The analysis of the capability of using empowerment strategy in regularization of informal settlements case study informal settlement area of Golshahr; Mashhad

Marginalization or as today interpretation informal settlement is the outcome of rapid urbanization and transition to socio – economic paradigm of industrialization while urbanization is the prominent spatial form and parallel with socio – economical aspec of this paradigm. In the past decades from the beginning of information society this phenomenon is so developed as if there is a commitment to its eternity and reproduction. In the past decades along with doing programs and plans of functionalistic and linear socio – economic development, with liberalist sight, everybody expected to resolve problems through hidden hand of market and laissez fair and in this periods specially in 1950 and 1960 decades damage strategy or transition to public house was considered. With critique of this strategy in the late 1960 and early 1970 decade the strategy of site and service was uttered by some bodies such as Terner by neglecting local community subjects such as social and physical capital of settlers this plan also failed and caused the colony transition of poverty and marginalization. Theoretical bases: From the 1980 decade through the agency of world bank for the purpose of regularization of informal settlements sees people settled in this settlements not as a problem but as asset and upgrading of their socio – economic situation has become their own lesponsibbility while the government makes it easier for them so that empowerment replaces the entitlement and poverty culture. Mashhad has a special characteristic between the world and Irans cities. This characteristic has made it as the first religious metropolitan in the world. It is the largest city in east of the country with the highest population rate and highest ratio of Iran tourism in all of the country. Mashhad with a population of 2.427 million in 2006 has been the largest metropolitan of the country after Tehran. This city during 1976 to 2006 has the highest rate of population growth between countries metropolitan after Karaj while the great share of this growth has restricted to its margin. That has 200 km2 spaces; it has six hundred and fifty thousand populations in seven city quarter and two hundred and thirteen villages. Golshahr, placed on east north of Mashhad with 34650, population (2006) which were matly Afghans is one of this marginalization quarter of the city. Although it is placed inside the comprehensive plan from 1993, its socio- economic and physical indices are not in a good condition. Using of SWOT method this article analyzed the capabilities of empowerment strategy in regularization of the mentioned area. It has analyzed the strengths and weakness as well as treats and opportunities of structural factors in physical, cultural- social, economical and bioenvironmental dimensions. The results show indicative that this strategy with emphasis on potentials and cababilities of settlers acts better than the other strategies especially in protectivy human dignity. Suggestions: Article’s suggestions are demonstrated at two levels as physical empowerment of informal settlements and socio – economic empowerment.