Barrio Guemes, Villa 31; CABA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
'La 31' ('the 31'), located behind the central train and bus station in Buenos Aires, is one of the most established urban slums in the city.
The emergence of this slum, like many others, began at the end of the 19th century when working class Europeans immigrated to Argentina under the promise of land and work in the countryside. When they found the land to be, in fact ,occupied by a small number of wealthy land owners, they settled in unoccupied areas of the city to look for semi skilled jobs, often based around the port and the newly constructed train lines.
The slums grew in the 1940s when the country began to industrialize and workers rights and trade unions were established. Since the industrialization of Argentina, there has also been a steady influx of emigration from border countries such as Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay, who, without papers or money, are unable to settle in the urban centre, but hope to find work in the city, or in the enternal industries which are growing in the slums themselves.
The 31 runs alongside the main train lines towards the rich northern suburbs of Buenos Aires, and is currently thought to have between 30 to 40 thousand inhabitants. This slum is currently under a government urbanization program, but many of its inhabitants still live without any legal documentation, limited access to education, health care and the possibility to work legally in the city. They are often heavily discriminated by those living in the city, and are represented by the media as being a violent, criminal group.
'La 31' ('the 31'), located behind the central train and bus station in Buenos Aires, is one of the most established urban slums in the city.
The emergence of this slum, like many others, began at the end of the 19th century when working class Europeans immigrated to Argentina under the promise of land and work in the countryside. When they found the land to be, in fact ,occupied by a small number of wealthy land owners, they settled in unoccupied areas of the city to look for semi skilled jobs, often based around the port and the newly constructed train lines.
The slums grew in the 1940s when the country began to industrialize and workers rights and trade unions were established. Since the industrialization of Argentina, there has also been a steady influx of emigration from border countries such as Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay, who, without papers or money, are unable to settle in the urban centre, but hope to find work in the city, or in the enternal industries which are growing in the slums themselves.
The 31 runs alongside the main train lines towards the rich northern suburbs of Buenos Aires, and is currently thought to have between 30 to 40 thousand inhabitants. This slum is currently under a government urbanization program, but many of its inhabitants still live without any legal documentation, limited access to education, health care and the possibility to work legally in the city. They are often heavily discriminated by those living in the city, and are represented by the media as being a violent, criminal group.
