Shaping urbanization for children A handbook on child-responsive urban planning © United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
May 2018
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ISBN: 978-92-806-4960-4 Shaping urbanization for children A handbook on child-responsive urban planning
May 2018 Page 2 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Acknowledgements
Author and Project Manager Contributions, inputs and/or review Jens Aerts This report would not have been possible had it not been for the invaluable inputs of many colleagues throughout UNICEF, in particular Managing Editor colleagues from Regional Offices, Headquarters, National Committees David Anthony and Country Offices throughout the world.
External Reference Group Within UNICEF, specific thanks go to Bisi Agberemi, David Anthony, Anna Chow, Luigi Cipolla , Sebastien Goethals, Madina Junussova, Jan Beise, Jennie Bernstein, Luisa Brumana, Jasmina Byrne, Cristina Colon, Shipra Narang Suri and Anastasia Velnidis (ISOCARP); Shlomo Angel Mitchell Cook, Clarice Da Silva e Paula, Marija Adrianna de Wijn, (NYU Marron Institute of Urban Management); Sachin Bhoite (ARUP Timothy Grieve, Paulina Gruszczynski, Lusungu Kayani, Erica Kochi, International Development); Roger Hart (NYU Children’s Environments Barbara Kroll, Roland Kupka, George Laryea-Adjei, Michele Paba, Research Group); Michael Kodransky (Institute for Transportation and Jamal Shah, Tom Slaymaker, Anthony Spalton, Julia Stricker, Toby Wicks, Development Policy); Laura Lima (Cities Alliance); Braulio Eduardo Morea, Danzhen You, Renata Zanetti. Brett Mons and Michael Schwebel (100 Resilient Cities); Giselle Sebag, Warren Smith (African Centre for Cities); Shin-pei Tsay (Gehl Institute) and Special thanks go to the International Society of City and Regional Benjamin Welle (WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities). Planners (lSOCARP) for facilitating input from their members.
Research Sincere appreciation goes to Samer Saliba (International Rescue Yoonie Choi, Jordan Cosby, Yana Tukvachinski Committee), Avi Silverman (FIA Foundation), Sudhvir Singh (EAT) and Darell Hammond (Bernard van Leer Foundation) for sharing their knowledge and for Design and production discussing findings that have been invaluable during the report’s production. Design and content strategy: Olga Oleszczuk, Shangning Wang, Cecilia Beatriz Silva Special thanks go to Daniel Rhoads, Albert Solé-Ribalta and Javier Borge- Holthoefer (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya) for producing maps on urban Visualizations: Shangning Wang spatial inequity.
Layout: Big Yellow Taxi, Inc. Sincere thanks for all the individuals and organizations that have helped us to gather accurate information and inspiring visualisations for this Photo management: Jordan Cosby handbook.
Production support: Anna Mukerjee
Copy-editing and proofreading: Emilie Oyen, Anna Mukerjee UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 3
Table of contents
Part 1 Part 2
About the handbook Shaping urbanization Localizing children’s rights for children matters and urban planning principles Why planning cities for children page 11 page 67 matters...... 4 1 4 Why plan cities for children? Urban spaces Children’s Rights and Urban Planning Principles...... 5 • What is the urban challenge?...... 12 • Principle 2 Housing and Land Tenure...... 69 • Why focus on children?...... 20 • Principle 3 Public Amenities...... 83 How to plan child-responsive urban settings...... 5 • Why urban planning matters?...... 32 • Principle 4 Public Spaces...... 97 Who is the handbook for...... 6
The purpose of the handbook...... 8 Defining a child-responsive Urban systems How to use the handbook...... 9 urban setting • Principle 5 Transportation Systems...... 109 2 page 37 • Principle 6 Integrated Urban Water What should we plan for children? and Sanitation Management Systems...123 • Principle 7 Food Systems...... 137 • Child-responsiveness, benefits and programme areas...... 38 • Principle 8 Waste Cycle Systems...... 149 Resources • Child-responsive urban settings...... 42 Urban networks • Children’s Rights and Urban Planning Glossary...... 184 Principles...... 44 • Principle 9 Energy Networks...... 161 Endnotes...... 186 • Principle 10 Data and ICT Networks...... 173 Credits...... 189 Shaping child-responsive urban settings 3 page 49 How to plan for children? • Planning space for children and the community...... 51 • Designing the process with children and the community...... 55 • Using evidence about children and the community...... 57
Checklist Children’s Rights and Urban Planning...... 62 Page 4 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
About the handbook
Shaping urbanization for children, a handbook and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, thereby environment constraints children’s access on child-responsive urban planning, presents putting stress on the environment and the to urban services in a physical way, due to concepts, evidence and technical strategies cities themselves. Improved use of urban unequal distribution, ineffective planning and to bring children to the foreground of urban resource systems necessitates innovation lack of quality in design and construction. It planning. By focusing on children, this in terms of energy efficiency, and in forging leads to urban-specific environmental health publication provides guidance on the central sustainable lifestyles. As children’s behaviour problems that health support systems cannot role that urban planning should play in is moulded by their ongoing interaction with address alone and shifts the focus from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals the urban environment, children’s participation communicable to non-communicable diseases. (SDGs), from a global perspective to a local in shaping sustainable cities will be a The built environment also reveals itself as context, by creating thriving and equitable determinant for the future of our cities and for a threat when children and their caretakers cities where children live in healthy, safe, our planet. cannot evaluate risks, be prepared or be safe. inclusive, green and prosperous communities. Finally, the built environment also influences to Cities are drivers of prosperity, but also what extend children’s participation is possible, Why planning cities for of inequity. Although mostly overlooked, in terms of public space where children can inequity has a spatial dimension that congregate and other infrastructure that allows children matters makes children vulnerable. Spatial inequity physical, social and digital connectivity. Analysis of the main urban contexts shows manifests itself in various ways and reveals that urbanization does not necessarily the importance of land value, land tenure, land The built environment offers realms of induce sustainable urban environments for use and the planning and management of the opportunity where cities commit to the children. Firstly, the total numbers of slum spatial characteristics of the built environment. respect of children’s rights and planning for dwellers have grown to 880 million, despite Children and their families, especially the equity. Given the global trend in urbanization, efforts to upgrade slums. An estimated most disadvantaged, are confronted with there is significant potential to engage with 300 million of the global population of slum spatial inequity in multiple ways: the high children in the decisions that affect their dwellers are children, who suffer from cost of living and access to urban services; physical urban environment, their interaction multiple deprivations, live without a voice the unequal geo-spatial distribution to urban with urban resource systems and shape their and have no access to land, housing and services; the poor characteristics of the built behaviour. The recognition of childhood as services. Secondly, without investment in environment; and the inequitable spatial a crucial time for children to gain access to planning, urban expansion mostly occurs in distribution of land and urban space. the urban setting and enjoy its advantages, a fragmented way, with limited centrality, a is key to define spatial solutions for all ages. lack of public space and no compactness in An unsustainable built environment has Child-responsive urban settings resonate urban form. For children, it means unhealthy diminishing returns on service delivery qualities that many scholars have described and unsafe environments, limited options for for children, or even worse, makes it as conceptual standards for sustainable walking and playing, limited connectivity to impossible. In urban settings, there is a neighbourhoods and cities: urban scales, social networks, services and local economy. strong correlation between the vulnerability proximity, walkability, mixed use, public space, Thirdly, existing urban areas are responsible of the most disadvantaged children and the independent mobility and connectivity. for proportionally higher energy consumption built environment. An unsustainable built UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 5
Children’s Rights and and ensure independent mobility for children How to plan child- and the community, so they have equal and Urban Planning Principles safe access to all services and opportunities in responsive urban settings By adopting 10 Children’s Rights and Urban their city. Existing urban planning and policy must be Planning Principles cities will not only support influenced and strengthened in order to make children’s development, but thrive as homes for Principle 6 Integrated Water and Sanitation cities child-responsive. By prioritizing children, future generations. All cities should commit to: Management Systems – Develop safely urban planning will contribute to broader urban managed water and sanitation services and programming in three ways: Principle 1 Investments – Respect children’s ensure an Integrated Urban Water Management rights and invest in child-responsive urban system for children and the community, so they 1. Planning urban space at various scales. planning that ensures a safe and clean have adequate and equitable access to safe and Area-based urban programmes enable environment for children and involves children’s affordable water, sanitation and hygiene. better service delivery for children, as well participation in area-based interventions, as a clean and safe built environment. stakeholder engagement and evidence-based Principle 7 Food Systems – Develop a food decision-making, securing children’s health, system with farms, markets and vendors, so 2. Engaging children and other local safety, citizenship, environmental sustainability children and the community have permanent stakeholders. Process oriented urban and prosperity, from early childhood to access to healthy, affordable and sustainably– development involves children’s participation adolescent life. produced food and nutrition. in coalition building and the co-production of child-responsive urban settings. Principle 2 Housing and Land Tenure – Principle 8 Waste Cycle Systems – Develop 3. Using geo-spatial and other urban data Provide affordable and adequate housing a zero waste system and ensure sustainable platforms. Evidence-driven and child- and secure land tenure for children and the resource management, so children and the centred decision-making considers the community, where they feel safe and secure, to community can thrive in a safe and clean spatial component of urban inequity that the live, to sleep, to play and to learn. environment. most disadvantaged children are exposed to.
Principle 3 Public Amenities – Provide Principle 9 Energy Networks – Integrate clean infrastructure for health, educational and social energy networks and ensure reliable access services for children and the community, which to power, so children and the community have they have access to, to thrive and to develop access to all urban services day and night. life skills. Principle 10 Data and ICT Networks – Principle 4 Public Spaces – Provide safe and Integrate data and ICT networks and inclusive public and green spaces for children ensure digital connectivity for children and and the community, where they can meet and the community, to universally accessible, engage in outdoor activities. affordable, safe and reliable information and communication. Principle 5 Transportation Systems – Develop active transportation and public transit systems Page 6 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Who is the handbook for
The handbook aims to inspire everyone children to become empowered adults who will The private sector, such as developers, involved in planning, designing, transforming, lead the cities of the future: investors, contractors, service providers and building and managing the built environment. technology companies build the large majority Urban planning professionals use different of infrastructure to accommodate people and Stakeholders from diverse disciplines make tools in spatial planning and stakeholder the local economy. important decisions that shape our urban engagement on a daily basis to help shape the environment. Often in the absence of any form built environment in a sustainable way. Civil society organizations, such as of urban planning or policy, these stakeholders community-based organizations and local influence the appearance and performance of City governments are responsible for city non-government organizations, support the urban environment. They each have a role development and management decisions, communities in raising their voices and work to shape urban settings in a way that is child- such as resource allocation, land use, oversight with them to define which urban spaces and responsive: ensuring that children have the and regulation, the coordination of different land use are needed and which services should urban childhood they deserve, and equipping stakeholders and actual delivery of services. be provided. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 7
Services & Infrastructure IC INSTITUT IVATE SECT BL IO PR OR nal Gove N ons and U atio rnm S rati Ind P N en rpo us t Norms & Standards Co tri rnmen nomy es ove t Au Eco Dev G th l el l o ca op ca r o e o it L r L ie s Urban planning s Local and development entrepreneurs Transportation and public works Real estate developers and contractors Environment and resilience Facilities (waste, water) Urban services providers CIAL Economy SPE ISTS In/Formal workers Statistics associations rban Special U ists ning P lan rofe n P ss a io rb n U Architects a ls Engineers
Landscape architects
N I Built environment specialists
N O
Urban economy advisors I
T
T
E Legal advisors A G Urban geographers N R R I Academics e A D pr T R ty li ese I O g i Ba O b N O in i n C c s s t n ic a an o t i n p U o i s r F b n e an & & R A t e S e t c a e co k r r r v a o i u p Figure 1: Stakeholders c n M r e t o s a in urban planning b C il it VIL SOCIE ial y CI TY c nmental O o ver rga S -go niz n at o Based O io N nity rga n u ni s m za m t o io C n Neighbourhood s associations Housing associations Social street workers Women organizations Youth organizations Religious groups Page 8 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
The purpose of the handbook
Convincing stakeholders that shaping cities for To support the process towards To influence stakeholders children is the best thing to do will benefit not child-responsive cities: only children, but all current and future citizens. • Train and educate on children’s rights and The reader can refer to the handbook for • Empower children to participate in built urban planning in academic curriculums and different purposes. environment decision-making; professional training courses;
To promote planning better cities for • Build coalitions with all stakeholders • Give policy advice for city leaders to improve children: that can share concerns, knowledge and urban planning policy for children; resources for change; • Build capacity for communities to • Inform stakeholders how children’s • Align agendas of child-responsive urban participate in the whole process of vulnerabilities are related to the built planning and other urban programme assessing the current situation, defining environment; sectors that have common goals in terms problems and solutions, co-producing of health, safety, citizenship, climate better outcomes for children; • Sensitize all stakeholders to the benefits of resilience and prosperity; developing child-responsive urban settings; • Develop compacts with the private real • Localize change, marking urban places for estate sector to commit to children’s rights • Question why urban settings are not child- children’s use and preparing first steps of and urban planning. responsive and how this can be changed; change; • Identify the specific urban places that can be • Lead communities to action, starting better planned for children; with limited resources and evolving • Show how urban planning tools can be used incrementally to fundamental change. to make urban settings child-responsive;
• Inspire with the evidence and promising To build the evidence for child-responsive practices in different urban contexts. cities
• Define the baseline and priorities for change, through a community-led urban situation analysis; • Set goals and targets for children, selecting indicators that reflect child-responsiveness; • Use evidence for policy change, documenting child-related data on investments and outcomes. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 9
How to use the handbook
The handbook is composed of two major parts: for children? reviews urban planning tools and Part 2 illustrates how cities can be planned to be child- Part 1 responsive, building on three potential strengths Part 2 provides technical support for urban of urban planning: to provide space for children, planning stakeholders in their daily practice: Part 1 builds the case for child-responsive urban to include children in the process of change and urban planning professionals, civil servants in planning and argues that every stakeholder has to develop urban policy that is based on child- charge of city development plans and projects a role to play. Answering a question in each of specific evidence. By organizing the tools in that impact the urban environment, and project the three chapters, it can be read separately, three steps, planning can begin with a focus on managers in real estate development and without Part 2, as a quick-read, for those who short-term results whilst laying the foundation community development managers. They will are accountable in the urban planning process, for incremental change for the longer-term. The benefit from this detailed guidance on how such as city officials, real estate industry leaders stepping stone approach also has a motivational to plan, build and manage child-responsive and community leaders. aspect: every city, depending on its capacities cities, from the building to the city scale, from and resources, can take a step to become more stakeholder engagement to implementation Chapter One: Why plan cities for children? child-responsive. (see page 49). on the ground, and from assessment to provides a general overview of the opportunities monitoring and evaluation (see page 67). and challenges of urbanization, children’s Part 1 ends with a checklist Children’s Rights vulnerabilities related to the built environment and Urban Planning Principles that allows every In technical sections, Part 2 elaborates on and how urban planning can support urban stakeholder to quickly evaluate what can be the tools for child-responsive urban planning programmes for children (see page 11). done to take up responsibilities and improve the reviewed in Part 1, along a typology of nine situation of children, respecting capacities and urban spaces, urban systems and urban Chapter Two: What can be planned for children? resources. The checklist takes a central place in networks. The sections reflect the Children’s defines the core set of Children’s Rights and the handbook, providing the main reference for Rights and Urban Planning Principles and Urban Planning Principles based on a benefits starting, monitoring and evaluating investments describe the benefits for children, relevant framework and a typology of built environment of every stakeholder involved in child-responsive definitions, concepts, promising practice and components (see page 37). urban planning, in the short-term (easy steps in child-responsive planning approaches for every one year), mid-term (3 years) and long-term (7 component of urban settings. Chapter Three: How can cities be better planned years) (see page 62-65). Salim Shekh (13) show’s off the com- prehensive hand drawn map of the community at the Rishi Aurobindo Colony where they are undertaking a range of tasks headed by Commu- nity Mapping Kolkata, India Page 11
Part 1
Shaping urbanization 1 for children matters
• What is the urban challenge? Why plan cities for children? • Why focus on children? • Why urban planning matters? Page 12 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
What is the urban challenge?
We are living in an urban age The unsustainable In cities that shelter slum dwellers, the intra- – which is in principle great path of urbanization urban disparity is especially great. Slum dweller populations will continue to grow and news, because cities hold the prospect of In 2015, 54 per cent of the world’s population many countries are not prepared to address greater opportunity, education and jobs ‑ close to 4 billion people ‑ lived in cities. The the challenge with affordable housing, basic – but the problem of the scale and speed population is expected to rise by an additional 1 services and security of land tenure.4 Sub- billion people by 2030, when cities will contain Sahara African and Southeast Asian countries, with which the urbanization process is 60 per cent of the world’s population.2 Global where slum urbanization is accelerating, taking place has no precedent in human demographic growth is an almost purely urban often have weak or only recently-emerging history… To cope with the current issue, with more people flocking into urban areas, planning capacities. In other parts of Asia, settling on urban borders or along migration North Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, influx into urban areas, every week we routes, and turning un-built land into new urban due to planning and regularization efforts, slum would have to build one new city for a space. Examining the current conditions of cities populations have stabilized and efforts can population of one million people, with and the pattern of urbanization in terms of its scale focus on addressing existing slum conditions. and pace, the challenges to shape sustainable $10,000 per family. And if we don’t solve urbanization are threefold: 2. The scale and pace of forecasted this equation, it is not that people will urbanization, without investment planning stop coming to cities – they are going 1. The unfinished business of slums Between 2000 and 2030, the built-up area is to keep coming – but they will live in The Millennium Development Goal predicted to triple in developing countries in awful conditions. These issues require (MDG) Target 7D to achieve a “significant order to accommodate an urban population professional quality, not professional improvement in the lives of at least 100 million that is forecast to double.5 Low-income slum dwellers by 2020” has been exceeded.3 countries in particular face rapid urbanization, charity. We need the best minds trying to However, as urban populations grow, the with weak economic and institutional work to solve this problem.1 numbers of slum dwellers rise as well. Today capacity to invest in urban development. there are an estimated 880 million slum Frequently, the urbanization process unfolds dwellers worldwide compared to 750 million with limited, or a lack of, control, leading Alejandro Aravena, in 1996. An estimated 300 million of them are to dense slums in city centres, low-density architect, 2016 Pritzker children. These children suffer from multiple sprawl coupled with conglomerates of Architecture Prize laureate deprivations; their families do not have access cellular private estates. When urbanization to land, housing or basic services. Without happens without urban planning, access land rights and security of tenure, those who to affordable services, housing, collective live in slums do not have a voice. They simply infrastructure and public space is limited or do not appear on the map. impossible for population groups. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 13
In general, urban expansion can fragment the Figure 2: Data on the urban challenges by region built environment, limit centrality, cut down on public space and lead to less compactness 30 million 290 million 1% 480 million in urban form. This translates into higher 100 million 7% 12% 40 million 12% 90 million 4% 10 million expenditure costs for public infrastructure, 8% 210 million 500 million 1% less obvious civic engagement, an increase 24% 20 million 13% 2% 320 million per capita of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions 28% 0.9 1.1 and hazardous pollution, and a weaker billion 4 private investment climate for local economic billion billion development. For children, it means unhealthy 550 million 14% and unsafe environments, limited options for 560 million 660 million 64% 2,130 million 58% walking and playing, limited connectivity (social 53% networks and services), uncertainty in public Urban slum Urban population growth investment for their needs, limited life-skills population, 2014 Urban population, 2014 2015 - 2030 training and barriers to access local economies. Africa Asia Europe Latin America and t he Caribbean Northern America Oceania
3. The environmental challenge of cities Africa 800M Source: UNICEF analysis based on: United Nations, Department of Globally, with a population share of just above Asia 2,790M Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2014). World Urbanization 50 per cent, urban areas concentrate between Prospects: The 2014 Revision, CD-ROM Europe 570M Edition; United Nations, Department of 60 and 80 per cent of energy consumption, and Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2017). World Population approximately 75 per cent of CO2 emissions.6 Latin America and 600M Prospects: The 2017 Revision, DVD the Caribbean Edition; and United Nations Human 2014 Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat, As more people become urban dwellers, there Northern Slums 2016), World Cities Report 2016. 330M will be more wealth, development standards America 2015 Note: The urban slum population is 2030 calculated based on the estimates for UN and consumption patterns, with higher energy Oceania 30M Habitat regions from the World Cities Report 2016 (unadjusted for newest and resource consumption despite cities’ population estimates from UN World 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 Population Prospects 2017). All estimates (million) for urban slum population refer to efforts to decrease their carbon footprint. With ‘developing’ countries only, the global rising urban emissions, the population around Urban population by region, 2015 and 2030 value refers to the ‘developing regions’. the world will be more vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Cities themselves will be especially prone to rising sea levels, increasing and a serious issue for growing cities in Cities are drivers of migration, and water and food stress. Without middle-income countries, especially in Latin prosperity and inequity investment in urban resilience, the effects America and Asia. The challenge requires of climate change will push more urban innovation in terms of energy efficiency and People have moved to cities throughout the households into poverty.7 forging sustainable lifestyles. Any serious ages, and the basic fundamental reasons effort to change urban behaviour will bring do not change: to access services and jobs, The level of carbon emissions is a major the subject of children to the centre of the to have freedom in thinking and doing; to concern for cities in the developed world, conversation around climate. seek institutional support and comfort in a Page 14 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
safe and healthy urban environment. There in various degrees – they facilitate, or sometimes and the dynamic urban environment. Yet, is consistency in the way people migrate to impede, the accommodation of newcomers.8 considering the history of urbanization and cities: find an affordable place to live on arrival, urban development, these aspirations can have seek employment, work hard and save money, On average, urban dwellers enjoy the urban two sides, a phenomenon often referred to as build a future and climb the social ladder. Local advantage in different dimensions: access to and the urban paradox. For example, considering Government Authorities (LGAs) and public support of services; economic opportunities; the economic dimension, cities are the most institutions share responsibility for this process social structures; governance mechanisms; important generators of wealth and employment
Figure 3: The urban paradox in four dimensions
The Urban Paradox Prosperity opportunities Inequity vulnerabilities
Services and economy
Access to basic services Services for all, proximity, affordability Market driven supply, inaccessibility, unaffordability
Diversified local economy and employment, competition and Mono-economy, gap labour market, unsafe livelihoods, no Economy innovation, social support recognition of informal employment Social structures
Community Shared values, distribution of welfare, diversity Disrupted kin networks, exclusion of communities, discrimination of groups
Free social and cultural choices, empowerment, Individuals Protection risks, crime, abuse, isolation participation
Governance mechanisms
Accountability Civic trust, local governance, community representation Lack of local accountability, corruption, representation
Decision making Evidence based, consensus based Poor urban data, absence of concertation
Risk informed, risk prepared, resilient communities Absence of information, unprepared and unadapted infrastruc- Planning and infrastructure ture, vulnerable communities Urban environment
Planned environment, safe and accessible public spaces and Unplanned environment, unsafe and inaccessible services, Build space services, shared land value absence of land rights and value systems Sustainable, equitable and reliable distribution and access of Unsustainable and unreliable access to resources, high GHG Resource systems resources, carbon neutrality emissions
Environment Clean and safe environment, value of green, climate adaptation Specific environmental threads, pollution, land degradation, and mitigation climate change UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 15
and the role of cities in the global economy or just outside the city in peri-urban areas are Urbanization is a phenomenon that can be is only rising. With 54 per cent of the world’s excluded from the benefits a city offers. These planned, financed and managed to respond to its population, cities account for more than 80 marginalized inhabitants, often referred to as citizens’ aspirations. When they succeed, cities per cent of global Gross Domestic Product. the urban poor, might have a higher income are prosperous for all. When they fail, prosperity Between 2006 and 2012, the 750 largest cities than the rural poor, but also might be further is reduced to an exclusive part of the population. in the world created 87.7 million private sector behind the urban rich in terms of equity. They jobs, or 58 per cent of all new private sector form isolated communities in inner-city slums jobs created in their respective 129 countries.9 or on the outskirts of growing cities, without The spatial component of inequity However, paradoxically, cities often have a high access to services and with limited access to concentration of unemployed people who are the formal labour market. There is no universally accepted definition of unable to meet expensive basic services and live urban inequity, but it is clear that ‘inequity’ in shelters in polluted or insecure environments. Prosperous cities invest in social, institutional is a relevant term to use in addressing the and spatial structures to ensure that prosperity, disadvantaged urban dwellers who suffer The urban paradox encapsulates how reflected by the four dimensions of aspirations, neglect of one or more of the four dimensions urbanization creates opportunities, but also can be achieved by all citizens (See Figure 3 in Figure 3. brings challenges that make inhabitants ‘The urban paradox in four dimensions’). Cities vulnerable. In some cases, cities have sharper fail when they do not address equity. Without Urban inequity is also manifested spatially disparities than those common in rural areas strong institutions, effective health and social in three ways, illustrated in the following or, proportionally, service nets may cover less networks, fair wealth distribution and a safe maps representing different cities, based on urban poor than rural poor.10 Although there is a and clean environment for living and working, open data platforms. Although situated in the lack of consistent data on intra-urban disparities population’s distrust in institutions grows, Global North, the mapping analysis shows the globally, there is inequity in most urban wealth disparities increase, violence increases and geographical location of various forms of intra- distributions, where groups within city borders new economic investments do not occur. urban disparities.11
Definitions environment; a ‘city’ has a more dynamic context Built environment – The physical and functional A glossary of definitions can be found on page 184. where stakeholders interact permanently with each characteristics of an urban setting, including other, relying on social, economic and institutional buildings, infrastructure and open space. Cities/urban settings – These terms are mechanisms. interchangeable. The term ‘city’ and ‘urban setting’ Urban space – A place of shared identity and are not well-defined geographical or administrative Urban area – Each country has its own definition of collective use. entities but have a more conceptual meaning, ‘urban area’ based on administrative, demographic, Urban system – Cities can be described as a referring to a localized environment with a dominant economic and physical criteria. It tends to refer to geography of urban resource systems that have three presence of built space and where a variety and an area with a defined boundary, often overlooking constituent elements: supply chains, environments intensity of people’s activities take place. Generally, urban settings beyond the realm of the urban area where people interact with the system and ‘Urban setting’ refers more to a static built (‘peri-urban areas’). consumer behavior. Page 16 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
1. Unequal access to urban services (citywide) – Especially in poor neighbourhoods, urban infrastructure and resource management mechanisms are absent, unaffordable, incomplete or weak in performance. Limited access to resources include: green space, sustainable transportation, water and sanitation services, municipal waste management, clean energy, healthy food, and Information and Figure 4: Heatmap visualising Communication and Technology (ICT) networks. unequal access to public transit, Tokyo, Japan 2. Deficiently built environments (neighbourhoods) – Poverty is concentrated This heatmap highlight areas of central Tokyo according to accessibil- in areas and neighbourhoods that are ity to public transit. The visualisation economically, physically, socially and considers both distance from rail environmentally vulnerable. The poor transit stations and concentration of characteristics of the built environment, stations. Thus, residents living in red the social insecurity and the environmental areas have a wide range of transit options close to their homes, while vulnerability disclose the socio-economic those in green or white areas have status of a neighbourhood and its community. fewer choices and have to put in Access to public transit 0 1 2 3 4km more effort to reach them. 3. Unequal spatial distribution of land use Data source: OpenStreetMap and urban space (the living environment) – Low High Spaces and built environment programmes do not prioritize the needs of the urban poor transportation, food). They are forced to live far of environmental risks on the most vulnerable or vulnerable groups such as large families, below decent living standards and to reside people: faecal contamination, air pollution, noise youth without parental support, children in informal settlements that distances them pollution, road accidents and disaster risks. with disabilities, women and elderly. When from public institutions and services that space and programmes are not designed are often reluctant to recognise the informal Due to the high value of urban land, the physical with or for the poor and vulnerable, there is economy and the livelihoods that disadvantaged boundaries of the built environment and the more likely to be a lack of adequate housing, citizens are dependent upon. Public service unequal distribution of land can immobilize space to walk and bike in the streets and administrations and the private sector are communities over generations, even when a poor public space for children. reluctant to establish service delivery and neighbourhood is located centrally within a city. support systems to integrate informal economy Policies that address urban inequity must include Analysis of spatial inequity reveals the and livelihoods of the most disadvantaged spatial inequities. Urban poverty analysis should importance of land value and tenure. Following citizens into wealth redistribution systems. The cover the cost of the local living standards, in the basic economic rule of supply and demand, urban poor are unable to exert their rights or to order to be able to determine where the most the high cost of urban living means that the participate in decision-making processes. Also, disadvantaged live and what support is needed for poor have little purchasing power (housing, authorities often overlook the significant impact this population to access urban services. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 17
Sidewalk as a percentage of total street space
A Low High
Building condition Good condition B In need of repair or uninhabitable Street Sidewalk Figure 5: Mapping building conditions to locate areas of poverty, Building Chicago, United States of America This map colours each individual building in Chicago according to its condition; black is good condition, red poor. Seen from a distance, the visualisation shows Figure 6: Mapping streets and public space to highlight low pedestrian strong spatial trends. There is a particular concentration of poor quality build- space proportion, Barcelona, Spain ings on the South and West sides of the city, both of which are also areas of Top: This tessellated map of Barcelona is coloured according to the proportion of side- relatively high poverty. walk area to total street area in each block. Black lines indicate the districts of the city. Data source: City of Chicago Data Portal (data.cityofchicago.org) Bottom: These two maps show a section of a neighbourhood with a low sidewalk to street proportion (A, L’Eixample neighbourhood), and a neighbourhood with a high proportion (B, El Raval neighbourhood). Comparing the two provides a clearer image of the way space is distributed between pedestrians and cars due to concrete planning choices. Data source: Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya (www.icgc.cat) Millenium Goals (2015) SDG (2030) Page 18 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Figure 7: From Millennium Development Goals (2000) to Sustainable Development Goals (2015)
Millenium Development Goals Sustainable Development Goals
1 2 3
Promote Gender Eradicate Extreme Achieve Universal Equality and Poverty and Hunger Primary Education Empower Women 4 5 6
Combat HIV/Aids, Reduce Improve Maternal Malaria, and Other Child Mortality Health Diseases 7 8
Ensure Environmental Global Partnership Sustainability for Development
International development However, today’s international development sustainable cities and communities: “Make in an urbanizing world framework accounts for the importance of cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, cities and investment in urban development and resilient and sustainable”. SDG 11 makes Before 2015, international development local capacities. Sustainable environments have the city central to sustainable development programmes focused on national objectives, the become a keystone of programmes to ensure and resonates well with the importance eradication of extreme poverty in rural areas, that the most disadvantaged can access basic of planning the built environment for and service delivery to the most disadvantaged services and that all inhabitants benefit. communities to be safe and inclusive with people. The Millennium Development Goals in equitable access to services. In addition, the 2000, defined the environment as a biological Two major frameworks set the standard for indicator framework for the SDGs recognizes and natural system to be protected and treated sustainable and inclusive urbanization:12 the importance of urban development, as a distinct issue, separate from human and requires that national indicators are development issues. Any concern about the disaggregated between urban and rural living environment of people focused on the • The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable areas. The SDGs emphasize that sustainable eradication of slums and on access to water and Development (2015), especially the development requires local capacities and sanitation, without specific reference to cities. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 on decentralization.13 UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 19
• The New Urban Agenda (2016) describes a shared vision amongst urban stakeholders, national governments and international development agencies on the required considerations to take into account to make cities sustainable for all, in terms of universal access to services, space and infrastructure. It builds on the moral and legal imperatives of human rights, such as the right to adequate housing, water and sanitation, health, education and work.14
These frameworks are newly established and the processes to implement them are just emerging. Implementation mechanisms, roles and commitments are still in the making. In many countries, Local Government Authorities (LGAs) have limited capacity and are not fully accountable in planning and financing. Many countries are only now taking the first steps toward a national urban policy. Institutional arrangements in developing cities often lead to confusing roles and responsibilities; service providers have poor capacity and there is a lack of integrated planning.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda are an opportunity to strengthen the expertise of cities in urban planning, and to shape urbanization to account for the most disadvantaged citizens, in particular for children. Children play outside their home covered by plastic, Chandmari Juggi, Vijaynagar, Ghaziabad, India Page 20 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Why focus on children?
