It is increasingly recognized that widespread access to public goods and service is crucial for equitable economic growth in cities and building urban resilience. Local governments have a key role in improving the access for urban communities and formal and informal businesses. Accessibility to social services (e.g. education and health care) as well as the universal provision of basic infrastructure such as water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services are fundamental to increasing economic productivity, reducing inequality opportunities and limiting social exclusion. Furthermore effective, affordable transport infrastructure is required to avoid congestion and reap the economic benefits of connectivity.

It is well established that improved access to public goods and services generally benefits poor communities and strengthens the fundamental prerequisites for their economic resilience through growth and increased productivity, enabling cities to benefit from economies of agglomeration and scale. Additional knowledge is, however, needed to explore exactly how access to these goods and services can be improved to support equitable economic growth in cities, as well as how such processes are most effectively supported both locally and globally.

The Cities Alliance Joint Work Programme (JWP) on Equitable Economic Growth (EEG) in Cities focuses on supporting equitable access to public goods and services for all citizens and formal and informal businesses in cities. The goal is to support growth trajectories increasingly characterized by equity, inclusion and environmental sustainability in partnership with BRAC Institute for Governance and Development and others.