Author: Cities4Children
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.
This year, Cities4Children and its members will be present at and running a number of great sessions. These span many areas, providing opportunities to network with some of the world’s leading voices in urbanism, and engage in debate and discussion while at the event.
The WUF11 will be held on 26–30 June 2022, in Katowice, Poland. You can register to participate here.
Our own event at WUF11
Want to build a Cities4Children Alliance in your city or country? Come and find out how
When? Monday, June 27th 2022 | 13:30-15:00
Where? ICC Multifunction Hall Room 19 Katowice, Poland
Speakers: Sarah Sabry (Save the Children), Sara Candaracci (Arup) and Thomas George (UNICEF) and Lucìa Nogales (Ocupa tu Calle)
At the World Urban Forum in 2020, 5 organisations joined forces at a networking event to propose the idea of building the Global Alliance – Cities4Children. The networking event was a springboard to get started. We presented the idea of the alliance and brainstormed with participants what a global alliance could and should do. Today, we are 27 organisations working together to tackle the challenges faced by children and young people living in urban areas, especially in the most vulnerable contexts.
During this upcoming WUF, we want to take the next step: to expand from an alliance of global organisations, into also building city and country level alliances. This networking event will be the first step we take in this direction. We aim to bring together organisations that might be interested to get this started in their cities/countries. We will briefly explain why we want to do this and lead a co-creation workshop to inform the process and finalise our call to set up country/city chapters of Cities4Children.
What is this about?
We are seeking local (city/country) partners who have the needed experience and resources to set up Cities for Children and Youth alliances in African, Asian, and Latin American cities/countries.
Why form a Cities for Children and Youth alliance?
– Achieve collective impact
– Influence national urban policy
– Learn from good practices
– Connect to global networks
– Better access to funding opportunities
– Joint advocacy and communications
– Better understand the situation of children and youth in your context.
Programme
– What is Cities4Children? Our journey so far
– Overview of issues faced by children in cities
– The next step: Moving to country and city-level action
– Practical actions towards Cities for Children and Youth
– Dialogue with Occupa tu Calle about alliances in Peru
– An interactive co-creation workshop will engage participants to discuss how we can make city/national alliances work
– Closing remarks
Are you not going to be at the World Urban Forum? We still want your ideas.
Our event at the WUF11 will only be in person. We know that many organisations will not be there and we want to include everyone in the co-creation process about how we can best make city/national alliances work. Please give us your input by filling out this short survey. These are the questions we will discuss in the workshop at the WUF.
Find out more about the application here
Miguel Arreátegui/ Save the Children
Children and Youth focused events by Cities4Children members at WUF11
Child Friendly Urban Policies, Planning Laws and Standards
When? Wednesday, June 29, 2022 | 09:00-12:00
Where? Multifunction Hall Room 5
Organisers: IALS, University of London, United Kingdom, UNICEF and United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat)
What? This training event will provide participants with new and innovative approaches and knowledge for developing inclusive and child-responsive laws and policies based on the joint guidance developed by UN-Habitat and UNICEF.
DeCID Handbook – A practical guide for co-designing built interventions with children affected by displacement in the urban context
When? Wednesday, June 29, 2022 | 10:15-11:15
Where? Urban Expo: Urban Library room
Organisers: Catalyticaction
What? CatalyticAction and the Bartlett Development Planning Unit (University College London) teamed up with UNICEF and UN-Habitat to develop a practical handbook for the co-design of built interventions with children in displacement contexts. At the World Urban Forum 11, the project team will present the DeCID Handbook, illustrating key concepts and steps to achieve empowering co-designed built interventions with children.
Real Play Coalition – Expanding the Partnership for Play
When? Wednesday, June 29, 2022 | 12:30-14:00
Where? Multifunction Hall Room 11
Organisers: Real Play Coalition (LEGO Foundation, Arup, National Geographic, IKEA, UNICEF)
What? This event will launch the Real Play Coalition new partnership model, developed to catalyze play in collaboration with new organizations committed to play, to drive sustainable development, and to foster children’s well-being and development. The new edition of the Real Play City Challenge will be launched, along with a new publication about nature-based play.
Inter-generational dialogue on urban fragility and resilience – evidence from the city
When? Wednesday, June 29, 2022 | 14:30-16:00
Where? Multifunction Hall Room 2
Organisers: Plan International & World Vision, with support from Dreamtown and Slum Dwellers International.
