The main objective of this study is to investigate the problem of marginalization in city of
Ahwaz and to propose empowering strategies within the liberal framework. The staggering growth of
Ahwaz population as the regional center in the Southwest of Iran, the seventh metropolis of Iran and the
second largest city in terms of marginalization have given rise to a plethora of problems such as filthy
marginalized communities, illegal housing, etc. One of these marginalized communities is Ghale Chanan
District. It has been infused with numerous problems in the last few decades to the extent that it poses
health, safety and welfare threats to the city. Empowerment is based on the poverty alleviation and its
advancement depends on the cooperation of the citizens and urban management. It aims at provoking
the sense of belonging in the area and eliciting the proper response as to the share of the state and
people. What is central to this strategy is a special emphasis on increasing household incomes and
poverty alleviation. The research method is descriptive - analytic and a sample size of 266 households
was randomly selected using Cochrane method. The data obtained by means of the questionnaires were
analyzed using SPSS software based on Pearson Chi-Square method. This area is characterized with
physical and social features such as relatively stable and homogenous social context, disinclination to
cooperate with state-run offices, lack of awareness of the urban management planning among the local
people, the low quality of the housing and a combination of all these factors. The results, however, show
that the citizens with a longer history of residency in the area enjoy better amenities and services. There
is a positive (parallel) relationship between the history of residence and the desire to contribute, and the
citizens with higher awareness of urban management planning are more likely to cooperate.