If we can build a successful Children have rights resources necessary for the survival and full city for children, we will have a development of the child. These rights allow According to numerous international treaties, a children to survive and thrive; successful city for all people. child is a person below 18 years of age. Children • Protection rights that ensure protection have the same human rights as adults, but they from all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation often need special care and protection that and cruelty. These rights ensure that children Enrique Peñalosa, differs from adults. Children depend on adults are safe and feel safe; Mayor of Bogotá, Columbia (1998- 2001, and adult decision-making. In 1989, world leaders 2016-present), specialist on urban and convened and, agreeing that children need a • Participation rights that entitle freedom transportation policy special convention, established the Convention of expression and participation in decision- on the Rights of the Child.15 The Convention sets making. These rights support children in out the rights that must be realized for children taking an active role in society. to develop their full potential, free from hunger and want, neglect and abuse. It is the first legally binding international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rights – including civil, Figure 8: Children’s Rights cultural, economic, political and social rights. n’s R ildre igh t Children’s rights are fundamental for children, Ch s but the Convention refers to the family as the fundamental group in society, and the natural environment as fundamental to the growth and Survival and Development well-being of its members, particularly children. Rights (As children do not necessarily live with their mother or father, the group in society includes Protection the caretaker of the child. Rights
The articles of the Convention are grouped Participation into guiding principles with three categories Rights of child rights:
• Survival and development rights that give children access to health and education UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 21
Children and urbanization: two perspectives on the future What do children think of their cities? At the United Nations Conference on Housing public transportation and walking beyond their Children make up one third of the global and Urban Development (Habitat III), UNICEF neighbourhood. One out of four children did not population but there is significant difference presented ‘Your Voice in Habitat’, the results of a feel safe in the parks. One of every two children in population composition throughout the virtual survey of 35,000 children and adolescents witness child labour or begging in their city; regions of the world. In developing countries, from 65 countries. Children were asked for their 60 per cent of natural growth in cities is still Social inclusion – Fifty per cent of children opinions of their cities and of the challenges driven by children.17 In sub-Saharan Africa, for claimed that there are children who suffer from example, a country’s population will tend to in their daily lives. The survey confirmed that discrimination. Only 26 per cent of the children have a higher proportion of children. A boost children are aware of the importance of the built said that their voices are heard by the authorities; environment, and they need more than just in economic productivity, a phenomenon Environment and resilience – Forty per cent known as the demographic dividend, occurs playgrounds to flourish: children stated that their city is not concerned with when investments are made to optimize the Access to services – Thirty per cent of children promoting a healthy environment, controlling toxic window of opportunity provided when there is stated that they did not have full access to health, gas emissions, garbage recycling or saving energy. a higher population in the workforce relative protection and education services in their city; More than 50 per cent said that their city is not 18 to the number of dependents. Safety and protection – Twenty five per cent prepared to face a natural disaster; of children did not feel safe in his or her city. The children expressed their list of priorities as well: As urbanization grows, increasing amounts One in every two children stated that their main access to hospitals (80 per cent), access to schools of land are transformed in to urban space. safety concern was crime. Over 40 per cent (70per cent), better security (65 per cent) and living Especially in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia, of the children stated that they felt unsafe on closer to family and friends (55 per cent).16 urbanization rates are high and must be coupled with better efforts in urban expansion planning and slum upgrading. Based on the concept of the demographic dividend, however, this rising Without proper planning for children, urban Children’s vulnerabilities in urbanization phenomenon could be called the settings become dysfunctional and fragmented the built environment urban dividend: urbanization as a window of built environments. opportunity to improve people’s well-being when The urban paradox reminds us that cities are planning is properly undertaken. To reap both dividends – the demographic not always beneficial for all. Marginalized and dividend and the urban dividend – is a great vulnerable groups often tolerate services As urban settings become the context opportunity to shape a better future. But it designed for the wealthy, have no form of where most children grow up, and the urban requires investing in children and urbanization citizenship or right of access to the city’s environment is a determining factor in their today. It is therefore a priority to understand benefits. Children are often placed in the development, shaping urbanization for children children’s vulnerabilities in urban settings, to most disadvantaged positions, as the built is essential. If urban settings are planned build on the principles of children’s rights, and environments of a city are constructed by adults in a way to address children’s needs, they to offer children an urban childhood that fosters for their own use, to respond to their daily needs. will support not only children’s development a better life in existing urban settings and those The benefits of urban life bypass children, and but thrive as homes for future generations. of the future. the negative aspects can impact them hard. Page 22 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Figure 9: Taxonomy of children’s vulnerabilities related to the built environment
Built Environment
lack of space outdated definition imbalanced land use urban services
poor ventilation lack of legal recognition
unsafe shelter and infrastructure infrastructure not ambient air unaffordable designed for heat islands pollution poor home practice (demand, supply, children and equipment market) Environmental Health Protection Constraints Constraints
violence hotspots in public spaces unhealthy food choice unsafe roads physical inactivity increased exposure to disasters low-quality and indoor air deficient pollution unevenly infrastructure weak connectivity distributed (neighbourhoods)
Participation weak accountability weak children's Constraints structures independent mobility
physical inaccessibility exclusion in public not distributable space (density, deficient standards informality) for urban realities
not accessible service (physical barriers) UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 23
To best support children and the fulfilment Remarkably, there is no single solution for any deficient infrastructure for water, sanitation of their rights, it is important to build a one of the individual concerns. and waste management. Such poor taxonomy that precisely categorizes children’s infrastructure leads to higher mortality and vulnerabilities that are: 1) specifically prominent morbidity rates of children who suffer from in urban settings, 2) related to the built General constraints on children’s diarrhoeal diseases and rotavirus, or who 19 environment and 3) mostly affect children and access to urban services have been exposed to malaria. their caretakers. • The density of urban environments requires The reason that services are absent, that the deficient standards of service In Figure 9, children’s vulnerabilities in urban inaccessible or unaffordable is often due to delivery for urban realities are adjusted. For settings are divided into four categories. The ineffective coverage, unequal distribution and example, the United Nations classifies pit first category is the correlation between the poor quality of infrastructure. Concerning the latrines under ‘improved sanitation’, but they built environment and the unavailability of daily needs of children and their caretakers, it have less value and minimal effectiveness urban services. This presents what the term is best to broaden the definition of ‘access to in densely populated slums, where the ‘unavailability’ means beyond the gap between basic services’: proportion of people sharing facilities is larger supply and demand (which is not an exclusive than in rural areas. urban matter). On the contrary, the gaps in supply • Playgrounds or other safe places for play • Services within proximity are still not and demand are, in theory, smaller in urban areas. are not currently defined as a basic service, accessible to disadvantaged children, due to Where gaps between supply and demand exist, despite the evidence that play is key for physical barriers and inequitable distribution however, it is often due to the characteristics of children’s development and the right to play of transportation options. the built environment. The issues listed under is a basic child right. ‘unavailability of urban services’ are further • The density of the population and the built • Services are available, but the infrastructure categorized into three categories of concern: environment increases the risk of infectious is dysfunctional and dangerous for safe health, protection and participation. diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia use by children: the service infrastructure and dengue fever. It is more difficult to is neither planned or designed for children, Many children who dwell in slum areas face all contain epidemics such as Ebola and Zika, for example, the water and sanitation of these vulnerabilities. They are exposed to or to set up rigorous health programmes infrastructure, such as pump systems or multiple health and safety risks without a voice such as immunization programmes in dense, communal toilets, are not designed or or legal status. Vulnerabilities such as ‘ambient informal settlements. planned for children; the transportation air pollution’, ‘physical inactivity and stress’ • The services are unevenly distributed infrastructure lacks streets with safe and ‘unsafe roads and transportation options’ within cities with disparities between pedestrian crossings; transport vehicles are more general concerns in cities. Not all neighbourhoods. Disparities are sustained do not consider children’s needs such as vulnerabilities are exclusively child-related, such because neighbourhoods that are officially unsafe minibuses, or inaccessibility of as the risk of exposure to pollution, but children informal settlements are not recognised buses for caretakers with strollers and and especially infants are most damaged by by the authorities. Although the existence persons with disabilities. them. Other concerns affect caretakers more and location of informal settlements might directly than their children, indirectly affecting • Services are available, but without guarantee be well-known, formal distribution of the quality of a child’s life. of safety and health: low-quality and services and development support that Page 24 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
have a necessary physical infrastructure Basic services are accessible, but not component, is often not allowed. affordable for the most disadvantaged, due to a Environmental health constraints • The definition of basic services does not lack of affordable housing, the high price of correspond with the daily urban patterns healthy food, the cost of privatized education, of children and their families. In urban health access, or limited water and sanitation The built environment and its patterns of use settings, housing, child-care, transportation, supply. If supply doesn’t meet demand, and can lead to urban-specific environmental health food and energy are a major part of public financing is modest, basic urban services problems that health support systems cannot household spending. become unaffordable. address alone. Non-communicable diseases such as pneumonia, cancer and obesity, for example, require structural solutions on a larger scale, including interventions in the physical urban environment.
• Pollution is directly linked with pneumonia and other respiratory diseases that account for almost 1 in 10 under-five deaths, making air pollution a leading threat to children’s health.20 The effects of indoor air pollution kill more children globally than outdoor air pollution. Burning solid fuels for household cooking, heating and lighting is a major cause of household or indoor air pollution, in unventilated, indoor living environments.
• In public spaces and other common spaces for play, such as streets, air pollution can concentrate as a result of fossil-fuel based transport. Children, by nature, closer to the ground and thus to sources of exhaust, are more susceptible to the pollutants.
• Rates of obesity, asthma and heart disease are rising across the globe, especially among adolescents in urban settings mainly due to a lack of physical activity. The lack of safe space, places to walk and occasions to play A boy stands along railroad tracks, as other people, obscured by dust, smoke and debris, pass by in Kibera, a outdoors are the main reasons for children’s slum area of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya physical inactivity.21 UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 25
• High housing densities with small units, where large families share just one or two rooms, can lead to levels of stress that affect the brain development of young children. • Higher concentrations of people, factories and vehicles, and the waste each generates, lead to health risks in urban areas. Without protection, children in urban areas face a range of environmental health risks, such as exposure to high levels of faecal pathogens from humans and animals, industrial chemicals and waste, dust, dangerous machinery and excessive heat. Specific groups, such as waste-pickers, suffer from hygiene- and pollution-related diseases. • Climate change is compounding drought conditions in certain regions. Cities with a high density of population that face unreliable food provision (space and infrastructure for production, processing, and distribution) face a higher risk for food stress, severe under- nutrition and poor access to unhealthy food. • An urban environment generates the ‘heat island effect’ in regions with a hot and dry climate. When urban settings do not invest in green infrastructure, the threat of water School children run across a highway while returning home after school in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India scarcity grows, and children, pregnant women and other susceptible people are the built environment itself can be a threat or human-related disasters tend to impact poor more vulnerable to heat stroke, severe de- a determinant factor when children and their communities more: hydration and premature death. caretakers cannot evaluate risks, be prepared or safe. Natural disasters such as earthquakes • Due to a lack of legal recognition and and tsunamis, as well as those triggered by land regulations in slums, children and climate change, such as flash floods, coastal Constraints on protection systems for their families live without protection floods and mud slides, tend to hit urban areas children, to be safe and risk-informed against eviction, which often results from where the most disadvantaged live in poor and orchestrated violence (fires, bulldozing etc.). Protection systems focus on addressing unsafe conditions. As terrorism, war and conflict people’s vulnerabilities, but often overlook how are played out more often in urban settings, • Without legal recognition, slum inhabitants Page 26 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
do not invest in their shelter, which partially explains the unsafe shelters and collective infrastructure built without stability, without fire safety and without evacuation possibilities.
• The poor infrastructural quality of housing, schools and other amenities leads to unsafe indoor practice and equipment such as unhealthy cooking practices, low quality and dangerous power supply and deficient light and ventilation which in turn heightens the risk of accidents such as falls, burns, electrocution and suffocation.22
• A lack of public space, over-utilized space and poor street lighting are factors that reduce social interaction in outdoor areas, increasing the risk of harassment, abuse and violence against children. Girls and young women are especially vulnerable. Services such as communal toilets, where they exist, are typically located some distance from the dwellings and tend to be in unsafe areas with a high risk of insecurity, particularly at night.
• Child-care is a basic urban service; to access work, caretakers must be able to leave children safely guarded. Without child-care and safe spaces, children are not properly cared for and risk encountering a dangerous Jessica, 13, stands with her mother outside their home overlooking the city of Niterói in Rio de Janeiro State, situation without supervision or protection. Brazil. While the nation boasts the world’s eighth largest economy, it also has one of the highest income gaps between rich and poor. • Unsafe roads, a lack of space for active transportation and public transport and • A lack of measures that reduce risk, such as who cannot access basic services are more weak safety regulations explain the high risk assessments, adequate infrastructure, at risk of illness, exploitation and long-term rates of road injuries and fatalities among enforcement of building codes, risk awareness development loss. Children do not have the adolescents and young adults, particularly and preparedness, increase children’s physical strength (thus prone to accidents those in low- and middle-income countries.23 vulnerabilities. The most vulnerable children such as drowning), cognitive maturity (greater UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 27
risks such as disorientation) and socio- spaces are physically inaccessible for emotional strength (prone to trauma) to handle children with disabilities and caretakers Space and scale of urban childhoods or recover from disasters in a resilient way. with strollers.
• Transportation planning and road safety The recognition of childhood as a crucial policies that are vehicle-oriented make time for children to gain access to the urban Constraints on children’s participation, streets unsafe for pedestrians, and make setting and enjoy its advantages, is key to be recognized and be heard daily trajectories a risky adventure for to defining spatial solutions for all ages. children. Children lose independent mobility Looking at specific needs of children and their Participation requires governance mechanisms and depend on caretakers for escort. caretakers for every age helps to determine and accountabilities. But participation also They’re more likely to stay home, miss both generic and specific solutions for babies, requires that public space is accessible school and ultimately become disconnected toddlers, young children, adolescents and and safe, where children and their caretaker from urban life. youth. Sustainable urban childhoods resonate can congregate, interact and engage in qualities that many scholars have described • Capacities of LGAs and coordination decision-making. as conceptual standards for sustainable mechanisms between various public neighbourhoods and cities:25 institutions are often weak or incomplete in • In urban areas that lack public and green urban areas. Even if strong accountability spaces, children and their community do not mechanisms exist and if there is local • Urban scale – A child grows up along the have the quantity and quality space to play, investment in children’s participation, there spatial scales of the home, the street, the congregate and socialize. This limits the time is mostly no tradition of participation around neighbourhood and the city. The scales and space that children have to interact and decision-making for the built environment. reflect the social ecological model that build civic engagement. children’s development specialists use to build strategies to ensure children’s rights. • With insecurity in public spaces such as the The ecology of urban childhoods The access to appropriate urban services threat of street violence, traffic accidents or needs to be adjusted accordingly to a childs occupation by a dominant group, children When a space is planned and created to age, needs and the daily patterns of its are forced to stay inside and are more respect children’s needs, by default, the space caretaker. In both dense and low-dense disconnected from participating in their will respect everyone in society. The built urban settings, there is a growing lack of the community and urban life in general. environment offers realms of opportunity human scale of the neighbourhood. • The absence of educational centres (schools, where cities can commit to respect children’s • Proximity and walkability – Children libraries) and employment opportunities rights. Conversely, when a built environment is don’t drive themselves and thus are more in impoverished neighbourhoods creates dysfunctional for children, it affects everyone’s likely to walk. The proximity of public are underlying cause of crime. The lack of quality of life. amenities is key to deliver basic services; infrastructure and opportunities reflects a lack children and caretakers should be able of investment and interest from authorities, Children can teach us basic common sense. to access them by walking, biking or generating among children and youth a Their daily interaction in and with urban life, and public transport. Walkability in cities has distrust of public institutions.24 their practical use of urban space, represents all vulnerable groups in a community including decreased enormously due to car-oriented • When a built environment is poorly designed, persons with disabilities and the elderly. transportation policies and street design. Page 28 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Figure 10: Space and scale of urban childhoods
Urban scales street neighbourhood city
Mixed use
education nursery school common study primary school library secondary school life skill training area health medical practice local health centre hospital play and recreation playgrounds sport facilities leisure area
social support daycare community centre civic centre
green courtyards neighbourhood park ecologic area
transport bike parking bus stop rapid transit stop
compost area fresh food market community food distribution centre urban agriculture food local grocery store gardens waste recycle bin transfer station recycling centre
Public space
5-7km/h 5km/h 35km/h 7km/h
5-7km/h 15km/h
10km/h 0km/h 20-25km/h
Years (y) learning 2 years assisted 6 y walking 9 y bike 12 y public transportation 13<18 y to walk walking Independent mobility 0 50 meters (m) 200 m 400 m 1200 m 2000 m Proximity 0 5 min. walking 5 min. biking 5 min. bus UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 29
• Public space – An outdoor environment • Independent mobility – Children’s freedom to 20 years in the ‘child-friendly cities’ movement.27 should be designed and programmed to move and autonomy depends on their options However, thus far, children’s voices have had little ensure children’s access and use as a place for to walk, bike and use public transport. This is influence on urban planning. play, but also as a space to meet and valorize a matter of allocating financial resources and social, economic and cultural activities. designing policy and environments to assure With the urbanization of the world, there is safe access. By respecting the needs of • Mixed use – The infrastructure for basic potential to engage with children in the decisions children with disabilities, pregnant women and services for children such as health, education that affect their physical urban environment, their small children in strollers will make an urban and protection, should be integrated and needs, the play spaces and meeting spaces and setting safe and accessible for all members of balanced when planning urban environments. streets they frequent on a daily basis with their the community. For children to thrive, urban services also families. When children contribute to decisions,
require space and need to be integrated into their insights can lead to more sustainable built
outdoor spaces or in buildings. For example, environments. In turn, children are empowered as stakeholders who participate in community there must be space to collect and recycle Children’s participation and citizenship waste in order for streets to stay clean; space building. Children’s empowerment and sense of to buy and cultivate food to assure healthy civic trust comes from children’s experience in food and nutrition; space for local economy Children’s capacity to participate in decision- the participation processes. To avoid distrust and interactions for a more robust access to making processes has been recognized as disillusion, the participation processes can be the job market. When urban childhoods are valuable, especially when adults and institutions guided by the following considerations: 26 restricted to dormitories, poorly serviced or enable child participation in a meaningful way. segregated neighbourhoods and slums, no Child participation is a key factor for honouring • Children’s interest in participating will be one is better off. children’s rights, and has been valorised for over determined by the relevance to their daily lives;
Figure 11: Children’s participation and citizenship
house street / block neighbourhood city Urban scales courtyard Childhood phase baby toddler young children youth Levels of participation consultation collaborative participation child-led participation civic engagement & trust
parent / + heath worker / + friends / + youth leader + community Coalition caretaker teacher social worker Page 30 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
• A child’s role in participation will depend on Figure 12: Urban systems and children’s behaviour his age and level of development; Urban System • Children’s participation is best when it’s with the community and with coalitions of constituents who have similar concerns and Supply chain who support children to speak up; • There are various ways for children to participate – as consultants, as collaborators and as leaders – when resources products objectives and expectations are established from the beginning.28 land and regulation infrastructure Living environment
Urban systems and children’s behaviour
prices stakeholders Every city has the potential to be ‘a school of desirable vs convenience vs life’ for children and for adults. Outdoors, in promotion well-being the streets and other public spaces, children accessible vs experience their first notions of independence, available vs proximity they encounter stimulating environments to affordable develop cognitive and social skills, and have opportunities to make decisions based on Behaviour reasoning and experience. As they do at home and in school, children absorb everything- gathering what they are told, what they hear and see, what they’re taught and exposed to in the urban setting.
