Two billion people are set to flood into the already crowded cities of the developing world over the next twenty-five years, mainly to live in the squalid surroundings of a slum or a shanty town and to endure the consequent effects of social injustice and division. James Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank, addresses the problem of urban poverty and describes initiatives for change that build upon a new recognition throughout the developing world that the urban poor have rights, and an essential part to play in building the cities of tomorrow.