olds' school readiness. The researcher used the idiographic method of research. The findings of the research were based on the interpretations of the tests and questionnaires. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (with specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

The recognition in law of pension benefits and expectancies, as a matrimonial asset which may be subject to certain claims (and counterclaims), occured in South Africa in 1989. The starting point of this development was an investigation in 1984, on: "the possibility of making provisions for a divorced woman to share in the pension benefits of her former husband ". This investigation came about, in South Africa, after the matter had already been accepted, in many foreign legals systems, as a well-established, and most important concept of family law. The obvious question for the South African legislature was which of the pension-sharing schemes throughout the world would best serve as a model. Since the South African accrual system was largely based on the German Zugewinngemeinschaft, it seemed only natural that a close comparative study should be made of Germany's Versorgungsausgleich scheme. It is one of the aims of this thesis to point out whether and to what extent South Africa followed the German example. To do so, it will be necessary to examine first the different legal situations which were prevalent before and after the legal changes in the two countries and to elaborate on the reasons which led to these changes. The discussion in chapter three of how the German system of equalisation of pension expectancies, the so-called Versorgungsausgleich, is applied, will facilitate a comprehensive comparison with the South African scheme. The questions to be answered in the fifth chapter are whether it is appropriate to examine the equalisation of pension expectancies under South African law, which was only recently introduced, in a comparison with the German system and whether it is possible to speak of a Versorgungsausgleich when referring to the South African situation. Whenever possible, I have attempted to suggest solutions that may appear acceptable. To conclude the thesis, certain pension sharing problems arising under South African private international law will be briefly commented upon. / Private Law / LLM

Because women are predominantly responsible for childcare, men are the primary income earners. Having acquired the marital assets, on divorce the husband would retain them in a marriage out of community of property. The wife would be left deskilled, financially dependent, with little likelihood of receiving spousal maintenance and with no marital assets. In 1984 the Matrimonial Property Act and in 1988 the Matrimonial Property Law Amendment Act introduced a judicial discretion to equitably redistribute marital assets in certain marriages out of community. This dissertation argues that the bases for the limitation of the judicial discretion to women married before a certain date are unsound and that the limitation arguably violates the equality clause of the Constitution. / Law / LL.M.

This thesis discusses the involvement of informally housed communities in shaping local government policies aimed at poverty alleviation. Involving the poor in the design of anti-poverty policies at local level is regarded as an invaluable opportunity that should be used by municipal governments to make poverty alleviation efforts more demand-driven and therefore more relevant to the people they are meant to benefit. The argument is that because the poor know about poverty first-hand, they would be in a position to revive local government's capacity to respond effectively to their needs. But this does not come without a price. Because of the complexity of public management, participative democracy is liable to slow down the process of governance. It may also become advantageous to the interests of some people or groups of people at the expense of others if attention is not paid to the representation and consideration of all the voices in the community–to name two drawbacks. For this reason, it is essential to the realization of an effective bottom-up approach to anti-poverty policy-making that certain conditions are in existence and practical issues of involvement are worked through. Accordingly, it is the intention of this study to focus on two particular areas (conditions and practical issues that would facilitate the process of involving informally housed communities in the design of local government policies that affect their lives), which are investigated with particular reference to the South African context. Drawing upon a series of field surveys and a broad selection of relevant works of scholars from both the international and local scene, the picture that emerges is that there needs to be a proper level of government's commitment, capacity and legally binding responsibility coupled with a healthy degree of community's motivation, ability and organizational capacity in order to involve the poor in local governance efficiently. The study has also found that there needs to be proper forms of involvement (the most relevant of which are identified as an ombudsman, public meetings and residents' committees) that are to be employed with attention to such issues as stakeholders to be engaged, degree of participation, timing of involvement and topics for which public debate may be sought. / Development Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)

The current work has as its general theme the solutions-locations found by the poorest part of the population of Brazilian cities in terms of housing. It specifically addresses the appropriation of environmentally sensitive areas in urban locations for that purpose, (more precisely, the edges of urban water bodies), and the conflicts (social, environmental and, consequently, political) that surround such situations. The research is a case study which has as its empirical focus the situation of the human settlements on the banks of the Mundaú Lagoon in Maceió, capital of Alagoas, and takes as its starting point the hypothesis that "the urban environmental issue is primarily a housing problem and a problem of the adoption of policies that will facilitate the access of the majority of the population to adequate housing". (Martins 2002, p.126) The discussion focuses initially on the relationship between the process of urbanization and poverty in Brazil, contextualizing the settlements of the poorest part of the population of Brazilian cities and specifically of the city of Maceió. This is followed by a discussion of the socio-environmental dimension of human settlements in environmentally sensitive areas, especially those located on the shores of Mundaú Lagoon. Later, we discuss public policies for the promotion of housing for the poorest in Brazilian cities, with emphasis on those policies which are related to the human settlements on the banks of Mundaú Lagoon, and point out the conflicts of interest that permeate the decisions of public authorities, especially those with respect to the use and occupation of environmentally fragile areas in the urban space. The work leads us to understand that the phenomenon of precarious human settlements in environmentally fragile areas is the result of the reproductive processes of the socio-spatial inequalities inherent in the reproduction of urban space in Brazil. In this manner we come to see the urban environmental issue as a problem that stems from the difficulties of access to adequate housing of most of the population. While this access is determined by the income of the population the place of the poor will be a place ever more excluded from the benefits of the city. / Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Alagoas / O presente trabalho tem por tema geral as soluções-localizações encontradas pela população mais pobre nas cidades brasileiras para moradia. Aborda-se especificamente a apropriação de áreas ambientalmente frágeis em meios urbanos para aquele fim, mais precisamente, as margens de corpos d água urbanas, bem como os conflitos (sociais, ambientais e, conseqüentemente, políticos) que envolvem tais situações. A pesquisa consiste em um estudo de caso, que tem por objeto empírico a situação dos assentamentos humanos às margens da lagoa Mundaú, em Maceió, capital de Alagoas e parte da hipótese de que a questão ambiental urbana é antes de tudo um problema de moradia e de adoção de políticas que possibilite o acesso da maioria da população a uma moradia adequada. (MARTINS 2002, p.126) A discussão trata inicialmente da relação entre o processo de urbanização e a pobreza no Brasil, contextualizando os assentamentos da população mais pobres nas cidades brasileiras e especificamente na cidade de Maceió. Em seguida, discute-se a dimensão socioambiental dos assentamentos humanos em áreas ambientalmente frágeis, mas especificamente, daqueles localizados às margens da Lagoa Mundaú. Posteriormente, abordam-se as políticas públicas de promoção de habitação para os mais pobres nas cidades brasileiras, enfatizando-se aquelas referentes aos assentamentos humanos às margens da lagoa Mundaú e aponta-se para os conflitos de interesse que permeiam as decisões do poder público, especialmente, quando se referem ao uso e ocupação de áreas ambientalmente frágeis no espaço urbano. O trabalho leva a compreensão de que o fenômeno dos assentamentos humanos precários em áreas ambientalmente frágeis é fruto dos processos de reprodução das desigualdades sócioespaciais inerente à reprodução do espaço urbano no Brasil. Desse modo, a questão ambiental urbana aparece como um problema decorrente das dificuldades de acesso à moradia adequada da maior parte da população. Enquanto esse acesso estiver condicionado à renda da população, cada vez mais, a localização dos pobres consistirá em locais excluídos dos benefícios da cidade.