Children’s relationships to urban settings are not only about planning issues such as access to services or proximity of public space. There and city-region, spread out in the urban-rural education, to ensure children’s ideal development, are a range of entry points for children to continuum, and have direct influence on a as well as the sustainable use of resources: interact with urban resource systems such as child’s behaviour throughout childhood. transportation, nature, water and sanitation, • Supply chain: The activities and food, energy and data. These urban systems Three components of urban systems 29 are infrastructure that ensure resources function within the larger scale of the city important to consider in policy planning, including are transported from production to UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 31
consumption including treatment, processing, distribution and marketing. Land use and infrastructure are key to ensure efficient and reliable supply, minimize loss and to protect the natural environment. • Urban environment: The physical, economic, political and socio-cultural context in which individuals as consumers access or consume resources. The environment consists of multiple physical entry points (infrastructure) and other determinants of personal choice such as income, education and values. The public and private sector influence the personal environment with policies and with marketing strategies. • Consumer behaviour: The decisions made by consumers, both for the household and the individual, on what resource to access and consume. Consumer behaviour is fundamentally shaped by the personal Children’s playground in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan, one of the first cities to join UNICEF Child Friendly City environment. initiative
How children’s participation helped their cities become sustainable 30 31
Many cities have developed more equitable and In response, the campaign “Stop de Kindermoord” participation allowed the central street, Rua Quinze, livable environments with children’s participation. (Stop the Child Murder) was launched, arguing that a to become a pedestrian space. When the newly The following stories show how supporting child’s death in traffic is not an accident but a murder appointed mayor and architect, Jamie Lerner, turned children’s rights enriches future cities. that can be prevented. The campaign captured the the street into a pedestrian area, upset motorists Cities in The Netherlands are the most bike- and public attention across the country and pushed for organized a demonstration by gathering in their pedestrian-friendly in the world. But this was not radical change in road culture and transportation automobiles on the main street. With the cooperation always the case. In the 1960s and 1970s, lethal road policy. Casualties fell quickly, and the Dutch concept of the city’s teachers and a modest donation of accidents were five times higher than today, and in of ‘woonerf’ or “living street” was born, establishing newsprint and paint, the mayor assembled hundreds of many, children were the victims. In 1971, Amsterdam neighbourhoods that prioritize shared space, traffic children in the street that day to meet the protestors. was scandalized when it was revealed that over 400 calming and slower speed limits. The children peacefully made their voice clear. Today, children had died in traffic accidents that year. In 1971 in Curitiba, Brazil, the power of children’s the city is known as Brazil’s ‘green capital’. Page 32 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Why urban planning matters
We know more about healthy Three urbanization issues require response for urban development provides sustainable environments for gorillas, better planning, financing and governance for urban livelihoods for the most disadvantaged. children, in accordance with the 17 goals of the Siberian tigers and pandas than we 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: These aspects make urban planning a know about a good urban environment fundamental part of urban programming for for homo sapiens. • Equity as a priority for sustainable urban children, from situation analysis, programme development; design, implementation components to monitoring and evaluation of the outcomes for • Local capacities to deliver global goals; children. Jan Gehl, • Integration of the built environment in Danish architect and urban designer development programmes. The Brundtland Report posited three pillars who improves the quality of urban life of sustainability that are the basis for urban by re-orienting city design to people Urban planning can respond in three unique sustainable development and considerations in aspects: urban planning, known as the “3 E’s”: 32
• The data and evidence aspect: urban Figure 13: Pillars of sustainability planning uses and produces geographic information system (GIS)-based urban data Urban D that is able to support equity-based decision- ble eve na lop making in urban development, by mapping ai m st tal res e u men pon n vulnerable communities to prioritize where on sib t S vir il n ity and to what degree interventions should E ic s nom tren take place; co gt E h • The process aspect: stakeholders in urban planning engage and strengthen capacities on the local level to determine the collective value of the built environment, to envision Social equity change with children and to implement decisions with children and their community; • The spatial aspect: urban planning ensures urban programmes translate into area-based strategies that comply with universal design and standards on various scales, to ensure UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 33
• Environmental responsibility to sustain Figure 14: The relevance of urban planning in urban programmes eco-systems and make minimal use of natural resources; Child-centred STEP 1 Urban planning STEP 2 Urban programming for children
• Economic strength to sustain economic spatial equity > evidence based > sustainable urban development development that creates labour and which is innovative. local stakeholder engagement > process based > urban governance and implementation
• Social equity to sustain inclusive human centred design > area based > urban environments for people communities that are fair for everyone. Measure the impact of better planning of However, urban planning only matters if it the build environment on children. Evidence the built environment and the provision adapts its practice. The following chapters shows that urban planning that focuses on of space and infrastructure for children by highlight what urban planning should do better equity can have concrete outcomes for the using child-specific indicators on the built in the first place (step 1), in order to be able most disadvantaged, such as shown in the environment; to effectively support urban programmes for development of multiple Bus Rapid Transit Formulate recommendations for urban children (step 2). initiatives in Latin-America.34 development policies that focus on equity and children, based on the available child- When inequity is mapped out spatially, urban specific evidence. Urban planning for equity planning can be part of human rights-based sustainable development by connecting the Figure 15: Planning for equity As highlighted in the New Urban Agenda, infrastructural and spatial characteristics of the economic productivity and environmental built environment with the vulnerability profile ban strength cannot be achieved without the of disadvantaged children and their community: le Ur Deve ab lop 33 in m population’s equal access to core services. a e st n Only when equity is put forward as a main u t Analyse built environment conditions S concern and when everyone has access to and patterns that reflect characteristics basic services will cities thrive as places of of poverty, deprivation and exclusion of economic strength and contribute to the communities; environmental agenda. Produce and disaggregate geo-spatial data that locates vulnerable communities and Urban planning has focused on economic Social equity development and environmental concerns with supports decision-making, working with top-down planning that supports authorities various forms of data (household surveys, and developers and investment in infrastructure administrative data, qualitative data, and technical functions. Urban planning has satellite imagery, etc.) begun to shift tactics for better equilibrium Understand the correlation between the in its focus on the three pillars: social equity; built environment and the vulnerability of people-centred decisions; and the impact of the disadvantaged, in particular the children; Page 34 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Urban planning engages Figure 16: Urban planning initiates local solutions in terms of urban resource local stakeholders stakeholder engagement systems (transportation, water, food, waste, energy and data); As highlighted in the 2030 Agenda for Couple technical and social innovation Sustainable Development, local implementation to improve coordination amongst and the strengthening of local capacities and stakeholders, to optimize the use of their accountabilities are key to planning, financing resources and to foster new partnerships, and governance. Participation from assessment to co-production. Coordination By examining the influence of the built Integration environment on the daily patterns of households and economies on a local Urban planning for people level, urban planning can strengthen local communities as well as stakeholder Urban planning deals first and foremost with collaboration to determine the responsibilities the built environment, determining the use and capacities of public authorities, the private of land, defining the urban form of buildings sector and the community. and infrastructures in various scales, and the spatial organization of resource systems. Urban Urban planning has often been presented as a planning helps cities accommodate growth and legal and technical matter, with complex land emphasising the built environment as a adaptation in a sustainable way: to upgrade use plans and regulatory frameworks managed common good in the process of urban the existing built environment to a more by national and subnational governments, transformation, urban planning can promote its sustainable one (hardware) and to manage which are static and only adaptable through capacity to inspire stakeholder engagement, related risks and needs of communities in order long and costly procedures. In such a scenario, coupling community engagement, institutional to make them more resilient (software). large, private economic sectors – an exclusive capacity and corporate social responsibility with partner privileged to create and implement tangible outcomes in the built environment: International development policy, however, policies – tend to influence urban planning. often ignores the built environment as Integrate children’s participation as a basic a factor in sustainable development. As But urban planning has evolved into a more principle in urban development processes, local implementation is highlighted, many process-oriented practice, developing local from vision to implementation, so children development programmes remain ‘spatially and demand-driven urban transformation. and their community can identify with blind’. When many interests are superimposed on This includes the ability to coalesce local their built environment and be connected the same urban space, conflicts arise that often stakeholders around a shared vision, create a with all local stakeholders; lead to spatial inequity, and thereby marginalising meaningful participatory process, implement the disadvantaged. Urban planning has started to Support community-led urban planning plans and urban policy reforms, enable the city’s step away from a purely system-design approach that enables local-level solutions in terms access to capital and resources and enforce to embrace human-centred designs that create of provision of land and infrastructure regulations in a manner that is transparent, space for people, not space as infrastructure to and increases resilience with short-chain accountable and responsive to residents.6By merely support urban systems. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 35
By emphasising how a lack of child-centred Reserve land for public use and establish space manifests health, safety and inclusion access to affordable housing, urban vulnerabilities of children in cities, urban services and transportation, so cities can planning can be an integrative component be supportive and accessible to the most of human rights-based urban development. disadvantaged and ensure people’s health Human-centred design and spatial planning and well-being.35 ensure that urban development cycles include everyone, including children, in issues of planning, design and construction: Investing in urban planning, investing in children Integrate universal design principles in urban planning to ensure that the built The challenges of urbanization and the need environment is healthy, usable and for equity-based, process-oriented and people- accessible, without having to adapt or centred urban planning requires investments specialize design at a later stage; in the profession, in terms of capacity building and training. This in turn requires that Assess norms and standards on buildings existing practices in urban planning need to and infrastructure from the standpoint of be strengthened and outdated regulations children, including the most vulnerable, or standards have to be enhanced. More by recognizing their physical capacities importantly, the scale and complexity of and challenges, depth of cognitive urbanization requires significantly more training understanding and their socio-emotional for urban planners, since the discipline does interaction; not exist in many countries. As stated in the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report Figure 17: Planning space for people first (2016), more planning schools are needed, in particular in lower income countries.36 In India for example, there are only 3,000 registered urban planners, or 1 planner for every 100,000 residents. Of 550 planning schools that are documented worldwide, there are only 69 in sub- Saharan Africa, of which 39 are based in Nigeria.
These numbers highlight the need for increased investment in education on urban sustainability, to promote the city as a learning institution from an early age in elementary schools, and to train a new generation of urban planners to plan cities for and with children. Children in Chiapas, Mexico Page 37
Defining a child-responsive 2 urban setting
• Child-responsiveness, benefits and What should we plan for programme areas children? • Child-responsive urban settings • Children’s Rights and Urban Planning Principles Page 38 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
What should we plan for children? Child-responsiveness, benefits and programme areas
Focusing on benefits for children • Safety – Child-responsive urban settings Influencing urban are safe and sustain children by being risk development initiatives To plan urban settings in a child-responsive informed. manner begins with the understanding of how Today, global initiatives for urban development an urban setting can enhance the experience • Citizenship – Child-responsive urban and policies exist with outreach to city networks of childhood and how urban development can settings are inclusive of all society and stakeholders, but they do not always prioritize children’s development. For urban and empower children to participate in encompass the child-response perspective. The planners and child development experts to decision-making to encourage civic trust, benefits’ framework for child-responsive urban understand, and thus be equipped to advocate engagement and connectivity; settings (see Figure 18) can guide the scope for child-responsive urban planning, the concept of initiatives, definition and implementation • Environment – Child-responsive urban must be defined with an urban planning strategies to ensure they result in the settings are environmentally sustainable; perspective and with a child rights’ perspective. development of child-responsive urban settings: they foster children to protect the environment and become ambassadors for Child development experts consider the a safe and green planet; • Initiatives for healthy cities and Convention on the Rights of the Child the communities call for the integration of public cornerstone of children’s rights, and are guided • Prosperity – Child-responsive urban settings health issues in urban planning and broader by the Convention’s three categories of child ensure a decent standard of living with local policies. The benefit framework for rights: the right to survival and development; access to education and affordable urban child-responsive urban settings is a means the right to protection; and the right to services; they support children’s life skills to highlight challenges and solutions from participation. Urban planners refer to the and access to job markets. a child’s perspective, especially for young three pillars of sustainability: environmental children and vulnerable groups such as the responsibility, economic strength and social Each of these benefits reflect the mutual elderly.1 Traditionally, assuring access to health equity. Merging these core components interaction between a child and the built services was a main incentive for urban used by child development experts and urban environment: a child as a receiver of a service planning, and today with burgeoning slums planners, a child-responsive urban setting can and required support, but also as a participant and environmental health issues, history be defined by a framework with five benefits: who learns to takes action. These benefits, and repeats itself. Designing for health, while guidance on how to achieve them, help cities building on medical research and behavioural • Health – Child-responsive urban settings are to make children’s rights and children’s needs a science, has emerged as an important clean and sustain children’s behaviours to central tenet of their work. practice in architectural and urban design. grow healthy and strong; • Initiatives for safe and resilient cities and communities integrate safety, security and risk-preparedness in urban planning and in UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 39
Figure 18: Child-responsiveness and five areas of benefit
Areas of Benefit
y t Sustainability Pillars i u Health q e l h n t n e t ia t socio-emotional development Soc g n re physical development t y s it ic il cognitive development m ib o s on n Ec o clean environment p s re food and nutrition l ta t Environment en n m e on Safety vir m En p lo protection e ev Planning for D an Ch security n rb ild ba U re risk preparedness Ur n early warning systems prevention
Citizenship
Safety Citizenship participation Child-responsive Urban Settings accountability enefits e social cohesion civic trust and engagement connectivity
Health Environmental sustainability low emissions / mitigation P climate adaptation ro gr environmental protection am m urban metabolism in Prosperity g clean energy
fo r Survival and C Prosperity development rights h i l d standard of living r e n affordability Protection rights liveskills and livelihoods Children s ights cost-efficient investments access to job market Participation rights nvent n n t e ts t e Page 40 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Figure 19: Entry points to global city initiatives and urban programmes
Programme areas Benefits child-responsive Global city initiatives for children urban settings
health health healthy cities
nutrition safety safe and resilient cities
education citizenship inclusive cities child protection
environment green and sustainable cities social inclusion
water, sanitation prosperity prosperous and smart cities and hygiene
broader local policies. The benefit framework local policies. The benefit framework of vulnerable groups, in particular those living highlights challenges and solutions based child-responsive urban settings incorporates in areas with high environmental risks. Of on children’s perspectives, especially girls, perspective of children with disabilities the three pillars of sustainability, the pillar on adolescents and vulnerable groups.2 Crime and vulnerable groups such as migrants.4 environmental responsibility has been the Prevention through Environmental Design is a Universal access, spatial equity and social most prominent in the urban debate, leading growing practice in urban planning, focusing justice have become the pillars of a broad to a myriad of initiatives and networks dealing on interventions in the physical environment in movement of inclusive planning, echoed in with greening cities, the green economy a way to prevent violent crime and encourage the New Urban Agenda and Cities for All and the climate agenda. Strong evidence respectable social behaviour and community campaigns.5 and practice has been developed around engagement. City resilience based on risk- sustainable resource management and green • Initiatives for green and sustainable cities preparedness is a growing concern for infrastructure (buildings, transportation, and communities support low-carbon, communities, as cities have experienced major energy, water, food, waste).6 resource-efficient and bio-diverse urbanization deadlocks, disasters and civil unrest. 3 through urban planning and broader local • Initiatives on prosperous and smart • Initiatives on inclusive cities and policies. The benefit framework of child- cities and communities support economic communities commit to increase civic responsive urban settings provides the means strength; information, communication and engagement and civic trust through for highlighting specific threads and solutions technology; and innovation-driven solutions participation, urban planning and broader from the perspective of children and other for prosperity. The benefit framework on UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 41
child-responsive urban settings is a means to highlight threads and solutions from the Interdependency of the benefits of child-responsive urban planning8 perspective of children, especially the most disadvantaged who lack access to quality For the best urban planning and design, the limits children’s natural physical activity, leading five benefits should be considered with equal to health issues such as obesity. Car-oriented education, the job market and reliable attention: Focusing on one benefit may neutralize transportation policies raise inequity, as those who information and technology.7 other benefits. For example, road safety measures do not have the privilege of a car must still walk often work to remove dangers from the road and are at even greater risk in car-oriented streets. environment, instead of removing children from The energy required to fuel automobiles, the Supporting urban danger. Successful policies on road safety often materials and energy to build infrastructure, air and programmes for children focus on raising children’s and family awareness soil pollution lead to higher resource consumption, of the dangers of the road and improving greater environmental degradation and worse The benefits are also entry points to different infrastructure for drivers. climate change. urban programming areas, such as health, However, although road causalities declined in education, protection, social inclusion and many industrialized countries, it’s at the cost of Child-responsive mobility is about more than environment. As urban planning deals with children’s independent mobility. Such policies simply road safety. To design urban settings for a the built environment in order to create child- mean that children have less freedom to walk, child’s independent mobility incorporates all five responsive urban settings, it can use the areas bike and play in their neighbourhoods without benefits of child-responsive urban planning: to of benefits as a lens to support programmes for adult supervision. With less freedom to walk or ensure health, safety, citizenship, environmental children to be integrated in an area-based approach bike, relying on parents and caretakers to drive, resilience and prosperity for all. on a local level (neighbourhood or city level).
Boys stand by a motorcycle in Kroo Bay, a slum area in in Freetown, Sierra Leone Page 42 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Child-responsive urban Figure 20: Child-responsive urban settings and their impact on children settings health safety citizenship environmental sustainability prosperity Components of urban settings clean environment – healthy habits safe environment – risk informed inclusive environment – participating a green planet – sustainable lifestyle decent standard of living – life skills The term ‘urban setting’ can be broken down vulnerability indoor air pollution, humidity, unhygenic space and lack of poor structure, construction materials and devices leading to lack of formal recognition, no access to basic services, located in risk prone areas, unclean energy consumption and lack of land security and incentives for investment, unafford- into a typology of nine tangible components of Housing and land tenure SDG 1.4, SDG 11.1 water and sanitation, vector-borne diseases electrocution, burns, fires and collapsed buildings homelesness, non-recyclable material able housing the built environment, that include: solutions adequate space, light, ventilation, healthy building materials solid construction, safe devices for fire and evacuation mixed use development, access to urban amenities and stormwater catchment, green roofs, proper insulation affordable housing, land tenure, increased tax base through collective spaces land property • three urban spaces (housing, public Public amenities vulnerability lack of city-wide health facilities lack of coverage of safe playgrounds, sport, daycare and after- lack of amenities for individual and collective expression, located in risk prone areas, unclean energy consumption and lack of amenities for livelihood skill development amenities and public space); SDG 3.8, SDG 4A, school programmes exclusion of children with disabilities non-recyclable material SDG 6, SDG 8.6 • four urban systems (mobility, water, food solutions city-wide health and WASH facilities, childcare and other city-wide education facilities, afterschool and other pro- public amenities, one-stop youth clubs and other mixed use stormwater catchment, green roofs, proper insulation, risk advanced learning and after-school programmes mixed use programmess grammes programmes informed and waste); Public spaces vulnerability lack of play areas and green space, exposure to sources of lack of safe spaces and mixed use, which leads to sexual lack of public space for social interaction, exlusive use by urban space distabilises water and other natural systems, lack of mixed use and dedicated space for the development of • two urban networks (energy, and data and SDG 11.7, SDG 16.1.4 pollution harrassment, street violence and flooding specific groups, no space for play decrease of biodiversity local economy, lack of public space decreases property value Information, Communication and Technology solutions green spaces to filter pollution and reduce heat island effects, mixed use public spaces increase social safety, green spaces space that promotes mixed use activities, community-based green space and vegetation reduces pollution, regulates inviting spaces attract local economy and mixed use (ICT). playful spaces to improve physical activity and vegetation regulate flooding design water, food production, awareness about the environment
Figure 20 indicates the specific vulnerabilities Transportation systems vulnerability lack of space for walking and biking, limited physical activity, lack of infrastructure for walking and biking, unsafe crossings, lack of effective city-wide public transit impedes access to all fossil fuel driven cars contribute to high GHG emissions and lack of efficient transportation options to access services and SDG 3.6.2, SDG 11.2, SDG 16.1.4 fossil fuel related pollution absence of emergency planning services and impedes participation pollution the labour market children face in each component, the potential solutions active transportation, clean energy transport leading to reduc- road safety, safe crossings and safe school environments active transportation and public transit, children's indepen- green mobility, clean air in streets inviting streets attract local economy and mixed use, reduc- outcomes to address these vulnerabilities and tion of non-communicable diseases dent mobility tion of public health cost related with traffic accidents to unlock greater benefits for children. Water and sanitation vulnerability water and sanitation services not adapted for child needs, flooding (drowning), dangerous water supply systems, not infrastructure not adapted for child use in terms of security, destabilised natural water systems, water pollution, water unaffordable water and sanitation services management systems faecal contamination of public space designed for children infrastructure placed in remote places scarcity Equally, the typology highlights that outputs in SDG 1.4, SDG 3.9, SDG 6.1/2/3/5 solutions safe and affordable water and sanitation adapted to children, green infrastructure maximises water infiltration and buffer- access to safe and affordable water and sanitation in public water buffering, rainwater collection and reuse, awareness affordability of water, reduced investment and maintenance one, multiple and all components of the built reduction of urban heat island effect ing to reduce flooding risks spaces, visibility of and playfull access to water about the environment and water cost of infrastructure and energy for water and sanitation environment can and should be defined in order to have benefits for children. Food systems vulnerability malnutrition leading to stunting, wasting and obesity food insecurity potentially leading to unrest lack of education and skils in healthy food systems, lack of food systems leading to exploitation of land and water, land higher food prices, dependant on global market prices SDG 2.4, SDG 12.3 awareness about food insecurity, deserts and swamps degradation, pollution, high energy and GHG solutions local healthy food shops, food markets and farms, compost- food and nutrition security affordable healthy food, local production less use of land, water and energy, local sustainable food more local agriculture, education and skils in food production • In terms of health, investments and ing, healthy school food programmes production and distribution planning for health facilities, but also for Waste cycle systems vulnerability dirty streets, polluted soil, air and water, burning toxic waste, unprotected landfill and waste treatment sites, proximity to lack of awareness of waste impact and potential waste pollution of environment, high consumption of resources, poor waste mangement strains municipal budgets, acknowl- proper housing to live, public spaces to play, SDG 11.6, SDG 12.3 presence of landfills in housing area industrial chemicals, risks of explosion reduction flooding edgment of informal waste management sector walkable neighbourhoods to move around, solutions clean streets and municipal waste management reduces secured land-fills, waste sites and polluted areas, buffer public waste collection programmes reduction of use of resources, clean waste cycles regulation of in/formal stakeholders, green economy market, markets to eat healthy food and clean energy health risks zones reduction public cost waste management systems to breathe clean air, will have major Energy networks vulnerability unhealthy energy production (air pollution) lack of indoor and outdoor light, unsafe power supply (kero- lack of street lights and access to energy impedes social unclean energy production leading to air and water pollution higher energy prices, dependant on global market prices, lack benefits for children, to be healthy and to SDG 7.1, SDG 7.2, SDG 9.4 sene/paraffin) connectivity of indoor light to read adopt healthy behaviours. solutions clean energy for light and power supply safe power supply, street lighting affordable access to energy in public spaces and local power clean energy, reduction GHG emissions more local energy production, reduction of public health cost • In terms of safety, investments and production related to air pollution planning for safety nets, but also for child Data and ICT networks vulnerability lack of information systems raising awareness on children lack of warning systems adapted for children lack of access to reliable public information and online lack of warning systems of natural and climate-related lack of use of ICT/data to develop life and livelihood skills SDG 4.4, SDG 9C, SDG 17.18 health communities disasters
solutions health information systems in private and public spaces warning systems in public spaces for children being risk access to Wi-Fi in public spaces supports participation support systems for climate mitigation and disaster prepared- innovative and interactive learning with ICT/data support informed ness UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 43
health safety citizenship environmental sustainability prosperity Components of urban settings clean environment – healthy habits safe environment – risk informed inclusive environment – participating a green planet – sustainable lifestyle decent standard of living – life skills
Housing and land tenure vulnerability indoor air pollution, humidity, unhygenic space and lack of poor structure, construction materials and devices leading to lack of formal recognition, no access to basic services, located in risk prone areas, unclean energy consumption and lack of land security and incentives for investment, unafford- SDG 1.4, SDG 11.1 water and sanitation, vector-borne diseases electrocution, burns, fires and collapsed buildings homelesness, non-recyclable material able housing solutions adequate space, light, ventilation, healthy building materials solid construction, safe devices for fire and evacuation mixed use development, access to urban amenities and stormwater catchment, green roofs, proper insulation affordable housing, land tenure, increased tax base through collective spaces land property
Public amenities vulnerability lack of city-wide health facilities lack of coverage of safe playgrounds, sport, daycare and after- lack of amenities for individual and collective expression, located in risk prone areas, unclean energy consumption and lack of amenities for livelihood skill development SDG 3.8, SDG 4A, school programmes exclusion of children with disabilities non-recyclable material SDG 6, SDG 8.6 solutions city-wide health and WASH facilities, childcare and other city-wide education facilities, afterschool and other pro- public amenities, one-stop youth clubs and other mixed use stormwater catchment, green roofs, proper insulation, risk advanced learning and after-school programmes mixed use programmess grammes programmes informed
Public spaces vulnerability lack of play areas and green space, exposure to sources of lack of safe spaces and mixed use, which leads to sexual lack of public space for social interaction, exlusive use by urban space distabilises water and other natural systems, lack of mixed use and dedicated space for the development of SDG 11.7, SDG 16.1.4 pollution harrassment, street violence and flooding specific groups, no space for play decrease of biodiversity local economy, lack of public space decreases property value solutions green spaces to filter pollution and reduce heat island effects, mixed use public spaces increase social safety, green spaces space that promotes mixed use activities, community-based green space and vegetation reduces pollution, regulates inviting spaces attract local economy and mixed use playful spaces to improve physical activity and vegetation regulate flooding design water, food production, awareness about the environment
Transportation systems vulnerability lack of space for walking and biking, limited physical activity, lack of infrastructure for walking and biking, unsafe crossings, lack of effective city-wide public transit impedes access to all fossil fuel driven cars contribute to high GHG emissions and lack of efficient transportation options to access services and SDG 3.6.2, SDG 11.2, SDG 16.1.4 fossil fuel related pollution absence of emergency planning services and impedes participation pollution the labour market solutions active transportation, clean energy transport leading to reduc- road safety, safe crossings and safe school environments active transportation and public transit, children's indepen- green mobility, clean air in streets inviting streets attract local economy and mixed use, reduc- tion of non-communicable diseases dent mobility tion of public health cost related with traffic accidents
Water and sanitation vulnerability water and sanitation services not adapted for child needs, flooding (drowning), dangerous water supply systems, not infrastructure not adapted for child use in terms of security, destabilised natural water systems, water pollution, water unaffordable water and sanitation services management systems faecal contamination of public space designed for children infrastructure placed in remote places scarcity SDG 1.4, SDG 3.9, SDG 6.1/2/3/5 solutions safe and affordable water and sanitation adapted to children, green infrastructure maximises water infiltration and buffer- access to safe and affordable water and sanitation in public water buffering, rainwater collection and reuse, awareness affordability of water, reduced investment and maintenance reduction of urban heat island effect ing to reduce flooding risks spaces, visibility of and playfull access to water about the environment and water cost of infrastructure and energy for water and sanitation
Food systems vulnerability malnutrition leading to stunting, wasting and obesity food insecurity potentially leading to unrest lack of education and skils in healthy food systems, lack of food systems leading to exploitation of land and water, land higher food prices, dependant on global market prices SDG 2.4, SDG 12.3 awareness about food insecurity, deserts and swamps degradation, pollution, high energy and GHG solutions local healthy food shops, food markets and farms, compost- food and nutrition security affordable healthy food, local production less use of land, water and energy, local sustainable food more local agriculture, education and skils in food production ing, healthy school food programmes production and distribution
Waste cycle systems vulnerability dirty streets, polluted soil, air and water, burning toxic waste, unprotected landfill and waste treatment sites, proximity to lack of awareness of waste impact and potential waste pollution of environment, high consumption of resources, poor waste mangement strains municipal budgets, acknowl- SDG 11.6, SDG 12.3 presence of landfills in housing area industrial chemicals, risks of explosion reduction flooding edgment of informal waste management sector solutions clean streets and municipal waste management reduces secured land-fills, waste sites and polluted areas, buffer public waste collection programmes reduction of use of resources, clean waste cycles regulation of in/formal stakeholders, green economy market, health risks zones reduction public cost waste management
Energy networks vulnerability unhealthy energy production (air pollution) lack of indoor and outdoor light, unsafe power supply (kero- lack of street lights and access to energy impedes social unclean energy production leading to air and water pollution higher energy prices, dependant on global market prices, lack SDG 7.1, SDG 7.2, SDG 9.4 sene/paraffin) connectivity of indoor light to read solutions clean energy for light and power supply safe power supply, street lighting affordable access to energy in public spaces and local power clean energy, reduction GHG emissions more local energy production, reduction of public health cost production related to air pollution
Data and ICT networks vulnerability lack of information systems raising awareness on children lack of warning systems adapted for children lack of access to reliable public information and online lack of warning systems of natural and climate-related lack of use of ICT/data to develop life and livelihood skills SDG 4.4, SDG 9C, SDG 17.18 health communities disasters solutions health information systems in private and public spaces warning systems in public spaces for children being risk access to Wi-Fi in public spaces supports participation support systems for climate mitigation and disaster prepared- innovative and interactive learning with ICT/data support informed ness Page 44 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
care and after school programmes, safe Children’s Rights and streets to go to school, green and blue networks to mitigate flooding and ICT/data Urban Planning Principles networks to have access to information, The five benefits and the typology of nine built will have major benefits for children, to be environment components identify precisely why Area-based safe and risk informed. and what child-responsive urban settings should • In terms of citizenship, investments and be planned in order to respect children’s rights and support sustainable urban development. planning for community centres, but also Child- for mixed use neighbourhoods to increase responsive Urban social interaction, public spaces to meet Translated in to a set of 10 principles, all Planning and discuss, urban agriculture to grow food stakeholders can promote and commit to the together, waste management to live in a planning of child-responsive urban settings. Evidence- based Process- clean environment, will have major benefits oriented for children, to gain civic trust, feel connected Principle 1 outlines three preconditions for urban and participate as proud citizens. planning to be beneficial for children and involve their participation – to be area-based (promoting • In terms of environmental sustainability, people centred design and spatial planning), Principle 1 Investments investments and planning for water and to be process-oriented (supporting children’s Respect children’s rights and invest in sanitation infrastructure to recycle and participation in local stakeholder engagement) child-responsive urban planning that minimize need for water, but also for and to be evidence-driven (addressing spatial ensures a safe and clean environment waste and clean energy management to equity and people-centred decision-making. for children and involves children’s reduce waste and greenhouse gas (GHG) participation in area-based interventions, emissions, will have major benefits for The remaining nine principles translate the stakeholder engagement and evidence children, to live in cities with a neutral general Principle 1 in to the built environment based decision-making, securing children’s ecological footprint and become champions components of an urban setting, in terms health, safety, citizenship, environmental for a safe and green planet. of providing urban places, developing urban sustainability and prosperity, from early • In terms of prosperity, investments and systems and integrating urban networks. childhood through adolescence. planning for schools, but also for land security and affordable housing and The 10 Children’s Rights and Urban Planning transportation, local economy, advanced Principles call on cities to: learning and ICT/data connectivity, will have major benefits for children, to have a decent standard of living and have the required life skills to access job markets. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 45
Principle 2 Housing and Land Tenure Principle 5 Transportation Systems Principle 8 Waste Cycle Systems Provide affordable and adequate housing Develop active transportation and public transit Develop a zero waste system and ensure and secure land tenure for children and the systems and ensure independent mobility for sustainable resource management, so children community, where they feel safe and secure to children and the community, so they have equal and the community can thrive in a safe and clean live, to sleep, to play and to learn. and safe access to all services and opportunities environment. in their city.