What? This event presents research from seven countries, with a focus on urban fragility and resilience within the triple nexus (humanitarian, development and peace-building) from the perspectives and experiences of children and youth. The countries are: Uganda, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Kenya, Philippines, Honduras and Lebanon. The wide geographical reach enables reflection on what urban fragility and resilience mean in diverse urban contexts and allows us to provide examples of community-led solutions. Through evidence-based research and the voices of children and youth, this session will explore their challenges and opportunities in fragile urban contexts, provide key recommendations for community-led solutions and specific calls to actions for policy, academic and practitioner stakeholders.
Children and Youth and the Urban Environment: Addressing Unique Needs and Challenges Faced in Informal Settlements and Slums
When? Wednesday, June 29, 2022 | 16:30-18:00
Where? Multifunction Hall Room 9
Organiser: UNICEF
What? More than 350 million children live in slum households, most often deprived of the basic rights. Focusing on these children is a global imperative. Through a panel discussion, UNICEF and development sector partners will address the unique needs of children living in urban areas and call for action to improve children and youth access to adequate housing and basic services, promote youth participation in urban governance and planning and Launch the Children, Cities, and Housing: Rights and Priorities discussion paper.
Other events by Cities4Children members at WUF11
Cities for everybody: capacity building for gender-sensitive urban planning
When? Tuesday, June 28, 2022 | 09:00-12:00
Where? Multifunction Hall Room 13
Organiser: Cities Alliance
What? The session will present and discuss tools, practices, and lessons learnt from programmes focusing on women participation in city making. Participants will also identify missing links that will need to be addressed to effectively accompany cities in reshaping urban gender roles and narratives, while responding to specific issues and situations.
Cities for the most vulnerable: Placing Housing at the Center of an Equitable Urban Future
When? Tuesday, June 28, 2022 | 16:30-18:00
Where? Multifunction Hall Room 18
Organisers: Habitat for Humanity International
What? Globally, the world has been grappling with a housing quality deficit for decades, with 1.6 billion people living in sub-standard housing of which 1 billion are living in informal settlements and slums. This networking event will bring together voices from around the world to discuss the central role that housing plays in driving social and economic outcomes, enhancing resilience to disasters, creating sustainable cities and supporting the needs of the world’s most vulnerable. The session will also lay the groundwork for the launch of Habitat for Humanity International’s 5-year global advocacy campaign, focused on the areas of discussion during this panel, and with the intent to develop partnership for enrolment in the campaign. With representatives from academia, grass roots organizations, multilateral organizations and government, the case will be made that the world’s cities will be made more equitable if housing is more accessible by all.
Integrating health in urban and territorial planning
When? Wednesday, June 29, 2022 | 09:00-12:00
Where? Multifunction Hall Room 11
Organiser: Cambridge University, United Kingdom, World Health Organization (WHO), ISOCARP and UCLG
What? Today, cities face increasing threats from climate change-related impacts putting the wellbeing of their citizens at risk. Climate change directly impacts the health of urban residents via disasters. Increased air pollution and rising temperatures can endanger key health-related urban systems. The overall objective of the workshop will be to illustrate the main linkages between health and spatial factors to enable the integration of health in urban and territorial planning. The session will have an interactive exercise that will allow participants to have an opportunity to interact, reflect, and learn from each other, with the aim to get inspired, to take the lessons learned, and start integrating health into their own planning practices.
Leaving no one in Cities behind: Addressing Inequalities through Resilient Infrastructure
When? Wednesday, June 29, 2022 | 14:30-16:00
Where? Multifunction Hall Room 18
Organiser: Cities Alliance
What? Inequalities are deeply entrenched by structural drivers that intersect and bolster each other, reinforcing a systematic disadvantage of the most marginalized. With Urbanisation and Climate Change as the megatrends of the 21st century, we need resilient urban infrastructure for all – the question is not so much on what infrastructure is needed, but rather on how these massive investment needs can be realised within existing structures and fabrics of cities; leaving no one behind but moving forward. This networking event will interrogate and elaborate on the potential of creating resilient infrastructure to address inequalities in cities, showcasing the importance and the “business case” for local adaptation efforts.