Shaping urbanization for children
This reportwas written by UNICEF in 2018. The report is available in English and Chinese. The purpose of this report is to create a suitable urban environment for all children and to provide access to living facilities fairly for all of them. The report calls on all urban stakeholders to invest in child-responsive urban planning, which offers promising ways to create prosperous and equitable cities by examining children’s rights and urban planning. The program enables children to live in healthy, safe, inclusive, green and prosperous communities, and with a focus on children, in urban planning, presents the goals of sustainable development from a global perspective. This report examines some of the principles that are essential for children to have a sustainable city, including:
Many children in developing countries live in poor housing. Through urban planning, all cities must provide adequate, affordable and safe housing for children and the community, where they can feel safe and secure to live, sleep, play and learn. Homes with good ventilation, natural light, quality floors and ceilings that provide a safe environment for children to live, play, study. Proper housing supports children to grow, improves children’s socio-emotional relationships.
Home
Playgrounds, squares and parks
Through urban planning, all cities should provide safe green and public spaces for children and the community, where they can gather and engage in outdoor activities. Playgrounds, public spaces and friendly spaces allow children to develop socially and cognitively, as well as public and green spaces increase physical activity and affect the health of all ages and create a social feeling in children and identity. Introduces the culture and history of the city, increasing green spaces in addition to creating a healthy environment, also teaches respect for the environment and preserving the value of nature.
Public facilities
Through urban planning, all cities must provide health, education and public service infrastructure for children and the community, so that they can discover and develop their life skills. Schools, libraries and other public facilities located in the city have a negative correlation with crime, thus making it available in the community reduces crime in the city.
Streets and public transport
All cities must develop an active transportation system and public transportation and ensure independent mobility for children and their community, so that all children and people in the community have equal and safe access to all urban services and opportunities. In the Sustainable City, there are activity streets designed for children that encourage the child’s physical mobility and reduce obesity, heart disease and other illnesses, these urban mobility policies that support low-energy, clean energy Improves air and reduces respiratory disease and cancer. Also, cities that provide space for cycling routes increase transportation performance in the city and provide better access to all municipal services.
Integrated municipal water and sewage management systems
Through urban planning, all cities must manage water health services and ensure an integrated urban water management system for children and their communities, so they have safe and affordable drinking water that is fairly accessible to all.. This can be done by using drinking water storage and protection programs to protect aquifers and build heavy infrastructure in suitable and safe places to prevent floods and other natural disasters.
Markets and gardens
All cities must create an urban food system with farms, markets and vendors, so that children and their communities have constant access to healthy, affordable nutrition and sustainable production. Lively markets, gardens and schools where food is produced, managed and cooked reinforce local identity and are a vital source of community interaction, stimulating children to learn life skills about consumption, production and Cultivate food processing. Nutritious, balanced and varied diets reduce the effects of hunger, malnutrition and non-communicable diet-related diseases throughout the life cycle.
Municipal waste management system
Cities need to create a proper waste system and, with sustainable management, including waste segregation and recycling, and other methods, turn waste into a source of income and a city with a healthy environment, so that children and their community can live in a clean environment. Grow safely. Cleaning public spaces reduces children’s risk of infectious diseases and exposure to pollution and debris.
Clean energy networks
With urban planning, all cities can access clean energy networks throughout the city and integrate this energy with urban environments, so that children and their communities have access to all day-to-day municipal services, including electricity.
Smart grid and internet
Cities need technology and technology needs cities. The technology is influential in shaping urban life around the world and supports business operations, data-driven industries such as finance, logistics and urban networks, transportation, basic services, and environmental management. This smart grid significantly increases access to information and communication, teaches skills and creates employment, and also gives children permanent access to emergency services and emergency alert systems, including online training and instruction.