Principle 3 Public Amenities Principle 6 Integrated Urban Water and Principle 9 Energy Networks Provide infrastructure for health, education and Sanitation Management Systems Integrate clean energy networks and ensure social services for children and the community, Develop safely managed water and sanitation reliable access to power, so children and the which they have access to, in order to thrive and services and ensure an Integrated Urban Water community have access to all urban services day to develop life skills. Management system for children and the and night. community, so they have universal and equitable access to safe and affordable water and hygiene.
Principle 4 Public Spaces Principle 7 Food Systems Principle 10 Data and ICT Networks Provide safe and inclusive public and green Develop a food system with farms, markets and Integrate data and ICT networks to ensure digital spaces for children and the community, where vendors, so children and the community have connectivity for children and the community, they can gather and engage in outdoor activities. permanent access to healthy, affordable and to universally accessible, affordable, safe and sustainably-produced food and nutrition. reliable information and communication. Children’s Rights and Urban Planning Principles The Children’s Rights and Urban Planning Principles identify what all cities should plan for children in order to respect and support children’s rights:
Principle 1 Invest in Child-responsive Urban Planning Cities should Meet their responsibility to provide child-responsive urban settings through urban planning that respect10 children’s Children’s rights and respond Rightsto their needs, from and early childhood to adolescent life in a sustainable way. Urban Planning Principles
Principle 1 Provide UrbanInvestments Places
To Provide Urban Places
Principle 2 Principle 3 Principle 4 The Home Public Amenities Playgrounds, Squares And Parks Principle 2 Principle 3 Principle 4 Housing and Public Public Spaces Land Tenure Amenities Develop Urban Systems
To Provide Urban Places
Principle 5 Principle 6 Principle 7 Principle 8 Streets And Public Integrated Water Markets and Urban Urban Waste Principle 5 Principle 6 Principle 7 Principle 8 Transport Transportationand Sanitation IntegratedFarms Food SystemWaste Cycle Systems Urban Water Systems Systems and Sanitation Management Systems Integrate Urban Networks To Integrate Urban Networks
Principle 9 Principle 9 Principle 10Principle 10 Clean EnergyEnergy Smart DataData And andIct ICT Networks Networks Children’s Rights and Urban Planning Principles The Children’s Rights and Urban Planning Principles identify what all cities should plan for children in order to respect and support children’s rights:
Principle 1 Invest in Child-responsive Urban Planning Cities should Meet their responsibility to provide child-responsive urban settings through urban planning that respect children’s rights and respond to their needs, from early childhood to adolescent life in a sustainable way.
Provide Urban Places
Principle 2 Principle 3 Principle 4 The Home Public Amenities Playgrounds, Squares And Parks
Develop Urban Systems
Principle 5 Principle 6 Principle 7 Principle 8 Streets And Public Integrated Water Markets and Urban Urban Waste Transport and Sanitation Farms System
Integrate Urban Networks
Principle 9 Principle 10 Clean Energy Smart Data And Ict Iraqi men and children play football at a park in an unfinished housing unit in a suburb that is now home to thousands of displaced Iraqis in the Kurdistan region of Iraq Page 49
Shaping child-responsive 3 urban settings
• Planning space for children and the How to plan for children? community • Designing the process with children and the community • Using evidence about children and their community Page 50 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
How to plan for children? Adjust tools to design space, engage stakeholders and use evidence
To plan child-responsive urban settings is not a Figure 21: Schematic overview matter of inventing new tools, but fine-tuning of urban planning tools and adjusting existing instruments, strategies and methods to focus on children:
1. Instruments to plan, design and manage Area-based urban space on different scales for children and the community Urban planners should verify that the places, systems and networks listed in the Children’s Rights and Urban Planning Child- principles are planned, designed and responsive managed with a child’s perspective at Urban various scales of intervention, and comply Planning with universal design.
2. Strategies to design the process to Evidence- strengthen local capacities of children based Process- and other stakeholders oriented Urban planners should question if children and community participation have set the agenda and defined a vision. Has there been consistency in building coalitions among stakeholders, and in mobilizing resources open-data platforms, to offer insight on technically support planning in a modular way, to translate the vision into meaningful co- how to correlate the built environment with seeking multiple-entry points where cities can production for structural change? children’s well-being; build accountability improve children’s life and identifying the first and strengthen governance structures for step for improvements: starting small and with 3. Methods for evidence-based and people- child-responsive urban planning. a horizon of one year (step 1), scaling-up based centred decision-making through data on evidence of the first step with a horizon of Urban planners should take the lead in To address the reality of limited resources, three years (step 2), and finally, mainstreaming child-centred assessments to define a city’s human capacity and challenging urban contexts, child-responsiveness in all aspects of urban priorities, to install and feed GIS-based urban planners need to advocate for and planning policy (step 3). UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 51
1. Planning space for children and the community
Urban planning supports area-based urban Projects are also easy to communicate as an policies, which are addressed on a city-wide programmes that ensure service delivery action that can be supported by children and or larger scale. To fully address all needs and to children but also a built environment that communities from conception to execution. challenges for children in urban settings, urban supports children’s rights. Also, people-centred planning must simultaneously address the design and spatial planning ensure that urban Many characteristics of a child-responsive different scales of possible spatial intervention. development cycles include everyone, including urban setting depend on connecting small- children, in issues of planning, design and scale local project interventions to a larger There are two ways to address scaling- construction. Planning child-responsive urban systems-level policy scale. For example, up simultaneously: 1. Ensure that child- settings is more tangible on a small scale, children will be healthier, safer and more responsive interventions in urban settings developing physical projects that have a visible empowered if they can move through the city are strategically laid out and can be scaled-up impact and can be evaluated on how the space by walking along safe streets and breathing (bottom-up), and 2. Invest in urban planning is safe and healthy for children, if it’s used by clean air. This implies better land use, policy and ensure implementation in numerous children and whether children feel ownership. transportation networks and clean energy local contexts (top-down).
Figure 22: Instruments to plan, design and manage the urban space at different scales
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3
Building and infrastructural Urban design and area-based Land use planning City development Urban planning regulations community planning planning policy
building scale neighbourhood scale city scale city scale multi-level scale
child-responsive norms and standards child-responsive neighbourhood child-responsive land use standards integrated spatial development legislative and institutional frameworks (security, accessibility, safety, health) action development plan (availability, accessibility, proximity) strategy (urban systems) (all policy levels)
urban childhood design (multifunctional land use and property registries child-responsive design guidelines child-responsive land use plans (zoning urban resiliency plan (natural, programming, universal design, plans, alignment plans, protection plans) climate, other risks) (use, building rights, land value (use, comfort, stimulation) strategic site interventions) and taxation)
coordination of infrastructure projects child-responsive building permit child-responsive impact assessments implementation strategy (financial, urban data observatories and community initiatives (co-design, regulations (general urbanistic rules, (planning, design, built phase) interagency coordination) (disagregated, open data, GIS) co-production, maintenance) specific masterplans)
project policy Page 52 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Universal Design Principles 1 2 Universal design is “the design of products, environments, programmes and Applying these principles and goal areas leads to designs that can be used services to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the equitably and without restriction by children and adults, and those with and need for adaptation or specialised design.” without disabilities. The concept of universal design applies to almost every area Universal design is often associated with accessibility and disability. However, of life and is particularly important in three key domains: it actually covers good design for all, including the 1 billion people with • Information: accessibility and usability of websites, documents and electronic disabilities worldwide. In this sense, applying universal design helps create communication, or videos with captions; buildings, tools, spaces and learning or communication systems that are • Designing places and spaces: buildings, playgrounds, parking places and useful and usable for everyone. Universal design accommodates diverse pathways; literacy skills, and promotes designs that are safe and easy to use, including Design of specific hardware or furniture, such as light switches that turn on by children. There are seven universal designs: 1) equitable use, 2) flexibility and off easily or a tap that can easily be turned on or off by a child with limited in use; 3) simple and intuitive use; 4) perceptible information; 5) tolerance for strength. error; 6) low physical effort; and 7) size and space for approach and use.
Building and infrastructure regulations – building scale
• Child-responsive norms and standards • Child-responsive impact assessments in ensure that buildings and infrastructure meet planning and design phase ensure that quantitative requirements in terms of children’s the benefits for children are optimized and security, accessibility, safety and health; negative impacts minimized (community, environmental, economic perspective). • Child-responsive design guidelines describe qualitative recommendations for buildings and infrastructure to ensure better use, comfort and stimulation opportunities for children;
Housing programme in Integrated Sanitation Programme, Maués, Brazil UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 53
Urban design and area-based community planning – neighbourhood scale
• A neighbourhood action development • Co-production initiatives set up with plan for children sets out priorities for urban children ensure children participate in places, systems and networks for children in design, execution and daily maintenance, their neighbourhood; linking infrastructure investments (hardware) with people’s use (software). • Urban design workshops with children and the neighbourhood community ensure programmes will be multi-functional and strategic, based on universal design principles and the choice of well-located interventions; Spanish library, Medellin, Colombia
Land use planning – city scale
• Child-responsive land use standards spaces can be located, where areas are are based on agreed norms and identified protected or inaccessible (heritage, nature, benefits for children in terms of availability, agriculture, etc.); accessibility and proximity to specific land • Child-responsive building permit use; regulations ensure that building heights, • Child-responsive land use plans ensure alignments between build and unbuilt space, spaces are accessible by children or safely mixed use and building typologies of public disclosed. Zoning plans, alignment plans and private development are considered and protection areas define precisely, in a from a child’s perspective, on a human scale geo-spatial and juridical way, where building and with emphasis on collective spaces and densities, land use, infrastructure and urban social control.
Extension Plan Nino-Prampram, Accra, Ghana Page 54 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
City development planning – city scale
• An integrated city development strategy is • An implementation strategy foresees child-responsive as it identifies, supports and financial investments based on a cost- coordinates all required urban systems for benefit analysis from a child perspective children (such as housing, water, sanitation, and identification of all possible budget transportation, green, public spaces, food); resources for children. It highlights required city-wide coordination to increase • An urban resiliency plan is child-responsive impact for children (intra-agencies as it ensures that communities and in coordination, development of public land particular children are resilient and prepared and increased value of private land, budget by integrating knowledge on disaster, and financial regulatory coordination climate and other risks for children and tools). It also identifies special planning ensuring training and communication areas (neighbourhoods) for concentrated (contingency planning, preparedness, investments in the built environment. humanitarian response); Busan, South Korea
Urban planning policy – multi-level scale
• Legislative and institutional frameworks and accountability through ownership and are child-responsive by explicitly addressing provide a tax base for land value taxation and spatial equity and ensuring coordination redistribution toward public investment in mechanisms, modularity and flexibility for spaces for children; updates on all institutional levels, highlighting • Urban data observatories are child- the duties and obligations of the duty bearers responsive when collected data is of children’s rights (the state, parents, disaggregated by age, to enable measuring, guardians, care-givers); evaluation and better decision-making • Land use and property registries are for children. child-responsive as they increase stability
Land surveyors, Chad UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 55
2. Designing the process with children and the community
Urban planning is a matter of physical and Neighbourhood functional planning of urban places, systems Contract Pass- and networks, but it is also a process- er-Compas, Brus- oriented practice. It fosters stakeholders’ sels, Belgium engagement, that builds local capacity in process-based urban development and put children first in terms of participation, coalition building and co-production of child- responsive urban settings. By emphasising the built environment as a common good, urban planning can promote its capacity to inspire stakeholders and communities to form a coalition and achieve shared and tangible outcomes in the built environment.
Children and their community contribute Figure 23: Strategies to build coalitions, mobilize resources and co-produce with stakeholders insight and understanding. As they engage throughout the process, urban planning Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 articulates their concerns, ideas and solutions into technically and financially sound plans. From vision to strategy to implementation, children and young people will ensure that Stakeholder Budgeting Incremental change projects lead productively to structural change. engagement Also, co-production will make children feel ownership of the process and of their city coalitions resources co-production experience, and as adults will be more likely participation with children and their child-responsive resource planning pilots and interim projects in to continue to develop the culture of child- communities first (estimation, phasing) co-production with children responsive planning. From the beginning, children’s participation in urban planning is the building coalitions between mobilising financial resources and child-focused communication best investment for short-term results and for children and other constituents with assets (public, private, land value (public opinion, media) shared interests capture, funding) the long-term perspective. involving experts to define co-benefits presenting a cost-benefit analysis child-focused action plan for children and other stakeholders for child-responsive planning (next steps, recommendations)
vision strategy implementation Page 56 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
terms of costs of building and maintenance, Stakeholder engagement and Budgeting and mobilizing resources and their return on investment in terms of children’s participation benefits for children.
• Putting participation with children and • Calculate the required resources for their community first in stakeholders investments in the built environment for management allows urban planners to children, with realistic objectives, to be Co-production for incremental change understand the unique perspective children integrated in infrastructure development have regarding their built environment and plans, possibly to be phased or grow their livelihood, to highlight their priorities incrementally from small and temporary to • Child-led pilots and interim projects that and consider the solutions they propose; large and structural; are low-cost, quick to build, test and evaluate with children and communities; • Engaging with constituents who have shared • Screen financial resources from public interests allows urban planners to build and private origin (sponsors, developers, • Child-focused communication to influence coalitions between local ‘champions’ and communities, crowd sourcing, donations, public opinion and for media coverage, to reach children, often not fully visible and verbal. social impact bonds, project generated a broader audience to join the child-responsive Urban planners can advocate more widely cash flows) and use appropriate financing agenda and call for structural change; once they recognize the objectives and methods (municipal investment planning, • Analyse outcomes of pilots in terms of benefits of child-responsive urban settings; intergovernmental transfers, public land value optimization, developer exactions) for benefits for children and their community, • Involving experts to assist in child-responsive urban development; and use this evidence to define determining benefits for children in recommendations for improvement and a rational way, based on evidence and • Present a cost-benefit analysis that shows upscaling by the different stakeholders. benchmarks. the cost-efficiency of urban planning in
Playful and engaging participation through gaming
Gamification tools such as the Block by Block Program, developed by UN- Habitat and the Oasis Game by the Instituto Elos, support community-led assessments and stakeholder engagement. When carefully incorporated, gaming programmes can enhance the practice of conventional urban design and planning. They can aid communication, proactively trigger interaction and participation, and facilitate understanding of spatial parameters, decision scenarios and consequences. Used as tools to facilitate interaction of those involved in the design process, and to offer a visualization of complex issues, gaming techniques can be used as promising social technology, and they are particularly advantageous to enable and engage children’s participation. Block by Block Program with the Dandora community, Nairobi, Kenya UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 57
3. Using evidence about children and the community
Urban planners use, provide and visualise from a social perspective (collective mapping, as preparation and as input for planning. The a variety of urban data, mostly GIS based. knowledge sharing, crowd sourcing). situation analysis covers different urban scales, Data supports objectivity and transparency in for example streets, neighbourhoods and the profiling neighbourhoods to determine where city itself, with a focus on one or more. Using the most disadvantaged children live; to support tools such as audits, surveys and records of area-based interventions; and to galvanise Urban situation analysis public hearings, the process is a collaboration children and stakeholder collaboration with between urban planners and communities to maps and other data visualisations. An urban situation analysis compiles knowledge undertake the situation analysis and follow and resources, determines missing information up with monitoring and evaluation. A child- With monitoring and evaluation of data and and assesses the urban potential, the planning responsive urban situation analysis contains the indicators on how the built environment, land priorities and the stakeholders who shape following elements: use and spatial distribution affects children’s child-responsive urban settings. The analysis well-being, urban planners will gain credibility to summarizes a background of statistics and data • Assessments with children and their integrate their tools into the design of policy and that describes and defines the current context community, in particular the most urban programming, and become key players in knowledge exchange and capacity building Figure 24: Methods for evidence-based and people-centred decision-making through data on child-responsive planning of cities. By using urban data in different stages, urban planners Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 will also gain confidence and be informed to develop area-based policies that address the spatial component of urban inequity that the most disadvantaged children are exposed to. Urban situation Monitoring and Building analysis evaluation accountability Making evidence-based and people-centred decisions requires technical expertise, but baseline indicators policy also contextual knowledge by children and self-assesments with children physical characteristics of the urban child-led public hearings and communities themselves. Self-assessment (audits, mapping, surveys) setting (supply, proximity) participation mechanisms tools, public hearings and grievance mechanisms are platforms for children to offer critical input expert assesment (space scales, outcome characteristics child-led public observatories and help to set agendas for change. Public and proces capacities, data) (use, access) and output and grievance mechanisms characteristics (commitment) political support for change is more likely when data is used effectively. Innovation enhances impact on children characteristics child-focused agendas (research, priority map for children's benefits (benefits of health, safety, citizenship, better evidence gathering, risk-preparedness and capacities, political) (risks, opportunities) environment, prosperity) participation in decision-making with real-time modules and open data dashboards, from an ICT profile measure progress point of view (GIS, open data, online tools) and 20 working children from Dhaka and Barisal, Bangladesh, took part in a UNICEF-organized photography training workshop. The five-day training course intro- duced them to basic photography concepts and techniques. Once the training was complete, the children returned to the slum areas and drop-in centres they call home. Each was armed with a digital camera, new found journalistic skills and a determina- tion to give viewers a glimpse into their daily reality – so often ignored or misunderstood UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 59
marginalised, using self-assessment surveys, administrative data, GIS data); • Priority maps about children tools, quantitative interviews and other Stakeholder analysis, to identify Area-based: indicating neighbourhoods or techniques to gather data and opinions on constituents who represent children communities with highest exposure to risks; all components of urban settings in terms or have similar needs to children, who of the spatial morphology, functionality can support urban planning in terms of System-based: visualising the child-responsive and more general urban issues. The urban knowledge and resources. Urban planners interventions that improve the built environment planner prepares and assists the community will invest in the participation of these (places, systems, networks) and strengthen to formulate accurate input and synthesize stakeholders during the different stages of capacity for intervention (governance, resources).3 struggles and strengths; the planning process;
• An expert urban situation diagnosis by , with Child-centred risk assessments the urban planner, based on new or existing multi-hazard vulnerability mapping; Measuring for progress profiling tools: Planning and investment capacity of Spatial, functional and socio-economic authorities and stakeholders on possible It is important to monitor and evaluate urban analysis, using child-specific data (household scales of intervention; planning interventions using a baseline as a reference to measure the target accomplishments. The monitoring and evaluation The Place Standard tool process, called Result Based Management, is 7 based on a results-chain of inputs, activities,
The Place Standard tool is a simple framework 6 outputs, outcomes and impacts that measure
to structure conversations about place, 5 elements of children’s well-being. It can be used
developed by the Scottish Government, NHS 4 to evaluate the effectiveness of urban planning’s
Health Scotland, and Architecture and Design 3 impact on children. Collecting certain metrics
Scotland’ in order to create better places. It 2 can be complex. Working with children and
allows participants to think about the physical 1 communities, it is important to focus on metrics
elements of a place (for example its buildings, 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 that can be collected easily, in collaboration or spaces, and transport links) as well as the social 1 from available data and ICT platforms. aspects (for example whether people feel they 2 3 have a say in decision-making). It can assess 4 Metrics are also referred to as Key Performance places that are well established, undergoing 5 Indicators (KPIs), often used in urban planning change, or are still being planned. The tool helps 6 regulations, land use standards and city 7 with self-assessments to identify population’s development plans. KPIs are used for different priorities for a particular place – communities, scales: the project level, the neighbourhood, the the public sector, the third sector (voluntary and city. If working on the city scale, avoid measuring non-profit organizations), and the private sector. averages and look into intra-urban differences. It can be used in different circumstances and for together productively and consistently across different purposes, but it allows people to work sectors and boundaries. There are four categories of metrics which are useful to distinguish for child-responsive urban planning: Page 60 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
• Functionality and quality-related indicators, to measure qualitative and functional characteristics, such as the effective use of a place by children, the practical accessibility, the types of activities at different times (day, night, week day versus weekend). The indicators provide information beyond the quantitative, to reveal when a space or infrastructure is not or cannot be used, is unaffordable or poorly adapted for children and their community; • Impact-related indicators, to measure how interventions affect children in terms of benefits over time. These indicators build evidence for why investing in child- responsive urban settings matters; • Process-related indicators, to measure policy performance and the degree to which accountable stakeholders, in particular public authorities, have implemented Profiling in UT section, Khayelitsha, Cape Town, South Africa activities to fulfil their commitment to child- responsive urban planning. • Physical and quantity-related indicators, child-responsive space and infrastructure to measure quantitative characteristics (such as surface area, coverage, To truly measure how child-responsive an to gather information on the proximity of distribution); urban setting or a planning process is, based on the Children’s Rights and Urban Planning
Data dashboards help cities improve Early Childhood Development 4 A data dashboard is a tool that collates and Leer Foundation have published a white paper to • Choice of indicators: the process of selection disseminates data in an accessible format. determine the characteristics of dashboards in order and targets related to indicators; A dashboard helps urban planners set policy to be relevant and to be effective in improving early • The ease of design and maintenance; priorities, monitor progress, encourage childhood development. Inspiring examples are • The need for leadership, culture and data literacy collaboration, inform decisions, increase analysed in terms of: amongst the supporting team; accountability and strengthen children’s voices. • Strategy: the purpose of data collection, the • The accordance to privacy laws and the clarity of The Open Data Institute and the Bernard van audience, the levels of access; guidelines. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 61
principles, the indicators must be clearly children and their community in participation and to be prepared by preparatory workshops. defined and tangible: such as the amount of venues such as workshops or public hearings, Make sure participation is mandatory for area of green and public space available per to present their concerns and priorities interventions in the built environment, and pay child, the proportion of children walking to supported by evidence. Urban planners should attention to formats and timing. school, the proportion of children who are advocate for more participation opportunities, • Child-responsive public observatories and victims of traffic accidents, and the proportion and support children’s access to them. Based grievance mechanisms are easily accessible, of infrastructural budget reserved for active on the evidence of the benefits of specific urban well communicated and feed into transparent, transportation. planning investments for children and based on open data observatories, to collect city-wide the existing gaps in knowledge, urban planners data and make them accessible and useable, can also influence research agendas and especially for and by children. Building accountability political dynamics. • Be involved in setting the research and political agendas. Be alert: follow new • Child-responsive public hearings and research, political cycles and professional The better the quality of data, the more precise participation mechanisms are an opportunity conferences and influence the agenda with and effective policies can be. To maximize for children and communities to express their data and good practice. the value of data, urban planners can support opinion, to support them in their arguments,
Resources
Existing guidelines, tools and literature • Compendium of best practices of Child Friendly • Active Design Guidelines (Center for Active • Habitat III, New Urban Agenda (UN-Habitat) Cities (National Institute of Urban Affairs) Design) • Urban Planning for City Leaders (UN-Habitat) • Cities Alive: Designing for Urban Childhoods • Active Design toolkit for Communities (Center (ARUP International Development) for Active Design) Relevant networks and platforms • Urban95 Starter Kit (Bernard van Leer • Making sense of the city (World Vision Foundation) International) • Child Friendly Cities Initiative (UNICEF) • Building Better Cities with Young Children and • Just Cities for Children: Voices from Urban Slums • European Network of Child Friendly Cities Families (8-80 Cities) (World Vision International) • Child Friendly Smart Cities (National Institute of • How dashboards can help cities improve early • Child-Centred Urban Resilience Framework Urban Affairs) childhood development (Open Data Institute) (ARUP International Development/Plan • Urban95 Initiative (Bernard van Leer Foundation) • PASSA Youth – Participatory Approach for International) • Equity for Children (The New School) Safe Shelter and Settlements Awareness • Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading • Children’s Environments Research Group – CERG (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Manual (VPUU) • Know Your City (Slum Dwellers International) Crescent Societies/Habitat for Humanity) • Urban context analysis toolkit (Stronger Cities • Cities Alliance • A Toolkit for Monitoring and Evaluating Children’s Consortium) Participation (Save the Children/UNICEF) • Urban stakeholder engagement and coordination • Place Standard (Scotland Government) (Stronger Cities Consortium) Page 62 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Children’s Rights and Urban Planning Principles – Checklist How can you invest in child-responsive Public Private Civil Specialists urban planning, step by step? institutions sector society
1. Planning space for children and the community (see page 51-54) Area- based
Building and infrastructure regulations – building scale Child-responsive norms and standards Child-responsive design guidelines with Child-responsive impact assessments in for buildings and infrastructure to meet qualitative recommendations for buildings planning and design phases to ensure quantitative requirements in terms of and infrastructure to ensure better use, that the benefits for children are optimized children’s security, accessibility, safety comfort and stimulation opportunities for and negative impacts minimized. and health. children.
