Environmental Justice: Case of Shantytowns - Essay Example

The increasing rate of Shantytown’s population reflects that an increasing number of people are in slums – suffering from poverty, living in dilapidated houses, have poor health, and have growing levels of social inequality or disparity. In addition, people living in shantytowns predispose themselves to associated environmental risks, unsanitary living conditions, and contaminants or pollutants. The local government of Buenos Aires in Argentina could promote healthy living conditions by providing people with basic services such as close sewers, provision of pathways, controlled dumping environments, and pollution-free environments.

Javier conducted ethnographic fieldwork in one of the largest shantytowns (Villa Jardin) and found out high incidence rates of asthma, gastrointestinal and parasitic diseases, and epidemic and skin diseases (Auyero and Swistun, 27). In addition, the district of Avellaneda is also one of the shantytowns that are prone to hazard risks particularly, flammable hazards. The existence of oil refineries has made shantytowns at risk for fires and abhors contamination of water, soil, and air. In addition to the resolution of shantytowns’ sanitation and health problems, local governments of Argentina should prioritize the issue of poverty and rural-to-urban migration as these contribute to the environmental injustices in shantytowns of Argentina.

People should be decongested from shantytowns and must be provided with employment opportunities to provide themselves access to basic health services and needs.