Cities4Children Blog

This is our platform for sharing insights, ideas for actions, conversations and innovations that make cities better for children and young people.

Where to find us at this year’s World Urban Forum 2022?

Cities4Children at World Urban Forum blog
Uncategorized

Cities4Children , June 23, 2022, 9 min

The World Urban Forum (WUF) was established in 2001 by the United Nations to examine one of the most pressing challenges facing the world today: rapid urbanisation and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change and policies. The WUF is now is one of the world’s most important conferences on cities in the world. Read more β†’

Three projects to promote cycling in cities

ParticipationIdeas4Action

Eleanor Ross, June 3, 2022, 4 min

Swapping the car for a bike can work wonders for children and their caregivers, by making the city safer, more accessible and reducing emissions. Making our cities more cycle-able for children means making them more accessible for everyone.Β  The World Health Organization estimates that well over two-thirds of adolescents aren’t active enough, and believe a Read more β†’

What do child-friendly neighbourhoods look and feel like?

Urban Planning

Tim Gill, May 24, 2022, 7 min

My last blog made the case for child-friendly urban planning as a catalyst for healthier, more sustainable cities. It set out a two-dimensional framework highlighting the role of mobility on the one hand, and a wide choice of things to do (crucially including places to play) on the other. This blog looks in more detail Read more β†’

How can we make urban mobility more child friendly?

Urban Safety

RΓ‘chel SurΓ‘nyi & NoΓ©mi SzabΓ³ (Mobilissimus), May 17, 2022, 6 min

An EU project has operated around different European neighbourhoods in an attempt to improve mobility, specifically for children and those with reduced or different mobility needs. Here,Β Mobilissimus, in Hungary shares more information about the project, and in particular the changes that have taken place in Budapest. What is the EU-funded SUNRISE (Sustainable Urban Neighbourhoods Research Read more β†’

Ideas4Action: Why co-producing knowledge is critical to improve the lives of children in informal settlements

ParticipationIdeas4Action

Dawn Pauls, May 11, 2022, 7 min

Understanding the demographics and characteristics of an informal settlement is critical. Gaining accurate information is important to support children in informal settlements, as when we understand the problems then it’s easier to find solutions. A key issue is that residents in informal settlements are often missing from census data and other official or formal surveys.Β  Read more β†’

Conversations: Does the 15-minute city work for children and caregivers?

Child CareConversations about Cities

Cities4Children, April 19, 2022, 7 min

ITDP’s new report, 15-Minute-Neighbourhoods: Access and Babies, Toddlers and Their Caregivers, has been released, and this webinar discussed how this can contribute to urban wellbeing. The conversation was moderated by Ankita Chakra, Knowledge for Policy Director at the Bernard van Leer Foundation. The panelists included Aimee Gaulthier, Chief Knowledge Officer at ITDP, Iwona Alfred, Program Read more β†’

Recognize the frontline workers supporting street children

Street Children

Louise Meincke and Katherine Richards, April 12, 2022, 8 min

On this year’s International Day for Street Children, we’re celebrating frontline workers and reminding the world about the vital role they play. Street child – what do those words evoke? Β Does it stir mental images of material need: a child desperate for shelter, better clothing, more regular meals, medicines, or to go to school?Β  Β  Read more β†’

Ideas4Action: Six ways to design safer school zones

ParticipationIdeas4Action

Rohit Tak and Lekshmy Hirandas, April 5, 2022, 6 min

A good measure of how child-friendly a city is, is how well children can independently play, connect socially, and access schools. After numerous waves of Covid-19, parents across India and the rest of the world,Β remainΒ concerned about letting their children ride public transport and school buses. This behaviour change can accelerate motor-vehicle dependency for school-related commutes Read more β†’

Why child-friendly urban design matters

Urban Issues

Tim Gill, March 29, 2022, 5 min

If current trends continue, the future of humankind is in cities, and urban childhoods are set to become the global norm. Yet, as they grow, few cities work well for their inhabitants.Β Too many – in high-, middle- and low-income countries – are polluted, car-dominated and inequitable. How might we improve the built form of cities Read more β†’

WASH and urban children: How can NGOs support equitable provision?

WASH

Sheridan Bartlett, March 22, 2022, 6 min

The Global Alliance – Cities4Children has recently published an evidence-to-action brief on urban children and WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene). This blog highlights some of the key ways NGOs can support the design and delivery of programmes designed to address WASH provision in urban areas. Well over half of urban children in the global South, Read more β†’

Ideas4Action: How to Create a Happy City

ParticipationIdeas4Action

Cities4Children, March 15, 2022, 6 min

Ahead of this year’s International Day of Happiness, we take a look at what can make cities happy places, and what urban planners and those in power can do to bring moreΒ  joy and life to cities. Cities are rarely depicted as happy places. In films, they’re either overcrowded and full of stressed people dodging Read more β†’