Step 1 Step Urban design and area-based community planning – neighbourhood scale A neighbourhood action development Urban design workshops with children Co-production initiatives set up with plan for children that sets out priorities for and the neighbourhood community children to ensure they participate in urban places, systems and networks for to ensure programmes will be multi- design, execution and daily maintenance, children. functional and strategic, based on linking infrastructure investments with universal design principles and the choice daily use. of well-located interventions.
Part 2
Principle 1 Principle 2 Principle 3 Principle 4 Principle 5 Investments Housing and Land Tenure Public Amenities Public Spaces Transportation Systems (see page 69) (see page 83) (see page 97) (see page 109) UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 63
Land use planning – city scale Child-responsive land use standards Child-responsive land use plans to ensure Child-responsive building permit that are based on agreed norms and spaces are accessible by children or are regulations to ensure that public and identified benefits for children, in terms of safely disclosed. private development are considered from availability, accessibility and proximity of a children’s perspective, on a human scale specific land use. and with emphasis on collective spaces and social safety. Step 2 Step City development planning – city scale An integrated city development strategy An urban resiliency plan to ensure that A child-responsive implementation that identifies, supports and coordinates communities and in particular children are strategy that foresees financial all urban systems from a child’s resilient and risk-prepared, by integrating investments, city-wide coordination perspective. knowledge on natural and other risks and priority intervention areas for children and ensuring training and (neighbourhoods). communication.
Urban planning policy – multi-level scale Legislative and institutional frameworks Land use and property registries that Urban data observatories with collected that address spatial equity for children increase stability and accountability through data that is disaggregated by age, to and ensure coordination, modularity and ownership and provide a tax base for land enable measurement, evaluation and
Step 3 Step flexibility for updates on institutional value taxation and redistribution towards better decision-making for children. levels. public investment in spaces for children.
Principle 6 Principle 7 Principle 8 Principle 9 Principle 10 Integrated Urban Water and Food Systems Waste Cycle Systems Energy Networks Data and ICT Networks Sanitation Management Systems (see page 137) (see page 149) (see page 161) (see page 173) (see page 123) Page 64 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
How can you invest in child-responsive Public Private Civil Specialists urban planning, step by step? institutions sector society
2. Designing the process with children and the community (see page 55-56) Process- oriented
Stakeholder engagement and coalition building Participation with children and their Engagement with other consituents with Engagement with experts to assist in community first in stakeholders shared interest, to build coalition between determining benefits for children, based engagement, to understand the unique local champions and children. on evidence and benchmarks.
Step 1 Step perspective children have regarding their environments, to highlight their priorities and to consider the solutions they propose.
Budgeting and mobilizing resources Calculation of the required resources for Screening of financial resources from A cost-benefit analysis to show the cost- projects with realistic objectives, possibly public and private origin; employment of efficiency of urban planning in terms of to be phased or grow incrementally from appropriate financing methods for child- costs of building and maintenance, and
Step 2 Step small and temporary, towards large and responsive urban development their return on investment in terms of structural. benefits for children
Co-production for incremental change Child-led pilots and interim projects that Child-focused communication to influence Analyse outcomes of pilots in terms of are low-cost, quick to build, test and the public opinion and get media benefits for children and their community, evaluate with children and communities coverage, to ensure a broader audience and use this evidence to determine
Step 3 Step will join the child-responsive agenda and recommendations for improvement and call for structural change. upscaling by the different stakeholders. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 65
3. Using evidence about children and the community (see page 57-61) Evidence use
Urban situation analysis Self-assessments by children and their An expert urban situation diagnosis, with A priority map focusing on children’s risks community, supported and prepared with a spatial, functional and socio-economic and priorities. urban planning experts. quickscan, a stakeholders analysis, child- Step 1 Step centred risk assesment and a investment and capacity evaluation.
Measuring for progress Key Performance Indicators Key Performance Indicators Key Performance Indicators Key Performance Indicators on quantity and availability of on functionality and quality of on impact for children on process of implementation child-responsive urban places, urban settings for children (vulnerabilities, benefits) of child-responsive urban
Step 2 Step systems and networks planning, urban programming and policy adoption
Building accountability Use and optimization of public hearings Make public observatories and grievance Involvement in agenda settings in and participation mechanisms for children mechanisms easily accessible and terms of research, political cycles and to express their opinions, making well- supported by open data, so children can professional conferences with gathered Step 3 Step documented arguments and relevant access and contribute to them. knowledge, data and good practice on proposals. child-responsive urban planning.
To host the many Syrian refugees, 4 schools were built in Beirut, Lebanon, serving 17 Informal Tented Settlements that provide over 1,100 children with formal education, psychological support and basic numeracy and literacy. The IBATSEM playground was constructed after an extensive design consultation with the camp’s children. Page 67
Part 2
Localizing children’s rights 4 and urban planning principles
• Urban spaces Why should we invest? Principle 2 Housing and Land Tenure Principle 3 Public Amenities What should we plan? Principle 4 Public Spaces How can we plan? • Urban systems Resources Principle 5 Transportation Systems Principle 6 Integrated Urban Water and Sanitation Management Systems Principle 7 Food Systems Principle 8 Waste Cycle Systems
• Urban networks Principle 9 Energy Networks Principle 10 Data and ICT networks Incremental housing Quinta Monroy, Iquique, Chile. The multi-unit housing project reimagines afford- able housing. Working under a strict budget, the architects and families developed a unit configura- tion that provided residents with the most essential ‘half’ of the housing unit, the remaining compo- nents were incrementally expanded and custom- ized by the residents themselves. Page 69
The home
More than one out of every three children in the developing world does not live in adequate housing.1
Principle 2
Through urban planning, all cities should provide affordable and adequate housing and secure land tenure for children and the community, where they feel safe and secure to live, to sleep, to play and to learn. Page 70 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Why should we invest?
Current challenges
Seventy per cent of urban land use is dedicated to housing; evidently, the provision of housing is a priority in addressing urbanization. The house is the space where children spend most of their time, especially as infants and toddlers.
Despite global efforts to reduce slum conditions and supply new housing at scale, slums across the globe have increased every year since 1990. In 2016,2 880 million people were estimated to live in inadequate urban housing in cities. While private sector investment in housing has been steady over the years, the investment has not translated into affordable housing for low-income households. The global affordable- housing gap is estimated at 330 million urban households and forecast to grow over 30 per cent to 440 million households, or 1.6 billion people by 2025.3 The overall shortage of housing leads to overcrowding, homelessness, illness and even death.
In many countries, land registry systems or national urban policies are lacking: the A woman walks with a child through the ruins of homes in a poor neighbourhood in Abuja. Homes for more pros- presence of slums is usually not adressed, perous people rise in the distance, while poor Nigerians are being relocated. and its inhabitants are often denied access to basic services. Informal status and legal land anxiety, sleeplessness and aggression. long commutes, leaving children alone and tenure conflicts are major barriers to cities unsupervised. In dense urban areas, typologies investing in appropriate housing, which force Even if adequate housing is available, and unit sizes are not designed appropriately for children to live in unhealthy and unsafe homes access and proximity to urban services is families with children. In multi-family housing without proper space to play, learn or grow. The not always guaranteed. Many residential developments, the benefits of scale are not dangerous conditions of these homes affect areas are single use and located in the urban explored to provide family-friendly collective children physically and emotionally, increasing peripheries, forcing caretakers to undertake spaces to meet and play. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 71
The benefits for children and their community
by small-scale individual and collective Adequate housing Adequate housing enables supports children to grow energy systems, powered by solar, wind and citizenship of children healthy and strong biomass energy. • Green and efficient housing integrates water • Well ventilated and naturally lit houses with • Mixed use housing and community social management by utilizing storm water and quality floors, roofs and cladding and with programmes (childcare, preschool) foster rainwater catchment systems, water reuse access to clean water, energy and sanitation cohesion and interaction between different and delayed evacuation (green roofs, storage will provide a dry, bright and stimulating ages. spaces, infiltration in un-built areas). environment for children to live, play, study • Housing that is centrally located or well and socialize with their family, which can connected via public transportation with lead to improved health outcomes and a central places in urban areas, enables longer life span.4 Adequate housing ensures children to be present and visible in all urban prosperity for children • Mixed use housing and community social activities, which facilitates their involvement and their community programmes (childcare, preschool) support in decision-making and life skills training to children’s cognitive and socio-emotional become fully engaged citizens in their cities. • Security of tenure allows children and their development. • Housing designed for all users ensures families to live in one community without access by children with specific needs, but threat of eviction or loss of income-generating also other people like the elderly. Adequate activities, leaving more time for children to Adequate housing housing allows residents to access their stay in school, take up life skills training and ensures children are safe homes with a large degree of autonomy, but enjoy community life; this can also increase and risk-prepared also to have access to public life and thus opportunities for jobs, future income and participate in their community. expand their lifetime earning potential. • Structurally sound, weather-proof and • Affordable housing allows children and their equipped houses reduce risks and ensure families to spend their income on improving children live safely and are prepared to health and well-being, by purchasing evacuate in case of emergency (from Adequate housing healthier foods containing higher amounts earthquakes and other natural disasters, ensures children live in a of fresh fruits and vegetables, primary fires, conflicts). sustainable and climate- resilient environment care and necessary preventative medical • Appropriately planned housing developments expenditures. avoid natural disaster prone areas • Housing infrastructure can be carbon-neutral (floodplains, landslide risk zones), polluted by using recycled and recyclable materials, land or territories that could expose residents building a tight building envelope and utilizing to harmful activities (military targets, renewable or low energy use systems. factories emitting dangerous chemicals). Energy consumption can be compensated Page 72 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
What should we plan?
Definitions and concepts
Pallobi slum, Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh Programa Social e Ambiental dos Igarapés de Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme Manaus, Prosamin, Amazonas, Brazil Majengo, Kenya
Acknowledge informal settlements and Plan for affordable housing – To be Ensure security of tenure – Security of slums – Informal settlements are urban appropriate for very low- to moderate-income tenure ensures that residents can invest in areas with one or more of the following households, affordable housing is priced so adequate housing, as a renter or home owner. characteristics: 1) poor structural quality of households can meet other basic living costs It guarantees legal protection against forced housing; 2) overcrowding; 3) inadequate access of food, clothing, transport, medical care and evictions, harassment and other threats. Tenure to water; 4) Inadequate access to sanitation education. ‘Affordable’ is often defined as a could comprise of rental accommodation, and other infrastructure; and 5) insecure threshold of standard net monthly expenditures cooperative housing, leased, owner occupied, residential status.5 Informal settlements tend not exceeding 30 per cent of household emergency housing, and informal settlements to not have municipal services such as waste income. As market rate housing is not including occupation of land or property.7 collection, schools and clinics within easy reach, affordable for the poor, many authorities have or safe space for children to play and where developed affordable housing policies, such as the community can meet and socialize.6 Slums public housing construction, private housing are the most deprived and excluded form of finance systems and inclusionary housing informal settlements and are characterized by schemes in private developments. poverty and large agglomerations of dilapidated housing often located on hazardous urban land. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 73
Yerwada slum upgrading, Pune, India Affordable housing in Bukit Batok, Singapore Tulou Housing, Guanghzou, China
Support community-led slum upgrading Support affordable rental housing policies – Support collective housing schemes – To – This approach is often recognised as the The support of rental housing markets is accelerate and scale-up appropriate and most financially and socially appropriate option an effective strategy for authorities to meet affordable housing, innovative programming, to address challenges of existing slums. population’s housing needs by offering: design, construction and financing of collective It is integrated with city level and country subsidies to renters; financial guarantees to housing responds to the economic reality policies with physical, social, economic and developers and owners; and improving legal of limited public financing and the needs of institutional components, ensuring land rights, and contractual frameworks that support the populations, with examples such as incremental housing and public amenities, micro-financing rights of tenants and landlords and avoid bias housing, transit and post-disaster housing, and local upgrading. Relocation only happens against women or minority groups. Rental cooperatives and community land trusts. if there are serious and verified environmental possibilities can also be hybrid, eventually or safety concerns. leading to ownership over time. Page 74 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Promising practices
Baan Mankong programme, Thailand Incremental Housing Quinta Monroy, Via Verde, Bronx, New York City, United Iquique, Chile States of America
The Baan Mankong Community Upgrading Quinta Monroy reimagines affordable housing Programme addresses affordable and adequate and preserves an existing community, based Via Verde advances revitalization of the housing problems. The initiative improves the on a spatial approach to a multifamily housing South Bronx. The mixed-income residential lives of those who reside in informal settlements arrangement. A team of architects and development incorporates urban agriculture by bringing their voices to the forefront of the engineers protected the community’s social into affordable housing practices. Via Verde development process. It puts poor communities and economic networks in a small city. Working brings together residents of varying income at the centre of decision-making, allowing local under a strict budget, the firm was able to levels to engage in civic management in on-site beneficiaries to plan every step of the slum- relocate nearly 100 families from a decades-old community service programmes. The project upgrading programme. Government funds are informal settlement to a middle-class standard promotes healthy lifestyles with educational directed to the community boards and individual housing complex. The architects and families initiatives such as a community garden club, families, promoting land security and improved developed a unit configuration that provided exercise and nutrition lessons, and environment housing for residents of Thailand’s informal residents with the most essential ‘half’ of the and recycling education. The development settlements. The initiative benefits local children housing unit; the remaining components were complex strengthens community engagement by allowing them to enjoy improved living incrementally expanded and customized by the with social activities and an on-site food accommodations and live in a stronger, more residents. After only one year, property values cooperative. cohesive community. increased dramatically and residents reported the desire to stay and continue to improve their homes and strengthen their community. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 75
Supporting international frameworks
Right to adequate housing New Urban Agenda International human rights law recognizes everyone’s right to an adequate standard of living, Para 31. … commit to promote national, including adequate housing. The right to adequate housing is also recognized in the Convention sub-national, and local housing policies on the Rights of the Child. It has several dimensions: that support the progressive realization of the right to adequate housing for all as Security of tenure, guaranteeing legal protection against forced evictions, harassment and a component of the right to an adequate other threats; standard of living, that address all forms • Availability of services, materials, facilities, and infrastructure; of discrimination and violence, prevent arbitrary forced evictions, and that focus • Affordability, so other basic needs will not be threatened or compromised; on the needs of the homeless, persons in • Habitability, providing the occupants with adequate and healthy space; vulnerable situations, low-income groups, and persons with disabilities, while • Accessibility to all, including disadvantaged and marginalized groups; enabling participation and engagement of • Location, allowing access to employment, health care services, schools, childcare centre, and communities and relevant stakeholders, other social facilities, and ensuring distance from pollution sources and polluted sites; in the planning and implementation of these policies including supporting the • Cultural adequacy, respecting and taking into account the expression of cultural identity and social production of habitat, according to 8 diversity. national legislations and standards. More than 100 countries have recognized the right to adequate housing in their constitution Para 32. … commit to promote the and have translated it in to national legislation. Some have elaborated specific policies, development of integrated and age- and institutional and regulatory frameworks that facilitate the production of housing.9 gender-responsive housing policies and approaches across all sectors, in particular employment, education, healthcare, and social integration sectors, and at all 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development levels of government, which incorporate the provision of adequate, affordable, SDG 1.4 By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, accessible, resource efficient, safe, resilient, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and well-connected, and well-located housing, control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new with special attention to the proximity technology and financial services, including microfinance factor and the strengthening of the spatial SDG 11.1 By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic relationship with the rest of the urban fabric services and upgrade slums and the surrounding functional areas. Page 76 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
How should we plan?
Planning the space
Building and infrastructure regulations – building scale
• Norms and standards for housing, access to adequate natural light for all ensuring child-focused accessibility to living rooms; visible and attractive stairs to housing and safety amenities for children and promote active use for vertical travelling of their families: three floors or less. on technical security: to ensure stability, • Design guidelines for housing, improving protection and evacuation of children (for the use by children and their families: example safe and solid pathways and on comfort: separate rooms for children handrails on balconies, external fire-exits with adequate natural light and ventilation, and stairs), use of building materials and and if not possible, a common space to construction methods that are structurally study and play; child-focused visibility and sound and protect residents in case of readability of spaces and lay-out of the emergency; building; direct access to views outdoors, Arbor House, New York City, United States of on accessibility: minimum of steps and green space or close proximity to safe America stairs with maximum height of steps, public outdoor space for every housing unit; children; location of large units for families maximal levelled access; availability of on multi-functionality: modularity and with children on lower floors to ensure elevators for higher floor housing units; flexibility of the building to allow easy quick evacuation, passive supervision wide stairs, unlocked stairwells, doorways and affordable modifications; collective and proximity to ground floor amenities; and passages clear of obstructions, wide amenities for children in the building (child reservation of a spacious lobby entrance to enough for manoeuvres with strollers and care, play space, school, learning room, promote social interaction and locate them wheel-chairs; provision of housing units restrooms) mostly on ground floors to with direct orientation to playgrounds or for residents with disabilities in multi-unit interact with the outdoor space, respecting playful spaces and collective amenities; residential buildings; cultural or local habits on privacy; secured space for parking bikes and other on safety and health: quality of flooring; on stimulation and physical activity: objects for active transportation; reserve mould controlling materials; safe access space defined for physical activity and play; community oriented amenities to enable to drinking water, sanitation, electricity for proportions and/or minimum provisions of gatherings and social interaction; every unit; cooking devices for every unit large units for families in multi-unit housing • Impact assessments in planning and or in close proximity to every unit; minimal buildings to attract families with children; design phase of housing development, for surfaces for units and rooms in units; grouping of large units together to optimal benefits for and minimal negative natural ventilation and house screening; improve interaction between families with impacts on children and their families. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 77
Urban design and area-based community planning – neighbourhood scale
• A neighbourhood housing plan, to plan to sustainable transportation); to plan a • Child-led multi-unit housing upgrading services and facilities that are essential more diverse housing stock, with different workshops, to improve security, accessibility, for residential areas (playgrounds, youth unit types, innovative typologies, units safety, comfort, mixed use and physical centres, safe spaces for specific groups, responding to specific demands such as activity in collective spaces. schools, libraries, day-care, parks, access transit housing for migrants or orphans;
Land use planning – city scale
• Land use standards to quantify the of affordable and regular housing, allowing housing for families with children, with appropriate density of housing units based the mix of residential with other urban access to urban amenities and transport in on agreed norms and identified needs activities such as public amenities, local new private developments (demographic previsions, proximity of public economy and services; General urban rules to produce and transit and services, geographical and Definition of building heights to support ensure affordable housing (bonus systems, patrimonial context). density in low-rise and mid-rise buildings perimeters for rent-regulated housing, • Land use plans that increase the supply and Definition of exclusion areas that exclude inclusionary housing schemes); distribution of affordable housing for families housing in polluted or risk prone areas and Specific master plans and allotment with children, with good access to urban near harmful infrastructure (exposure to plans with detailed density coefficients, amenities and transport on a city-wide scale, sound and air pollution, nearby transportation the location and proportions of large units situated in environmentally safe areas: infrastructure, polluted sites, waste-sites, for families with children in new large- Reservation of areas for housing or high voltage electricity, factories). scale private developments; maximize mixed use development that maximize • Building permit regulations that ensure safe, accessible outdoor space and mixed use development, allowing the mix optimal supply and distribution of affordable recreation amenities.
Growing Up: Planning for children in vertical communities, Toronto, Canada In many cities, vertical communities are the predominant housing type to accommodate a growing urban population. Toronto has developed city-wide guidelines for new multi-unit residential buildings to meet the needs of a diversity of households, in particular those with children. The guidelines are organized in three scales – the neighbourhood, the building and the unit – based on the recognition that each positively contributes to how a family experiences living in vertical communities.
Growing Up, Toronto, Canada Page 78 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
City development planning – city scale
• City-wide housing strategy to provide livability, to avoid urban sprawl, unplanned • Support of cooperative housing housing based on demographic growth settlements and overcrowding; associations in technical and legal procedure estimates and adequate housing to have access to land (lease or acquisition), • Support of local public housing principles, including city-wide slum to build and to manage collective housing development agencies for land acquisition, upgrading programmes, affordable schemes, such as community land trust, construction and management for affordable housing programmes and urban expansion condominiums. housing that is family-friendly and child- planning, well aligned with transit-oriented responsive; development principles and consideration of
Urban planning policy – multi-level scale
• Create and revise legislation and exclusionary zoning, excluding certain types frameworks to support slum upgrading of land uses from a given community; and affordable housing with priority • Refine and enforce land use regulations access for (families with) children, like that ensure affordable land prices land registries, long term land leases, such as Transfer of Development Rights, access to rental credits for families to rent, special assessment districts, mixed use to achieve home ownership or install home development, cross-subsidy schemes, and improvements; land pooling; • Support inclusive housing policies for • Housing observatories with disaggregated specific groups: for migrants (transit or data and geographic information system temporary housing), unaccompanied minors, (GIS) – maps on quantity, quality, density and large families (larger units), households SOS Children’s Village, Tadjoura, Djibouti stock of affordable housing accessible for containing members with disabilities children and their families. (universally accessible units). Avoid UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 79
Designing the process
Stakeholder engagement Budgeting and mobilizing resources Co-production for incremental change and coalition building
• Ask children and communities to engage • Support housing finance programmes • Support self-build community groups in assessments about their houses and for low-income groups on the rental and citizens to plan and build collective neighbourhoods, to identify safety and and buyer market, for new housing or housing schemes, that focus on child- accessibility issues. Particularly in slum improvement, with government housing responsive and family-friendly living; areas, assessments on risk-awareness are subsidies, not only for basic housing needs • Organize child-centred activities in important to undertake community-led slum but also for cost-saving energy-efficient housing areas, to improve the use of upgrading and resettlement initiatives; systems and technologies; collective space, to exchange and share toys • Engage with constituents with shared • Support loan instruments that give credit and play devices; interests, such as self-help landlords, to the poor for housing, services, and • Make recommendations to public cooperative housing organizations and business development, with low transaction authorities, housing owners and landlords the elderly, to form common objectives in costs, for new construction or improvement; on easy improvements in housing, the process of land acquisition, financial and • Engage through public-private partnerships describing benefits for children and projected technical resources for building and upgrading. with the real estate sector to build child- outcomes, proposing low-cost interventions, • Engage with slum dwellers associations responsive housing units and inclusionary such as replacing dirt floors with solid floors and social workers to understand how housing mixed developments with priority or installing insulation and ventilation. many and where homeless children live, access for children. identify root causes and find solutions.
PASSA Youth (Participatory Approach for Safe Shelter and Settlements Awareness) 10 PASSA Youth is a participatory method of disaster risk a ‘software component’– namely knowledge and skills reduction related to shelter and settlements safety, development within the community – and a ‘hardware developed by the International Federation of Red Cross component’ – leading to the physical improvement of and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), in collaboration with housing and infrastructure. Habitat for Humanity. Supported with an online digital Facilitated by volunteers, youth leaders develop track, it recognizes the role of youth as first responders awareness on shelter safety issues in their community, and change-makers in their communities, particularly identify hazards and vulnerabilities, analyse causes, relating to urban violence prevention and social prioritize improvement strategies and make plans inclusion. It supports disaster-preparedness tools such and implementation proposals. Throughout the as contingency plans at local and municipal levels for process, a the PASSA Youth group is mentored by built shelter safety improvement. PASSA Youth strengthens environment specialists and digital mentors. PASSA Youth training, Costa Rica Page 80 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Using evidence
and persons with special needs; proportion • Impact related indicators: SDG 1.4.1 The urban situation analysis of housing by property type (owner occupied Proportion of population living in households or rental, single, couple, family or multifamily with access to basic services; SDG 1.4.2 The comprehensive urban situation analysis occupant); proportion of quantitative housing Proportion of total adult population with should focus on housing and include all data on deficit; secure tenure rights to land, with legally urban planning scales, stakeholders, resources recognized documentation and who perceive • Functionality and quality related and priorities: their rights to land as secure, by sex and indicators: proportion of adequate housing by type of tenure; SDG 11.1.1 Proportion of with flooring quality and ventilation • Conduct an institutional analysis urban population living in slums, informal insulation; proportion of ‘improved’ urban to understand the housing policy settlements or inadequate housing; number slum homes, as defined by measures for environment; of homeless per 100,000 population; structural resilience, heat/cold resilience, • Assess current housing needs, projections access to safe drinking water and improved • Process related indicators: the coverage of future needs and thresholds for different sanitation, electric lights, low-emissions, of neighbourhood upgrading programmes target groups; and efficient modes of heating/cooking with in low-income settlements; amount of • Analyse the housing supply in terms of adequate ventilation; proportion of new approved physical plans for urban expansion provision of land and infrastructure; and existing houses that are accessible for to accommodate population; quantity of persons with disabilities (sufficient width planned new housing; the existence and • Evaluate existing regulations that impact doors, ramp); enforcement of a national housing policy; the housing sector. degree to which exclusionary housing • Affordable housing indicators: average policies are prohibited; agency budgets for ratio price-to-income; proportion of children homelessness and vulnerable groups; SDG who live in a household that spends 11.c.1 Proportion of financial support to the less than 30 per cent of their equalized least developed countries that is allocated Measuring for progress disposable income on housing; proportion to the construction and retrofitting of of social, affordable, priority housing; sustainable, resilient and resource-efficient Progress with adequate housing for children capital availability and market penetration buildings utilizing local materials and their families can be measured and rates for the mortgage finance system evaluated by various indicators, both objective (to low-income, less-creditworthy, and and subjective. Some examples include: other marginal borrower groups); social housing and services available for special • Physical related indicators: housing unit needs groups; social housing budget as a density per square kilometre; current and proportion of the total national government projected rates of urban and rural population budget; types of subsidies available; growth; rate of slum growth, demographic availability of secondary mortgage markets demand disaggregated by vulnerable people and microcredit for housing; UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 81
area-based knowledge about needs and Building accountability demands of affordable and adequate housing for families with children;
• Help children and their community, in • Support housing policy reforms and particular youth, define and enforce land adjustments to current urban planning rights to include secure land tenure and regulations to create possible densification property rights in public hearings and and housing supply strategies, on local political decision-making processes such as and national level. Support research on the housing and urban development plan approval correlation between housing and impact on procedures, on local and national level; children, on affordable housing standards and rapid production mechanisms of community- • Support with geo-spatial mapping and led housing for families. the urban situation analysis general and
Resources
Existing guidelines, tools and literature (Centre for Active Design) • Monitoring Security of Tenure in Cities (UN- Affordability, Accessibility and Sustainability Relevant networks and platforms Habitat) (UN-Habitat) • Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme • Designing a Land Records System for the • Designing and Implementing Street-Led (PSUP – UN-Habitat) Poor (UN-Habitat) Citywide Slum Upgrading Programmes: A • Slum Dwellers International (SDI) • Gendering Land Tools (UN-Habitat) training module companion (UN-Habitat) • Cities Alliance • What Land Means to Youth (UN-Habitat) • A Practical Guide to Designing, Planning, • Centre for Affordable Housing Finance Africa • Green Building Interventions for Social and Executing Citywide Slum Upgrading (CHAF) Programmes (UN-Habitat) Housing (UN-Habitat) • Co-operative Housing International (COOP) • Streets as Tools for Urban Transformation in • Policy Guide to Rental Housing in Developing • International Housing and Planning Slums (UN-Habitat) Countries (UN-Habitat) Federation (IHPF) • Confronting the Urban Housing Crisis in the • Public-Private Partnership in Housing and • Centre for Active Design Urban Development (UN-Habitat) Global South (World Resource Institute) • Housing for All: The Challenges of • Affordable design for affordable housing Klong Toey Community Lantern, Bangkok, Thailand Page 83
Public amenities
There are 61 million children of primary school age who are out of school, 60 million of lower secondary school age and 142 million of upper secondary school age (2016).1
Principle 3
Through urban planning, all cities should provide infrastructure for health, education and social services for children and the community, where they have access to thrive, to develop life skills and to meet. Page 84 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Why should we invest?
Current challenges
Urbanization creates scarcity of urban land, which is mostly reserved for housing and economic demand. Without planning and specification of land use for public amenities such as schools and health centres, the development cost for land acquisition and construction is high and coverage tends to be unequal. When land is reserved, the way in which health centres, playgrounds and community centres are planned, designed and managed – as lighthouses in the community – is often overlooked. As schools and health clinics push beyond traditional academic and basic health delivery roles in urban settings, innovative programmes and infrastructures, within and without the parcel boundaries of the amenity, are more important.
The right to play is fundamental for a child’s An Afghan boy walks along a street of Lahore as he looks for garbage, Pakistan development. However playgrounds or places with toys are often missing in urban cycles of economic transitions, globalization of public investment. It fosters disillusion and development. Access to early learning and and innovation demand advanced and life-long discontent, giving children the impression pre-primary enrolment has grown in the past learning, pushing the schools of the future that there is no alternative to violence, often decade, but still 159 million children – over half to become platforms for economic progress, confronted with the choice to become a of all three to six year olds – are missing out. smart communities and urban change. member of a gang or to never leave home. These are the most marginalized children who need early learning the most.12 Children in poor neighbourhoods, slums and Finally, with rapid urbanization and the conflict-affected areas are isolated from urban magnitude of the refugee crises, cities are For older children, education is not only services and experience daily exposure to urban stressed to deliver public services. There are about the academic curriculum. It a place to violence, leading to many health and social limited accurate population counts, and the learn and engage with civic development, to problems. Limited or lack of access to public current service delivery system is already under improve economic inclusion, social cohesion amenities such as schools, community centres pressure. This creates tensions and xenophobia and environmental sustainability. The fast and libraries reflects the indifference or absence between the local population and newcomers. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 85
The benefits for children and their community
individual on-site or collective neighbourhood Adequate infrastructure for urban Adequate infrastructure services supports children for urban services enables energy systems, powered by solar, wind and to grow healthy and strong citizenship of children biomass energy. • Green and efficient urban services support • Well ventilated and naturally lit infrastructure • Accessibility of urban services in walking integrated water management by utilizing with access to safe and clean water, energy distance or well connected via public storm water and rainwater catchment and sanitation to provide a dry, bright and transportation, fosters cohesion and systems, water reuse and delayed stimulating environment for children to live, interaction between different ages. evacuation (green roofs, storage spaces, play, study and socialize with their peers, • Urban services that are centrally located infiltration in un-built areas). caretakers and community, leads to better in neighbourhoods enable children to be health and a longer life. present and visible in all urban activities, • Coverage of urban services on walking which facilitates children’s participation and Adequate infrastructure distances supports children’s cognitive and their involvement in decisions. for urban services ensures socio-emotional development. • Urban services designed for all users ensure prosperity for children access by children with special needs, but and their communities also other people such as the elderly. Adequate infrastructure for • Adequate urban services for advanced • When schools, libraries and other public urban services ensures children learning and life skills development, with amenities are strategically located, there is a are safe and risk-prepared access to energy, ICT and information, to negative correlation with crime.13 ensure that children are skilled and have • Structurally sound, weather-proofed and access to the labour market. equipped urban services reduce the risk for children to live safely and be prepared • Affordable urban services allow children to evacuate safely in case of emergency Adequate infrastructure for and their families to spend their income on (natural disasters, fires, conflicts). urban services that ensures improving health and well-being. children live in a sustainable and • Well planned urban services will avoid climate-resilient environment areas prone to natural disaster (floodplains, landslide risk zones), polluted land or • Urban services can be carbon-neutral by territories that could expose children to using recycled and recyclable materials, harmful activities (military targets, factories building a tight building envelope and utilizing emitting dangerous chemicals). renewable or low energy use systems. Energy consumption can be compensated by • Access to adequate urban safety nets, such as child-care, playgrounds, safe spaces, after-school programmes or one-stop youth hubs, help keep children safe and help prevent children being left alone at home or on the street. Page 86 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
What should we plan?
Definitions and concepts
Little Rock Early Childhood Develop- Basketball in a closed school, Beng- Santo Domingo Savio Kindergarten, Teenagers at Instituto Reciclar, during ment Centre in Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya hazi, Libya Medellin, Colombia their training at the recycling factory in Sao Paulo, Brazil Provide early child care – Early Plan safe spaces for children – In Support social urbanism – child care is often an overlooked crisis and post-crisis situations, Dubbed as ‘urban acupuncture’, Promote the cradle-to-career component of child development. children need educational this type of participatory urban approach – Based on the belief Early child care providers are equipment and materials for planning has been implemented that a child’s success requires our children’s first teachers, and learning, social and recreational mostly in existing informal community strength, this approach play an integral role in systems activities. UNICEF and other child- areas and impoverished complements educational of early childhood education. focused organizations provide safe neighbourhoods in Europe assistance with programmes Professional caretakers work in spaces for children, sometimes and Latin-America, using that address drug use, violent centre-based care including day in combination with psychosocial spatial design and community crime and chronic health issues. care, preschools and schools, or a support for children who are involvement to provide answers Educational programmes are home-based care. emotionally distressed after to physical and social pressures. administered in collaboration conflict experience or tragedy. Focusing on small-scale types with non-profit organizations, of social infrastructure at foundations, businesses and strategically chosen locations, it government to break cycles of addresses urban challenges such intergenerational poverty. as violence, poor education and severed social connectivity.14 UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 87
Promising practices
Youth Hub in Tacloban City, Philippines Klong Toey Community Lantern, Bangkok, Farming Kindergarten, Dong Nai, Viet Nam Thailand
The Youth Hub in Tacloban City offers a ‘one stop Klong Toey Community Lantern is a community- The Farming Kindergarten is a large pre-school shop’ for adolescents to access health services driven space transformation project for located in a rapidly urbanizing neighbourhood and counselling support, sports, recreation, arts, children and their families living in typical slum in a historically agricultural country. Featuring workshops and trainings. Thirty per cent of the districts of Bangkok, known by the maze of a continuous green roof that provides food, population in the area were aged 10 to 24 years narrow walkways. After a year-long preparation green space, an extensive playground and old, but no adequate education or recreational period with workshops, interviews and group outdoor learning environment for children, the facility existed to meet their needs. The Hub is discussions involving community leaders, the kindergarten allows children to forge a close two semi-permanent shipping containers with a design process integrated the community’s relationship with nature while also understanding health clinic, an office, workshop rooms, urban specific needs, such as sheltered playgrounds the importance of sustainable education and garden and the city’s first skate park designed and a well-lit communal area. The new space design. In particular, the building harnesses by local skaters and BMXers. It is a safe now offers a safer, more inspiring playground innovative design to maximize the environmental platform for social connection for children and for children including basketball hoops, a and educational outcome for children. A triple-ring youth, designed by hundreds of young people stage for performances or public meetings, shape drawn with a single stroke creates the of Tacloban City who contributed artwork and and walls for climbing. Also, by building the green roof, where children can plant vegetables murals and produced outdoor furniture and who main construction in a simple, durable and for agricultural education, while also encircling landscaped the space. repetitive design, the project enables the Klong three courtyards inside as safe playgrounds for Toey community to adapt the space with their children’s physical and social activities. Additional evolving needs without compromising the initial architectural and mechanical sustainability purpose of the playground for children. methods include solar water heating and the recycling of wastewater from a nearby factory to irrigate greenery and flush toilets. Youth Hub in Tacloban City, Philippines UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 89
Supporting international frameworks
Right to Health 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development The human right to health care means that hospitals, clinics, SDG 1.4 By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the medication and doctor’s services must be accessible, available, poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, acceptable and of good quality for everyone, on an equitable basis, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over where and when needed. It is based on the following principles: land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including Universality: Everyone must have access to equal high-quality and microfinance comprehensive health care. SDG 3.8 Achieve universal health coverage Equity: Resources and services must be distributed and accessed according to people’s needs on the premise that “We get what we SDG 4.A Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, need and give what we can.” disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all Accountability: The health care system must be accountable to the people it serves. Transparency: The health care system must be open with regard to information, decision-making and management. New Urban Agenda Participation: The health care system must enable meaningful public Para 34. … ensure ... access to sustainable basic physical and social participation in all decisions affecting people’s right to health care. infrastructure for all, without discrimination, including affordable serviced land, housing, modern and renewable energy, safe drinking water and sanitation, safe nutritious and adequate food, waste disposal, sustainable mobility, healthcare and family planning, Right to Education education, culture, and information and communication technologies ... commit to ensure that these services are responsive to the Education is both a human right in and of itself and an indispensable rights and needs of ... children and youth ... and others that are in means of realizing other human rights. As an empowerment right, vulnerable situations education is the primary vehicle by which economically and socially marginalized adults and children can lift themselves out of poverty Para 56. ... to increase economic productivity by providing the labour and obtain the means to participate fully in their communities. force with access to income-earning opportunities, as well as the Education in all its forms and at all levels shall exhibit the following knowledge, skills and educational facilities that contribute to an interrelated and essential features: availability, accessibility, innovative and competitive urban economy acceptability and adaptability. Page 90 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
How should we plan?
Planning the space
Building and infrastructure regulations – building scale
• Norms and standards for public amenities, easy and affordable modifications; ensuring child-focused accessibility and hybrid programmes to increase public safety amenities for children and their accessibility 24/7; multi-generational families to public amenities: programmes to foster interaction and shared benefits for different age groups; technical security: to ensure stability, protection and evacuation of children stimulation and physical activity: (for example safe and solid pathway and defined space for physical activity and handrails on balconies, external fire-exits play; spacious lobby entrance to promote and stairs), use of building materials and social interaction, oriented to playgrounds construction methods that are structurally or playful space and collective amenities; sound and protect users in case of secured space for parking bicycles and emergency; other such transportation; community- Accessibility for children with disabilities, India oriented amenities that enable gatherings accessibility: minimum number of steps and social interaction indoors and in and stairs with maximum height of steps, attractive stairs to promote active use for the public space outdoors (courtyards, maximal levelled access; availability of vertical travelling of three floors or less. gardens, terraces, rooftops, squares). elevators for higher floor spaces; wide • Design guidelines for public amenities, stairs, unlocked stairwells, doorways improving the use by children and their and passages clear of obstructions, wide families: enough for manoeuvres with strollers and wheel-chairs; comfort: child-focused visibility and safety and health: quality of flooring; readability of spaces and lay-out of the mould controlling materials; safe access building; direct access to views outdoors, to drinking water, sanitation, electricity; green space or close proximity to safe minimal surfaces for public rooms; natural public outdoor space; ventilation and screening; adequate natural multi-functionality: modularity and light for all public rooms; visible and flexibility of the building to allow School for Girls, Schu’fat refugee camps, Jerusalem UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 91
Urban design and area-based community planning – neighbourhood scale
• A neighbourhood social infrastructure children play and study, social and cultural exchange and collaboration; plan: to determine what innovative events take place, the community gathers Urban farms, maker spaces, “FabLabs”, amenities can be contextually embedded for information and to share opinions on recycle centres and repair-cafes where in the infrastructure of public services issues such as health and nutrition; people can learn to make, recycle and such as health facilities, schools and social Child care centres combined with multi- repair products and optimize the use of safety spaces. This fixed infrastructure can generation programmes that allow resources. be complemented with mobile centres caretakers to go to work and know their • Child-led public amenities workshops to to increase coverage in the short term. children are in safe hands; co-define programmes, influence design and Examples: Learning and co-working spaces for management, improve security, accessibility, Hybrid, one-stop civic centres where children and youth that foster knowledge safety and comfort;
Land use planning – city scale
• Land use standards to quantify public • Land use plans to protect and ensure • Building permit regulations that amenities at the city and neighbourhood effective supply, equal distribution and ensure optimal supply and distribution of level based on global standards, agreed differentiation of public amenities for families infrastructure for public amenities in areas norms, the local context and identified needs with children, with access to active and for mixed used development, that is well (population density, demographic previsions, public transport on a city-wide scale, situated located, visible and accessible from outside; proximity of public transit and services, in environmentally safe areas: General urban rules to produce and geographical and patrimonial context). Reserve and delimitate areas for public ensure public amenities in new or Minimum standards for supply amenities. Secondary programmes can be retrofitted private development (bonus and availability: surface of building allowed if they do not hinder the primary systems, mandatory floor area for public infrastructure and outdoor space per child/ function of the public amenity (housing, amenities/total proportion development); population density; other public amenities, small commercial Specific master plans and allotment Minimum standards to quantify use and services); plans with detailed alignments and public effective accessibility and proximity: Define exclusion areas that exclude public amenities configuration in new large-scale proximity of public amenities, expressed amenities in polluted or risk prone areas private developments. in distance or in walking time for a child; and near harmful infrastructure (sound and differentiation of types of infrastructure for air pollution, polluted sites, waste-sites, public amenities according to distances. high voltage electricity, factories). Page 92 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
City development planning – city scale
• City-wide public amenities strategy to provide public amenities according to current needs and demographic growth provisions, well aligned with transit-oriented development principles and concerns of livability, and detailed in terms of priority areas of implementation; • Support of local public facilities agency for land acquisition, construction and management of public amenities.
School Contracts, Brussels, Belgium
Urban planning policy – multi-level scale
• Create and revise legislation and • Refine and enforce land use regulations • Public amenities observatories with frameworks to support slum upgrading that ensure affordable land prices for disaggregated data and GIS-maps on and public amenities programmes with public amenities such as Transfer of quantity, quality, density and the gap priority access for children and their Development Rights, special assessment between offer and demand for public families such as child-care, schools, safe districts, mixed use development, cross- amenities for children and their families. spaces for children, health care; subsidy schemes, and land pooling; UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 93
Designing the process
Stakeholder engagement • Screen financial resources from public and • Organize child-centred activities in and coalition building private origins (developers, communities, neighbourhoods to improve the use of social impact bonds, project generated collective space, to exchange and share toys • Ask children and communities to engage in cash flows) and use appropriate financing and play devices; methods (municipal investment planning, self-assessments about public amenities • Make recommendations to public intergovernmental transfers, public land and the environment, to identify problems authorities on easy improvements for value optimization, developer exactions) for in terms of safety and accessibility, to public amenities, proposing low-cost child-responsive urban development; increase risk-awareness and ensure risk- interventions, such as improving multi- preparedness; • Engage through public-private partnerships functionality with secondary functions, or • Engage with constituents with shared with the real estate sector to ensure technical upgrades like access for children interests such as the elderly, community- public amenities for children in mixed with disabilities, healthy and safe indoor based organizations and women’s developments. environments (evacuation, solid floors, light, organizations to formulate common insulation, ventilation). objectives and needs in the process of availability of land, required resources for building or upgrading, administrative and Co-production for incremental change technical support, daily management; • Involve child care, youth workers and • Support self-build community groups and other experts on health, education, child citizens to plan, build and manage public amenities that focus on children; Kidogo early childhood care and education for protection and social protection to assist children in urban slums, Kenya in determining benefits of public amenities for children in a rational way.
Budgeting and mobilizing resources
• Calculate the required resources for investments in infrastructure for public amenities for children to be integrated in urban development and upgrading programmes (in particular slum upgrading programmes); Page 94 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Using evidence
Urban situation analysis
The comprehensive urban situation analysis should have a focus on public amenities for children and include all data on urban planning scales, stakeholders, resources and priorities. It combines the self-assessment capacity of children and the community with an expert diagnosis:
• The spatial and functional coverage of public amenities for children: health facilities, educational and life-skills training centres, safe spaces for children, child-care, libraries and community centres; • Assess social infrastructure demand based on requests from the community, vulnerability of neighbourhoods, projection of future needs and thresholds for target groups among children and communities; Interactive map that helps identify priority areas for investment in services for children, Istanbul, Turkey • Conduct a stakeholder and institutional schools/children and youth centres/libraries/ analysis to determine the stakeholders, Measuring for progress regulations, investment capacity child care) per 100,000 population; proportion environment; of children who have access to public Progress on access to public amenities/services amenities in walking or biking distance or • A priority map on needs for public for children and their families can be measured reachable within a defined distance or a time; amenities for children, based on demand and and evaluated with many types of indicators, • Function and quality-related indicators: relevant existing standards and good practice. objective and subjective ones. Some examples: proportion of public amenities accessible to children with disabilities; proportion of • Physical related indicators: number of public amenities that are affordable; SDG amenities (disaggregated in health facilities/ 4.A.1 Proportion of schools with access to: UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 95
(a) electricity; (b) the Internet for pedagogical reduction of assault-related injuries in the hearings and political decision-making purposes; (c) computers for pedagogical public space; increased safety of children processes such as urban development purposes; (d) adapted infrastructure and when moving around the community; plan approval procedures, on the local and materials for students with disabilities; national level; • Process related indicators: SDG 3.8.1 e) basic drinking water; (f) single sex basic Coverage of essential health services; area • Support geo-spatial mapping and urban sanitation facilities; and (g) basic hand coverage of neighbourhood upgrading situation analysis of general and area-based washing facilities (as per the WASH indicator programme in low-income settlements; knowledge about needs and demands of definitions); proportion of public amenities amount of approved physical plans for public public amenities for families with children; with quality flooring, ventilation insulation, amenities for children; the proportion of public energy-efficiency; proportion of public • Support social policy, public financing financing for public amenities for children. amenities for children or the number of and adjustments to current urban children exposed to ambient air pollution; planning regulations to accelerate supply of public amenities, on local and national • Impact related indicators: SDG 1.4.1 level. Support research on the impact of Proportion of population living in households Building accountability public amenities on children, on new public with access to basic services; proportion of amenities programmes, financing and children who attend or have access to child- management. care, primary health care, primary education, • Help children and their community define secondary education, advanced learning, programmes and enforce investments libraries, community and youth centres; in public amenities for children in public
Resources
Existing guidelines, tools and literature Relevant networks and platforms • Manual Child Friendly Schools (UNICEF) • Global Partnership for Education (UNICEF, UNESCO, World Bank) • A Practical Guide for Developing Child Friendly Spaces (UNICEF) • Education Cannot Wait (UNICEF, UNHCR, UNESCO) • Making Schools Accessible to Children with Disabilities (UNICEF India) • Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme – PSUP (UN-Habitat) • Forthcoming Accessibility Toolkit (UNICEF) • Global Network of Learning Cities (UNESCO) • Designing and Implementing Street-Led Citywide Slum Upgrading • Slum Dwellers International (SDI) Programmes: A training module companion (UN-Habitat) • Cities Alliance • A Practical Guide to Designing, Planning, and Executing Citywide Slum • Centre for Active Design Upgrading Programmes (UN-Habitat) • Active Design. Playbook for Early Childhood Settings (New York City Health Department) New playgrounds in a square previously used as a parking lot, Tirana, Albania Page 97
Playgrounds, squares and parks
Recent estimates show that physical inactivity, linked to poor walkability and lack of access to recreational areas, accounts for 3.3 per cent of global deaths.1
Principle 4
Through urban planning, all cities should provide safe and inclusive public and green spaces for children and the community, where they can gather and engage in outdoor activities. Page 98 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Why should we invest?
Current challenges
With urbanization comes greater population density and worse land scarcity. As built land has a higher land value than undeveloped land, land reservation for public space and green space is often lacking. Globally, the proportion of public space is decreasing.16
In slums, public space and green spaces hardly exist, as slums lack formal land registry systems to define land for building and for public space. As a result, children are forced to play in unhealthy and unsafe places, in remote, insecure areas along water banks and steep hills.
In planned urban areas, public space may be unsafe or unappealing, being reduced to a functional space, dominated by private motorized traffic or commercial activities. The surrounding buildings may lack mixed programmes on the ground floors or social control, exposing the public space to increased risk for physical and sexual harassment.
In cities that are unable to offer free access to public and green spaces, children end up in privatized spaces or at home, less able to connect with the community, congregate or socialize, unable to benefit from the opportunities of life in an urban setting or participate in decisions. In cities with central, healthy and safe public spaces, vulnerable groups of children, such as children with A child stands in a small alleyway amid cold winter weather in the Shabbora refugee camp, near the city of disabilities, may lack access. Rafah, State of Palestine*
* The State of Palestine was accorded non-member observer State status in the United Nations effective 29 November 2012. Ref: General Assembly Resolution A/RES/67/19 adopted 29 November 2012. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 99
The benefits for children and their community
Public and green spaces Public spaces enable Public spaces ensures support children to grow citizenship of children prosperity for children healthy and strong and their community • Playgrounds and child-friendly public • Public spaces provide a place for children and green spaces enable the cognitive to freely express their opinions, participate • Green spaces and urban forests provide development of children.17 The spaces in decision-making and learn about urban public health gains, reducing health care create opportunities for interactive, bonding opportunities. costs.21 Public and green space fosters relationships between the child, the • Community-led public space projects create private investment in terms of local caretaker and the urban context. spaces that are accessible to all. They create economies that depend on the quality • Public and green spaces increase physical and develop a sense of community and of these spaces and the frequency and activity with positive effects on health for all solidarity for citizens, as social spaces for intensity of people passing by. They ages.18 individuals to meet and build their community. also generate revenue for governments, increasing revenues of surrounding property • City-scale greening of the environment • The public space network is often the values and business activities.22 filters air pollution. Trees and vegetation backbone of cities, expressing the reduce urban noise. Combined with water population’s identity, culture and history. • By choosing to invest in public spaces in poorer surfaces and pervious soil, green reduces Green space networks introduce the natural urban areas, authorities address inequity. urban heating (air humidity and temperature environment into the city. They broaden • Green space reduces costs in healthcare, reduction) and risks of dehydration.19 children’s horizons and respect for the public waste water facilities, building energy and realm of the city and the value of nature. CO2 sequestration.
Public spaces ensure children are safe and risk-prepared Public spaces ensure children live in a sustainable and climate-resilient environment • Well programmed public spaces attract children and others to undertake multiple activities during extended hours, increasing • Green and public spaces have an social control and safety. environmental value to reduce pollution, regulate water flow, provide food and • Well-lit public spaces are safe at night. Accurate strengthen biodiversity.20 public information and emergency devices are displayed as risk-preparedness measures. • Green and public space mitigate and temper extreme weather conditions, like droughts • Combined with water surfaces and pervious that can lead to food and water scarcity, and soils, greening decreases the risks of storms that can lead to flooding. flooding and drowning (buffering, water infiltration and flood speed reduction). • Green areas reduce energy demand for air conditioners and heating. Page 100 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
What should we plan?
Definitions and concepts
Pedestrianised street, Mitrovica, Kosovo Flagey Square, Brussels, Belgium Playful space in Lake Park, Tirana, Albania
Plan public space – There are three types of Plan open spaces for children – Defined Plan green space – Defined as public and public space: 1) space connected with mobility as the sum of the areas of the built-up areas private open spaces in urban areas, primarily such as streets, squares and plazas, passages of cities devoted to streets and boulevards– covered by vegetation, that are directly (e.g. and other publicly-owned spaces; 2) space including walkways, sidewalks and bicycle active or passive recreation) or indirectly (e.g. connected with leisure and recreation activities lanes–and the areas devoted to public parks, positive influence on the urban environment) such as parks and playgrounds and other public squares, recreational green areas, public available for the user.25 publicly-own spaces 3) public buildings with playgrounds and open areas of public facilities.24 access for all such as civic centres and public sport facilities.23 UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 101
Supporting international frameworks
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development SDG 11.7 By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities SDG 16.1 Significantly reduce all forms Ermitaño Linear Park, San Juan City, Philippines Placemaking Program Corona Plaza Queens, New of violence and related death rates York City, United States of America everywhere Develop green corridors – A concept that promotes a city-wide public and green space Support place making – An approach that network strategy, composed of large green improves a neighbourhood, city or region by areas, linear parks and street greenery, inspiring people to collectively re-imagine and integrated in a larger green and blue network reinvent public space as the heart of every New Urban Agenda plan for ecologic land preservation, better community, by strengthening the connection Para 67. ... to promote the creation and storm water management, regional bike paths between people and the places they share. maintenance of well-connected and and walkways, and urban agricultural land Place making is a collaborative process by well-distributed networks of open, multi- reservation. which the public realm is shaped in order to purpose, safe, inclusive, accessible, maximize shared value. green, and quality public spaces to improve the resilience of cities to disasters and climate change, including reducing flood and drought risks and heat waves, improving food security and nutrition, physical and mental health, household and ambient air quality, reducing noise, and promoting attractive and liveable cities and human settlements and urban landscapes, prioritizing the conservation of endemic species Page 102 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Promising practices
Kibera Public Space Project, Nairobi, Kenya Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading, Playtime in Africa Initiative, Dzorwulu, (UPUU) Khayelitsha, Cape Town, South Africa Accra, Ghana
Located in one of the world’s largest slums, The initiative uses urban planning strategies The Playtime in Africa Initiative brings child- the Kibera Public Space project offers a healthy, to improve the quality of life of residents in oriented multi-functional outdoor and indoor safe and playful environment for children, low-income neighbourhoods. The programme spaces to Accra. The programme ensures a raising environmental awareness, decision- aims to create sustainable neighbourhoods creative outlet for kids, where rapid urbanization making and civic management. Watersheds are and promotes a safe environment for children deprived city residents of public green spaces. cleaned, river banks become places for play and that encourages them to participate in social Playtime in Africa creates places for children to community gatherings, and refuse is used as and educational activities and build a stronger convene in a safe outdoor environment to play, compost. The site houses a versatile pavilion, relationship with their community. Through learn and create. The initiative combines best a park, a playground, a sanitation centre with a partnerships with local community leaders, practices from around the world and integrates rainwater-fed water tap, a day care centre and a the VPUU project team created a platform them into local conditions to develop a strategy new bridge. Design-oriented experts work with for increased social interaction and control, for child-focused places. Through a collaborative the community, local contractors and newly particularly near playgrounds and educational effort among Ghananian-based professionals, created micro-enterprises to develop a set of facilities. There, through integration of locally local community members and international interventions and installations. Local residents generated community based information, experts, the initiative developed strategies to are involved throughout the project to learn co-production of urban planning strategies convert a two-acre plot of land into an urban about watershed issues, prepare proposals, and and social engagement in public sector green space. The park serves as a learning participate in the design process. interventions, the programme achieved a centre for arts and crafts, literacy, gardening, dramatic decrease in crime. By improving science, as well as dance and theatre among access to public spaces, enhancing lighting and other activities. visibility, setting up social and business centres along walkways, pedestrian traffic, community surveillance and social cohesion increased. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 103
How should we plan?
Planning the space
Building and infrastructure regulations – building scale
• Norms and standards for public and green On multi-functionality: design and spaces ensuring child-focused security, programmes for day and night use and access and safety: for all seasons for all ages, with a variety of micro-climates, with public lighting On technical security: to ensure stability, for on sidewalks and play areas to extend example, no potholes or trenches dangerous opportunities for physical activity during to children; protection, for example no deep the evenings, with access to free potable water where children could drown; and ease water, electricity, Wi-Fi and open data for of evacuation for children; public good; On accessibility: level pavement, clear of On stimulation: design elements and obstructions, wide enough for manoeuvres Bicentennial Park, Recoleta, Santiago, Chile natural terrain to promote physical activity, with strollers and wheel-chairs; accessible discovery, adventure, imagination and risk- through safe routes, minimal distance, • Design guidelines to improve the use of taking; public art installations. with a minimum of intersections; public and green spaces for children and their families: • Impact assessment in planning and On safety and health: child-focused visibility design phases of public and green spaces, and readability, with priority for obstructing On comfort: child-friendly shelter (shade), for optimal benefits for and minimal negative elements for public good, limiting permanent toilet facilities, seating at regular intervals impacts on children and their families. elements for private use (publicity). and drinking fountains;
Urban design and area-based community planning – neighbourhood scale
• A neighbourhood public and green space operation, supported by ICT to improve plan to provide more, safer and better- online collaborate and visual interaction. connected public and green spaces based on • Recommendations for built spaces and the identification of needs, potential threats enabling environments around public and and opportunities for unused spaces and green spaces, with buildings that support better connections for children. spaces, improving economic activities and • Place-making workshops led by children safety of the whole neighbourhood, with from programme definition to design, activities in adjacent buildings and lighting and execution and daily maintenance and access to ICT-networks in the public space. Public Space Public Life Survey, Chongqing, China Page 104 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Land use planning – city scale
• Land use standards to quantify the public streets that are child-responsive public and green spaces at city and neighbourhood spaces (see page 109 Principle 5 on urban level based on global standards, agreed transportation systems); norms, the local context and identified needs Protection plans to guarantee safety and (population density, demographic previsions, protection for children from dangerous places age group compositions, proximity of public such as polluted sites, waste sites, high transit and services, geographical and voltage electricity and dangerous water areas. patrimonial context): • Building permit regulations that increase the Minimum standards for supply and supply, equal distribution and differentiation in availability: surface of playgrounds, public typologies and primary public uses on different space and green space per child or per scales in new private developments: built environment area; surface of green General urban rules to produce and space, playgrounds, sports areas and other Privately Owned Public Space, Paley Park, New York City, United States of America ensure publicly accessible open spaces in public open spaces for daily needs/total new private developments; city area; Minimum standards to quantify effective Specific master plans and allotment accessibility and proximity: proximity of plans with detailed alignments and open Minimum standards for quantity of surface playgrounds, public space and green space, space typologies in new large-scale private WHO recommends that urban areas provide expressed in distance or in walking time for developments. 9 square metres of green space per person. a child; differentiation of surfaces and prime The Rotterdam Child-Friendly City suggests functionality according to distances. following standards: • Land use plans to protect and ensure • A pavement suitable for playing is three effective supply, equal distribution and to five metres (10 to 16 feet) wide on at differentiation in typologies and primary uses Some minimum standards for playgrounds least one side of the street, preferably on different scales: Certain standards guide the required size of on the sunny side of the road. playgrounds for children, taking into account • Sports and play areas, minimum 5,000 Zoning plans that delimitate green areas, age groups and capacities for independent square metres for each demarcated public parks, recreational zones, natural mobility. residential zone larger than 15 hectares. areas, agricultural and other protected Guidelines used in urban planning estimate In blocks covering less than 15 hectares, areas. These zones are part of a public and the area be designated for playgrounds in a single combined sports and play area green space network, or form the limits of new developments: minimum 1,000 square metres; urban areas; • Three per cent of all the surface for the • A second sports and play area of at least Alignment plans that delimitate neighbourhood 1,000 square metres within 300 metres building alignments and define public • Surface needed formal playgrounds = of the central sports and play area. land exclusively for green space or for housing units x 10 m2 UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 105
City development planning – city scale
• Public spaces and green network plans 26 that comprehensively cover and extend Minimum standards for green spaces continuously throughout the city, including The United Kingdom Natural Greenspace the valorisation of eco-systems; Standard connects minimal surfaces of green spaces with distances: • Greening strategies for open space to • At least two hectares in size, no more than reduce heat island effects, maximize soil 300 metres linear distance (five minutes’ permeability and increase climate resilience walk) from home; in general; • At least one accessible 20 ha site within two • Local public agency for public space kilometers of home; that ensures implementation in terms of • One accessible 100 ha site within five acquisition, planning and management, kilometers of home; including the development of a municipal • One accessible 500 ha site within 10 playground plan. Extension Plan Nino-Prampram, Accra, Ghana kilometers of home; and • A minimum of one ha of nature reserves per 1,000 population.
Urban planning policy – multi-level scale
• Frameworks that enable acquisition and • Coordination mechanisms for public creation of land for public and green space space and green space policy to be by public and private actors, including integrated in other relevant policies, such incentive mechanisms for private owners to as transportation, environmental and health participate in the creation and maintenance policies. of open and public space (session of private land, bonus system and constituencies);
‘Superilla’ initiative to downgrade roads and offer space for green networks and play space, Barcelona, Spain Page 106 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Designing the process Using evidence
Stakeholder engagement programmes, funded through national and Urban situation analysis and coalition building international programmes; • A cost-benefit analysis on public and The comprehensive urban situation analysis • Initiatives to create places for daily use by green spaces in terms of costs of building should focus on public spaces and include children and their community, attracting them and maintenance, and the return on data on the scares of urban planning, the to participate as a family, a school or a youth investment in terms of benefits for children. stakeholders, potential resources and priorities: organization in a familiar space; • Constituents who share an interest • Community-led assessments that map in public and green spaces such as public and green spaces, revealing deficits neighbourhood residents, the elderly, local Co-production for incremental change and opportunities, and collecting users’ business and environmentalists; opinions and suggestions (i.e. children, • Constituents who advocate for the • Transformative public space and green parents, commerce owners, public benefits of public and green space space co-productions with children and authorities); such as public health specialists and child families that focus on play and convening, • In-depth interviews with key stakeholders development specialists. such as playful urban furniture; to reveal possibilities and limitations in
• Child-centred activities in public and terms of public and green space planning green spaces: planting trees, gentle instruments, capacities and resources; maintenance work, storytelling, concerts, Budgeting and mobilizing resources sport and play competitions. Use events to • A priority map on needs of new or adapted gather opinions regarding the space; public spaces, based on demand and existing standards and good practice. • Municipal financing and budgeting: • Recommendations to public authorities allocate resources for open spaces or parks on simple improvements in public and (acquisition, building, maintenance and daily green spaces. management); generate municipal revenue Measuring for progress from private use of public spaces (car parking fees in public space, publicity, concessions for commercial use); land value capture in The progress of establishing public and green proximity to public spaces; space for children can be measured and evaluated with various objective and subjective • Direct private financing and resources indicators, for example: – crowd-funding, conservancies and other community-led mechanisms; • Physical and quantity related indicators: • Integrate public space projects into large Afghan peace volunteers plant trees in Habul, SDG 11.7.1 Average share of the built-up area infrastructure and urban development Afghanistan UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 107
of cities that is open space for public use for all, by sex, age and persons with disabilities; Building accountability green area (hectares) per 100,000 Resources population; availability of public space, green • Organize public hearings close to, or at the space; playground surface per capita (or public space to provide access to all and to Existing guidelines, child); proportion of children with access to share a common perception and evaluation tools and literature public space, green space or playgrounds of the space and proposals for change; • Global Public Space Toolkit (UN-Habitat) within 300 metre distance; proportion of • Block by Block Program (Minecraft/UN- • Centralize opinions and surveys of children preserved areas/reservoirs/waterways/parks Habitat) in relation to total land area; proportion of on public spaces in publicly accessible • Habitat III Issue paper 11 on public space observatories, posted online or on boards median tree coverage in relation to city area (Habitat III) and child population size; number of trees centrally located in the community; • CABE Space Shaper Guide (CABE) per 100,000 population; • Make grievance mechanisms on public • Streets as Public Spaces and Drivers of • Functionality and quality related and green space accessible to children to Urban Prosperity (UN-Habitat) indicators: children’s usage patterns in address concerns in terms of accessibility, • Public Space Public Life Strategies (PSPL) parks at different times of the day and week; use, safety and comfort. (Gehl Architects) proportion of public space, green space • Place making 101, The Place Diagram, and playgrounds with free access to water, Healthy Places Audit (Project for Public public toilets, free Wi-Fi, average distance/ Spaces) time to travel on foot to a park or open space • Guidelines on urban and peri-urban suitable for children to play; forestry (FAO) • UK Accessible Green Standard (UK) • Impact-related indicators: SDG 11.7.2 • Green Space Strategy (CABE) Proportion of persons victim to physical or sexual harassment, by sex, age, disability • Tactical Urbanist’s Guide to materials and design (Street Plans Collaborative) status and place of occurrence, in the previous 12 months; proportion of users of • Public Space Policy Framework (UCLG) specific public spaces who report the space • Urban Green Spaces and Health, a is safe; health outcomes on physical activity; review of evidence (WHO) • City at eye level (STIPO) • Process-related indicators: proportion of municipal budget dedicated to public Relevant networks space and green space acquisition, building, and platforms maintenance and daily management; • Urban95 Initiative (Bernard van Leer process of implementation of public and Foundation) green space policy. • Project for Public Spaces (PPS) • Good practice playgrounds and playful spaces policy (City of Play) Healthy Places Audit, Project Public Spaces Ciclovía is an official programme promoted by the City Government Bogotá since 1976 and has inspired many other cities to block off main streets to cars during weekends and holidays. It gives an opportunity to enjoy and practice walking, running or biking and provides space for various perfor- mances and recreational activities, Colombia. Page 109
Streets and public transit
Every day around the world more than 3,000 children and adolescents – a toll equivalent to the student population of two large schools – suffer a road traffic death or serious injury. 1
Principle 5
Through urban planning, all cities should develop active transportation and public transit systems and ensure independent mobility for children and their community, so they have equal and safe access to all services and opportunities in their city. Page 110 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Why should we invest?
Current challenges
Streets and mass transit constitute a large part of any urban infrastructure. Not only do roads ensure population mobility, they foster the local economy and prosperity in general. Between 30 and 35 per cent of a city’s land area should be reserved for this essential urban backbone, in order to prioritise active and public transport.2 With limited to no streets, slums are socially and economically weak and disconnected from the rest of urban areas. In planned city areas, the street space may be unequally distributed or designed in favour of active and public transportation, the modes of mobility children and their families depend on.
In many countries, streets are dominated by cars and other private transport. The unequal distribution of space and weak transportation policies in general impede children and their families of safe and healthy access to their neighbourhood and the wider city area. As long as motorized transport is fossil fuelled, urban settings, and in particular street canyons, Air pollution and inaccessibility along a main transportation road to the city, Lagos, Nigeria concentrate air and sound pollution, often causing severe health issues for children. The lack of access to recreational areas, accounts economic infrastructure such as schools, numbers of child-related traffic fatalities and for 3 per cent of global deaths.4 libraries, work, businesses, parks and casualties, especially of adolescents, are high, recreational activities. The increased amount caused by dangerous driving behaviour, poor Unsafe and unhealthy transportation options of time required to navigate inefficient modes street design, and lack of basic infrastructure and street design has impeded children’s of transportation raises the odds of children and traffic safety requirements such as independent mobility, as children must be being left alone at home or in the streets, and walkways, pedestrian crossings and street driven by adults or kept at home. A lack of they are therefore more prone to violence and lights.3 Recent estimates also show that public transportation also cuts off the urban dropping out of school, disconnected from physical inactivity, linked to poor walkability and poor, limiting access to the urban social and social services and urban participation. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 111
The benefits for children and their community
Sustainable transportation Sustainable transportation Sustainable transportation systems support a child to systems enable systems ensure prosperity grow healthy and strong citizenship of children and well-being of children
• Streets that are designed for active • Cities that dedicate space for bike paths mobility encourage a child’s physical and public transport in the streets or • Compact, walkable cities have more activity and reduces obesity and other heart- underground, increase the performance pedestrians in streets that generate related disease. and reliability of city-wide transportation, economic prosperity of the local businesses 6 and offer better access for all to access and on the ground floors of buildings. • Urban mobility policies that support low- urban opportunities. and clean-energy transportation improve air • With less traffic casualties, urban families are quality in street canyons, lowering the threat • A network of active transportation and a less at risk of injury and the subsequent cost of respiratory disease and cancer.5 network of transit stops support independent of illness, revalidation and lost work. mobility of children, to build greater • Cities that invest in multiple modes initiatives for freedom of movement and the of transportation increase equitable opportunity to evaluate risks. access to employment, schools and other Sustainable transportation urban amenities.7 systems ensure children are safe and risk-prepared Sustainable transportation • A safe-system approach to road safety, systems ensure children live with infrastructure design that priorities in a sustainable environment active transportation on safety campaigns and law enforcement, will decrease road • Cities that invest in active and green public traffic injuries. transport decrease air, water and soil pollution, resulting in better environmental • A greater pedestrian population on the protection. streets generates more human interaction, increasing social control and diminishing • Investments in active and green public rates of harassment and violence. transport are strategies to reduce the release of greenhouse gas emissions, to mitigate climate change and to reduce environmental risks Page 112 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
What should we plan?
Definitions and concepts
Priority investments for biking and walking, Fortaleza, Fast and accessible Bus Rapid Transit, Curitiba, Brazil Priority for walking and biking in the eco-quartier Brazil Vauban, Freiburg, Germany
Plan for non-motorized transport – Also Plan for public transport – Also known as Promote children’s independent mobility – known as ‘active transportation’ or ‘human public transportation transit or ‘mass transit’, A child’s independent mobility relies on the transportation’, non-motorized transport public transport is various modes of transport available active transportation behaviours that includes walking and biking or other small- available to the public and operated by a promote health and activity, and are opportunities wheeled transport, attractive for relatively public entity. The range of informal, shared to develop skills, habits, and confidence for a life short distances. Children, in particular, but transportation systems is great – including of participation in independent travel. A child’s also citizens who can’t afford other means of tuk tuks and collective taxis – and includes degree of independence will depend on his transport, rely on safe infrastructure for non- innovative usage of traditional infrastructure or her age, cognitive capacity and education, motorized transport. such as escalators, cable cars, bus rapid and may still require guidance from parents, transit, streetcars and light-rail. Technological caretakers or peers. developments improve shared transport systems and develop integrated multi-modal transport systems. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 113
The Liuyun Xiaoqu residential building increased Improving road safety through street design, Addis street connectivity after removing parking and Ababa, Ethiopia making alleys publicly accessible, Guangzhou, China
Improve street connectivity – ‘Street Improve walkability and road safety connectivity’ is the term describing the density for children – This is a measure of how of a street network’s connections and direct friendly an area is for walking, analyzing links in a city. A well-connected street network the presence or absence and quality has many short links, numerous intersections of footpaths, sidewalks or other pedestrian and minimal dead ends. Children depend rights-of-way, traffic and road conditions, land on street connectivity as it’s also a proxy for use patterns, building accessibility and safety, walkability. With better street connectivity, travel among others. Walkability is an important distances decrease, with more route options and concept in sustainable city planning, but is travel modes – this improves health and access also mentioned in literature around health and to basic services and increases productivity.8 urban economy.9 10 Page 114 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Promising practices
Calle 107, Medellin, Bogota Temporary car-free events, India Programa de Proteção à Vida, Sao Paulo, Brazil ‘Calle 107’ advances the Columbian city Heavy traffic and overcrowded urban areas Medellin’s revival that happened with inclusive have paralyzed global cities for decades, Road accidents are the tenth leading cause urban planning, dubbed as ‘social urbanism’. leaving no room for people to engage with of death globally, but traffic fatalities are often In the last 25 years, the city transformed from their cities. Raahgiri Day is a multi-city initiative preventable. The ‘Programa de Proteção à Vida’ the world’s most dangerous city to among the returning streets to residents, and thereby is Sao Paulo’s response to the UN Global Plan most inclusive. The city’s success is based on giving residents access to public space to for the Decade of Road Safety. The programme an inclusive approach to urban development convene and celebrate urban life. Every week, targets pedestrian safety issues through that targetted social issues such as urban participating Indian cities convert the main roads legislative measures and innovative street violence and poverty with public space into pedestrian-only promenades that allow for design, such as lowering speed limits and the programmes and infrastructure investments. residents to spend the day outside relaxing or reconfiguration of crossings. Launched in 2013, The approach improved social equity. The engaging in biking, running, dancing, yoga, open Sao Paulo observed a 20.6 per cent drop in traffic traffic-oriented street was converted into a theatre performances and other activities. fatalities from 2014 to 2015. With better public lively and pedestrian-friendly promenade. In awareness around road safety and lower speeds, combination with a cable car that connected a there are 30 per cent less traffic fatalities. To densely-populated neighbourhood, the street ensure public understanding and support, the became the spine of a lively area with upgraded programme created a platform for discussion and public spaces, street lighting and an increase in education through multiple workshops. commercial and social activities. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 115
Supporting international frameworks How should we plan? Planning the space
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Building and infrastructure regulations – building scale
SDG 3.6 By 2020, halve the number of • Norms and standards for road global deaths and injuries from road traffic infrastructure ensure child-focused accidents accessibility, comfort, safety and multi- functionality: SDG 11.2 By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable On accessibility: space with minimum transport systems for all, improving width, free from obstruction, level curbs in road safety, notably by expanding public pedestrian lines crossing roads, pedestrian transport, with special attention to the islands and escalators/elevators in public transport hubs for access with strollers needs of those in vulnerable situations, ‘Pedestrian first’ interventions, Juiz de Flora, Brazil women, children, persons with disabilities and wheel-chairs; and older persons On comfort: seating, drinking fountains, • Street design guidelines that prioritize restrooms, and infrastructure that support children’s independent mobility: active transport; separation of traffic modes and users, and space, shelter, On space distribution: with adequate seating and information at transit stops; width and the adequate proportion for active transportation (walkways, New Urban Agenda On safety and health: child-focused bike paths) and public transport lanes, signage with information supporting minimizing vehicle travel lanes and space; Para 113…Improve road safety and walking (indication of destinations, integrate it into sustainable mobility and distances, time, calories), low speed On crossings: investing in secured transport infrastructure planning and zones, visibility enhancing actions; ground-level solutions for active design. … with special attention to the transportation and traffic calming On multi-functionality: use day and needs of … children and youth …enforce measures. Avoid levelled overpasses and night with public lighting focusing on policies and measures to … pedestrian barriers that disadvantage pedestrians, the walkways and crossings, integrated safety and cycling mobility ... promote especially children, women, elderly and playfulness and art to promote walking, a safe and healthy journey to school of persons with disabilities; access to free Wi-Fi and open data for every child as a priority in line with the public benefit. On accessibility: levelled and wide Convention on the Right of the Child. sidewalks on both sides for all streets within city limits. Page 116 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
• Transportation design guidelines to increasing social safety and walkability Spatial equity and streetscapes improve connectivity in infrastructure and On priorities: impose parking space for transport modes: bikes in buildings; impose a maximum To ensure space a “rule of thumb” for space distribution in streets for active transportation ratio of car parking units in buildings and On functionality: impose maximum sizes and public transport, urban planners and of building blocks and impose penetrable minimize parking in streets to discourage transportation planners: use of cars. walk trajectories to reduce walking • Minimum 50 per cent of the width of streets distances throughout the city grid and • Impact assessments in planning for active transport (building entrances, increase connectivity; and design phase of transportation sidewalks, bike paths); On safety and comfort: provide infrastructure, for optimal benefits for and • If needed, 25 per cent of the width of a street requirements and incentives for active minimal negative impacts on children and for public rapid transit (bus, tram, taxi); ground floor uses and transparency their families. • Rest of available space for private motorized levels to activate the street environment, vehicle use (cars), including parking space.
Urban design and area-based community planning – neighbourhood scale
• A neighbourhood mobility plan that supports children’s independent mobility and focuses on access to destinations and road safety for children: Ensure walkability to destinations children use often such as schools, bus stops, place of work and residential areas, in a five kilometre catchment area; Implement city-wide strategies on active transport routes, public transport coverage, private car and parking regulations; Promote safe school environments, safe street crossings, space for active transportation, signage and other protection measurements, and campaigns promoting active transportation to drop off children.
Child Health Initiative for safe school environments, United Republic of Tanzania UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 117
Land use planning – city scale
• Land use standards that ensure a minimum Maximum parking regulations in and Walk and bike routes localized on the of land to promote children’s independent around urban programmes; minimize land use plans, with special non-motorized mobility based on global standards, agreed reserved space for car parking, short-cuts through large building blocks norms, the local context and identified needs especially in the streets. and green spaces, following principles of (population density, age group compositions) • Land use plans that promote compact city density of crossing, uses and buildings; Minimum density of building development to limit motorized trips and trip Density zones to determine minimal and developments to ensure compact city length, protect and ensure effective supply, maximum building densities according to development with services in walking equal distribution and differentiation of proximity of public transit modes, following distance; streets and infrastructure for public transport: principles of Transit Oriented Development; Maximum size of building blocks and Street alignment plans in land use plans, Reservation areas for public transport pedestrian mazes to ensure connectivity city extension plans and new allotment infrastructure (line and stations). in general throughout the street grid plans, defining public space for streets and and to ensure walkability in particular active and public transport, versus private for pedestrians throughout a refined space to be build or developed; pedestrian maze;
City development planning – city scale
• An integrated transportation strategy and • A public transportation plan with a grid of management, and safety measurements plan following principles of active and public accessible stops and modes of inter-modality for children, women and persons with transport for all, healthy and safe passage on walking distances following principles of disabilities; for all and equitable distribution, focusing Transit Oriented Development, and a clean • A plan for low traffic areas with low on the diversification of transport options energy objective; emission zones, low traffic speed, (safe bikeways, shared bike systems, bus • A safe passage plan with pedestrian progressive parking regulations and parking rapid transit, better coverage and better and biking trajectories, focusing on locations focusing on the reduction of performance in compact city layouts); safer crossings, safe and healthy school ambient air and noise pollution and regained environments, traffic-calming speed public space. Page 118 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Urban planning policy – multi-level scale
• Coordinate national, subnational and local Impose integrated data observatories on policies on urban mobility prioritizing transportation, congestion and air pollution. non-motorized transport (NMT) and public • Coordinate national and local coordination transportation over private motorized instruments on spatial aspects of urban transport, based on ‘Avoid, Shift and transportation particularly for children and Improved’ principles: their families:
Ensure affordable access to mass transit Support transit-oriented urban for the urban poor; development in zoning codes; Legalize and enable low-car areas, low Develop comfortable and accessible public emission zones and citywide public bicycle transport stops and vehicles, with priority Initiation bike course for toddlers, Tirana, Albania systems; access and seating for children and their Incentivize clean energy transportation caretakers, persons with disabilities and design measurements, speed management, with congestion fees, pollution charges the elderly. law enforcement, awareness campaigns, and tax benefits for active and public • Coordinate national and local action plans education and better individual protection, transportation users; on road safety for children, including street such as child motorcycle helmets.
The six E’s of sustainable transport policy Ambitious transport policies, such as Safe Routes Equity – Good transport policy focuses on equity children, parents, school organizations and officials, to School or Vision Zero, have been implemented and addresses the needs of the most disadvantaged: but also inspire action. successfully in cities across the globe. Their success children and persons with disabilities. Change is Education – People need an opportunity to learn is due to an integrated approach that addresses the fuelled by indignation about inequity. about regulations and receive skill-training to evaluate six ‘E’s’ of sustainable transport policy: Engineering – Changes to the built environment risk, such as how to safely cross a street or drive Evaluation – Good transport policy starts with a through engineering improvements are a critical responsibly. Specific groups can be encouraged to critical analysis of the situation, analyzing in depth the component of transportation policy. The most use new safe and healthy transportation modes such focus groups (for example, Vision Zero focuses on successful programmes include a thorough as biking, through cycling courses. children, mostly teenagers); the causes of dangers community assessment of the commuting barriers such as high speed, lack of safe space design, lack Enforcement – Local law enforcement is important for children and their caretakers. of law enforcement; and dangerous or vulnerable in the vicinity of schools and neighbourhoods where location. Evaluation data is used to monitor and Encouragement – Special events, such as car-free children live. Enforcement increases awareness and evaluate policy results to ensure approval. days or walk-to-school days, bring awareness to reduces crime. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 119
Designing the process
Stakeholder engagement Budgeting and mobilizing resources Prioritising investment in non- and coalition building motorized transport in Nairobi 12
• Children and their caretakers, • Influence municipal financing and In 2015, the Nairobi City County established the schools, parents’ associations, youth budgeting by allocating budgets for Non-Motorized Transport Policy that ensures organizations and other children’s non-motorized (walking, biking)11 and that at least 20 per cent of the transport budget programmes participate in safe passage public transportation infrastructure is allocated to non-motorized transport and to school campaigns, assess daily mobility (acquisition, building, maintenance and public transport infrastructure and services. patterns and dangers, develop structural daily management); by allocating budgets Annual road and transport improvement project improvements complemented with time- for traffic safety funds (infrastructure, estimates include costs related to planned non- bound improvements along trajectories: encouragement, education, law motorized transport interventions, covering both such as walking bus initiatives and street enforcement); and pro-poor tariffs; development and maintenance. passage guardians; • Pool private financing for safer and better Allocating non-motorized transport and public • Women’s organizations on safe walking street space for active transportation by transportation separately in public financing is trajectories based on daily trajectories day allocating revenue gathered from commercial important leverage, especially in participatory and night; street use and public transport places budgeting processes. (publicity, concessions) and private motorized • Communities and local authorities for traffic revenues (car parking fees in public temporary street closures such as car- spaces, fuel tax, congestion charges, tolls); free days, summer play streets, seasonal Co-production for incremental change closures, markets and test interventions. • Include active transportation investments in large infrastructure and urban development programmes funded by • Organize child-related education, events and national and international programmes; awareness raising on the benefits of walking, learn-to-bike classes for children and women; • Present a cost-benefit analysis that shows the cost-efficiency of provision of • Make temporary streetscapes as pilots to space for active transportation and public promote low-car organization and space transport in terms of costs of building and distribution in favour of more space for play, maintenance, and their return on investment. green and social gatherings; • Provide free Wi-Fi and public information in streets and public transport places, well aligned in its focus to promote social good and awareness on health, safety, citizenship, Stroller test Urban95, Tucuman, Argentina the environment and equity. Page 120 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Using evidence
and public transportation with affordable Urban situation analysis Measuring for progress access to free Wi-Fi; proportion of public transport vehicles with designated places The comprehensive urban situation analysis Progress on sustainable mobility for children for children, parents with children or persons should focus on Road Traffic Safety for can be measured and evaluated with many with disabilities; proportion of person trips/ Children and on walkability, including data types of indicators, objective and subjective passenger kilometres travelled by urban on urban planning scales, on stakeholders, ones. Some examples: public transport/transit and cycling/walking; resources and priorities. Self-assessment modal split / proportion of every mode of tools used by children and their community • Physical and quantity related indicators: transport; average commute time and cost. can provide a valuable source of information to Proportion of paved street surface; • Impact related indicators: 3.6.1 Death rate make a robust situation analysis on: proportion of streets with sidewalks that due to road traffic injuries; transportation meet locally-accepted standards; proportion fatalities per 100,000 population; pedestrian • School area safety assessment and of streets with adequate public lighting improvement; focusing on pedestrian safety; proportion of active transport-oriented safe crossings • Walkability and inter-modality 13 and crossroads; proportion of bicycle paths Measuring walkability assessments with objective and subjective over total supply of streets; kilometres Many organizations have developed walkability indicators on the current situation. of high-capacity public transport system Examples: assessment tools. They allow individuals, groups per 100,000 population; kilometres of and officials to determine how walkable a specific Intermodality high-capacity public transport system per Walkability neighbourhood is, along different categories: Is space proportion- Is your neighbour- 100,000 population; ally distributed along connectivity, land use and proximity of urban Assessment hood walkable intensity of traffic and safe? • Functionality and quality related amenities, traffic safety, surveillance, experience modes? indicators: SDG 11.2.1 Proportion of and green space. Community Mapping trajecto- Measuring dimen- population that has convenient access to ries and indicate sions and distribution Research on neighbourhood walkability models driven data public transport, by sex, age and persons (mapping, hotspots in terms of street space. has concluded that traffic safety and land use surveys) of safety. Counting people by with disabilities; proportion of residential at transport modes are important motivations for walking. This on different times population within walking distance of a (day, week). bus stop (300 metres)/train station (1000 provides empirical evidence that promoting walkability road safety for children and promoting ICT driven Provide geospa- Include ICT-driven metres); proportion of commuters using a data (GIS, tial maps, include data on intensity of travel mode other than a personal vehicle; urban planning of mixed used neighbourhood mobile data) ICT-driven data transportation. on trajectories. annual numbers of public transport trips environments leads to road safety for children and per capita; proportion of children walking increased physical activity. Government Use information Include official count- or biking to school; proportion of streets data about places ing on traffic. (administrative where accidents data) or conflicts have been registered. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 121
and cyclist deaths as a proportion of total for all and to share a common perception traffic mortality; pedestrian and cyclist and evaluation of urban mobility and deaths/1,000 kilometres of pedestrian/ proposals for change, such as safe school bicycle travel; environmental initiatives; • Process related indicators: Proportion • Centralize opinions and surveys of of municipal budget dedicated to active children on mobility in publicly accessible transportation/public transit/road safety for observatories, in terms of environmental children/clean transport policy; process of health (air pollution) safety issues (road implementation of active transportation policy safety, social safety in public space) and and road safety for children (Vision Zero); connectivity (access, coverage);
• Make grievance mechanisms on mobility accessible to children to address Building accountability concerns in terms of accessibility, use, safety and comfort. • Organize public hearings and initiatives near or on the streets to provide access Caminito de la Escuela, Mexico City, Mexico
Resources
Existing guidelines, tools and literature Relevant networks and platforms • Planning and Design for Sustainable Urban Communities (EMBARQ, WRI) • Child Health Initiative (FIA Foundation/UNICEF) Mobility (UN-Habitat) • Cities Safer by Design (WRI) • Share the Road – Investment in Walking • Streets as Public Spaces and Drivers of Urban • Together with UNECE on the road to safety and Cycling Road Infrastructure (UNEP- FIA Prosperity (UN-Habitat) (UNECE) Foundation) • Habitat-III Issue Paper 19 Transport-and-Mobility • Ten strategies for keeping children safe on the • UN Road Safety Collaboration (Habitat III) road (WHO) • Global Road Safety Partnership • Optimizing Infrastructure: Urban Patterns for a • Children In and Around Cars (The Royal Society • Global Designing Cities Initiative (NACTO) Green Economy (UN-Habitat) for the Prevention of Accidents) • Social Light Movement • Towards a walking world (ARUP) • Best Practices in School Zone Traffic Calming • Global Street Design Guide (Global Designing (Radarsign) Cities Initiative, C40) • The Use of Traffic Calming Near Schools (Safe • Urban Street Design Guide (NACTO) Routes) • Transit Street Design Guide (NACTO) • Pedestrian safety: a road safety manual for • Urban Bikeway Design Guide (NACTO) decision-makers and practitioners (UN RSC) • Transit Oriented Development Guide for Urban • Speed management: a road safety manual for decision-makers and practitioners (UN RSC) A family enjoys the use of the eco-toilet and an outdoor sink at home in District 7, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the city of El Alto, near La Paz, Bolivia (Plurinational State of) Page 123
Integrated urban water and sanitation management systems*
Water scarcity affects more than 40 per cent of the global population and is projected to rise. Over 1.7 billion people are currently living in river basins where water use exceeds recharge. Floods and other water-related disasters account for 70 per cent of all deaths related to natural disasters.1
Principle 6
Through urban planning, all cities should develop safely managed water and sanitation services and ensure an Integrated Urban Water Management system for children and their community, so they have safe and affordable drinking water and achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all.
* This chapter focuses on the built environment aspects of water and sanitation management in urban areas, including drainage and storm water management, faecal sludge and wastewater management. Solid waste management is dealt with in the Chapter on Principle 8 “A clean urban waste management system’’ (see page 149). Page 124 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Why should we invest?
Current challenges
Water is the source of life and of the genius and private entities, following regulations and populated areas. In 2015, the WHO/UNICEF loci of many cities. The proximity and access to integrated in the built environment of buildings Joint Monitoring Programme estimated that water have determined the origin and history and streetscapes. However, in cities of the 600 million people worldwide used improved of many urban centres, those settled along developing world, less of the population are sanitation facilities that are shared with other the sea, a river, a well or an aquifer. Water and connected to a piped water and sewerage households. In the 24 countries where at least sanitation are crucial for personal use, but also network. Slum dwellers and their children have one person in five used a shared sanitation food production and waste, and the functioning additional disadvantages. The informal status of facility, the proportion of people sharing facilities of urban services and the local economy. Over their neighbourhood and tenure is a bottleneck was larger in urban areas.4 the centuries, the layout and growth of urban for water and sanitation in fast growing cities. settlements account for environmental and Understanding and taking into account de facto Shared or communal toilets are often not child climate features such as sea level, rivers and and de jure tenure security is crucial to improve friendly in design or location. Fetching water seasonal changes such as droughts and floods. city-wide planning for water and sanitation.2 or queuing for a communal toilet can be a The access to water and other resources was challenge for children. The location of communal planned in an urban-rural continuum. For sanitation specifically, 40 per cent of the facilities in a settlement also determines the urban population rely on non-sewered systems possibility of their use at night.5 6 Communal Due to the scale and pace of urbanization (pit latrines, pour flush or flush to septic infrastructure in informal settlements, such as and a changing climate, water security and tank or pit), in many cases without proper hand pumps or communal toilets, are rarely adequate sanitation and hygiene for dense urban management of faecal sludge and without the designed in a child-friendly way, and while adults population have come under stress. The fast space required to store, evacuate and treat it might access water and sanitation facilities in pace of urbanization will complicate sanitation outside the neighbourhood. Faecal sludge is their work environments, pre-school children do improvements with less space for sanitation dumped in storm drains, buried in backyards, not have this option. facilities due to congestion. The rapid growth or open water and wastelands, with dire rate will also affect the utilization, operation and consequences for the environment and public Insufficient drainage or uncontrolled flooding of maintenance of existing sanitation services. health.3 Unsafe management of faecal sludge storm water, and stagnant water in containers, Rising sea levels lead to saltwater infiltration and open defecation contaminate public spaces are potential breeding grounds for vectors such rendering fresh water undrinkable, and with especially unfavourable consequences for as the Aedes mosquito that transmit dengue increasingly extreme weather conditions result children who play in these areas. Hygiene is (with growing incidence in recent years), and in more frequent and severe floods. Both tend also a challenge in low-income countries, just 24 other infectious diseases such as Zika.7 With to impact those who are economically frail who per cent of the urban population in sub-Saharan their small stature and limited strength and dwell in areas that are low lying or risk prone. Africa had a basic handwashing facility with soap swimming abilities, children are particularly at and water at home in 2015. risk and vulnerable during floods and are prone In cities in the industrialized world, the to drowning in open water areas. Also children distribution of freshwater and the evacuation of Sanitation in poor urban settlements often do not always have access to safe and affordable wastewater are organized in a centralized and relies on shared toilets, reflecting cultural drinking water in their immediate environment, collective way, with piped infrastructure and practices and a coping mechanism to respond whereas adults might have access in their installations operated and managed by public to spatial and economic constraints in densely working environment. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 125
The benefits for children and their community • It reduces the need for heavy infrastructure, An integrated water and sanitation An integrated water and energy and logistics to supply and transport management system supports sanitation management system water. a child to grow up in a safe and enables citizenship and social clean environment and survives responsibility of children • It ensures water and sanitation facilities are and thrives healthy and strong climate resilient and are sited in appropriate • It makes water infrastructure visible, through • It anticipates urban growth and forecasts and safe locations to avoid flooding and other green water infrastructure integrated in demands in the future, ensuring children natural disasters. public spaces so children understand how always have universal and equitable access water cycles work, the value of water, the to safe and affordable water and adequate risks associated with water, and what they sanitation. can do as children to make water safe, An integrated water and • It includes secured facilities to store drinking healthy, and available. sanitation management water and conservation plans to protect system creates prosperity for • It includes participation and engagement aquifers. children and their community of children in planning and monitoring the • It includes city-wide sanitation services that use of water and sanitation systems in their • By maximizing re-use and recycling and effectively reduce faecal pollution of the communities. creating energy, it reduces the cost of water. public domain. • Water education curricula increases • Blue and green networks that are central • It uses green storm water infrastructure awareness around water scarcity, storm to the city, attract local businesses and to maximize re-use and recycling of storm water risks and hygiene. investment. water, to decrease water scarcity. • It reduces surface and groundwater contamination thereby lowering the cost of water treatment. An integrated water and An integrated water and sanita- sanitation management tion management system ensures • It ensures a clean environment free of open system allows children to children live in a sustainable and defecation and free of faecal contamination. be safe and risk-prepared climate-resilient environment • It reduces the disease burden and reduces • It includes secured and undeveloped open • It ensures soil and slope stability, soil fertility financial loss due to access time, premature areas to buffer storm water and prevent and nutrient recycling of storm water, grey death, productivity loss and expenditure on 8 uncontrolled flooding (risk of drowning, safe water and wastewater. health care. water contamination). • It restores water in aquifers, strengthens • It maximises infiltration to minimize ecological systems and contributes to bio- dangerous erosion and landslides. diversity. • It allows all children to use sanitation facilities that are safe, clean and child-friendly and that prevent the contamination of public spaces. Page 126 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
What should we plan?
Relevant definitions and concepts
A girl washes her hands at an outdoor tap at her Sewage discard from a truck tank into the Infulene school, Icla, Bolivia (Plurinational State of) Waste Water Treatment Plant, Maputo, Mozambique
Ensure universal and equitable access Plan space for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene to safe and affordable water – through (WASH) – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Map with location of eight salinity monitoring sta- subsidies for schools and other public amenities are programmatically combined in many tions, Can Tho City, Viet Nam accessible for children, to provide water and development organizations that work towards through subsidised tariffs for poor households the realization of Sustainable Development Goal Develop regenerative water services that or families with children. 6.1 and 6.2: universal and equitable access to respond to five principles: 1) Replenish water safe and affordable drinking water for all, and bodies and their ecosystems; 2) Reduce the access to adequate and equitable sanitation amount of water and energy used; 3) Reuse and hygiene for all and end open defecation, water, recover energy and recycle; 4) Use with attention to the needs of women, girls a systemic approach, integrated with other and those in vulnerable situations. Sanitation services such as waste or energy; and is a system for the containment, collection, 5) Increase the modularity of systems and transport, treatment and disposal or reuse of ensure multiple options. human excreta. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 127
Employees work at the Bentiu water treatment plant, A faecal sludge operator working for a community- Centennial Mall, Lincoln, United States of America South Sudan based organization contracted by Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP), and his Promote Integrated Urban Water colleagues stand outside a home after they cleaned a Plan green storm water infrastructure – Management (IUWM) to ensure access toilet drain in Maputo, Mozambique introduce ecological functions back into the built to water and sanitation infrastructure and environment that intercept storm water before services; to manage rainwater, wastewater, Explore and improve decentralized water it reaches grey water infrastructure. By helping storm water drainage, and runoff pollution; to and sanitation systems – divide the city into storm water to infiltrate, to evaporate and to be control waterborne diseases and epidemics; management units where water and sanitation stored temporarily before being slowly released and to reduce the risk of water-related hazards, systems are developed, taking into account into the sewer system can reduce runoff volume including floods, droughts, and landslides. technical feasibility, availability of funds and to grey infrastructure and filter pollutants, IUWM encompasses all the water sources in capacity and cost recovery. This enables an protecting water quality and mitigating risks an urban catchment and matches its quality incremental development approach such as of flooding. In addition to its hydrological role, with different users’ requirements: blue water the addition of a treatment facility to a sewer green storm water infrastructure can offer (surface water, groundwater, transferred water, networks developed by the community or the valuable co-benefits, like calming traffic and desalinated water), storm water (rainwater), upgrading of shared facilities to household beautifying the urban landscape. grey and black water (waste water). It considers facilities. water storage, distribution treatment, recycling and disposal as a cycle. Page 128 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Promising practices
Urban master plan adjustment for climate Urban WASH, Dhaka, Bangladesh Harvesting Rain to Reduce Water Scarcity, resilience, inter-provincial platform for water Mexico City, Mexico resource management, Da Nang, Viet Nam With today’s population of 53 million, the Coastal areas in Viet Nam are heavily urbanized capital of Bangladesh will be the sixth largest The availability of water per capita in Mexico and are at risk of flooding due to the impacts of megacity in the world by 2030. It has 5,000 City has declined with the rise of the urban climate change. The Asian Cities Climate Change slums with an estimated population of 4 population combined with unplanned growth Resilience Network established Climate Change million, suffering from inadequate WASH of urban areas. Isla Urbana is a project that Coordination Offices (CCCO’s) in three cities to facilities, expensive access to safe water, contributes to water sustainability in Mexico develop a multi-dimensional approach to climate poor hygiene practices and environmental through rainwater harvesting (a system for resiliency. Regionally, the CCCO’s established sanitation. In coordination with the Dhaka capturing, storing, and filtering rain water an inter-provincial platform for water resource Water Supply and Sewerage Authority for later use). Rainwater harvesting systems management. Local governments were tasked (DWASA), UNICEF delivers WASH services reduce the flow of storm water to drains, to adjust urban master plans and land-use in seven selected slums. The programme which mitigates flooding, and reduces energy planning tools for climate resiliency. They includes a sanitation component, water costs associated with pumping systems and conduct community-centred projects including: supply, hygiene and community mobilization, water transport. The project grants families a climate proof housing in Da Nang, water Fecal Sludge Management and solid waste sustainable source of water during part or all of salinity monitoring in Can Tho, and flood risk disposal. It has reached more than 150,000 the year. With access to potable water, children management in Quy Nhon, where a forecast poor slum dwellers, giving them access to grow up learning how to responsibly use water centre collects flood data to predict downstream 1,204 improved water sources, 414 communal as a natural resource and adopt good practices. flood risk. The data is transmitted to community latrines and reaching them with hygiene Furthermore, access to potable water reduces member responders by SMS messaging, so messages. The access to quality, affordable the chances of a child getting sick, so they are children and their families can act and seek and reliable WASH services motivates prompt able to focus their energy on education, work, safety shelters in less than 40 minutes. payment of water tariffs by the poor slum and play. dwellers and increased efficiency of DWASA. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 129
Supporting international frameworks
The right to water and sanitation New Urban Agenda The human right to water and sanitation encompasses the following dimensions: availability, accessibility, acceptability, affordability and quality of water and sanitation.9 10 11 Para 119 ... promote adequate investments in protective, accessible and sustainable infrastructure and service provision systems for water, sanitation and hygiene, sewage, solid 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development waste management, urban drainage, SDG 1.4 By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, reduction of air pollution and storm water have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and management, in order to improve safety control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new in the event of water-related disasters, technology and financial services, including microfinance improve health, ensure universal and equitable access to safe and affordable SDG 3.9 By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous drinking water for all, as well as access chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination to adequate and equitable sanitation and SDG 4.A Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive hygiene for all and end open defecation, and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all with special attention to the needs and safety of women and girls and those in SDG 6.1 By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water vulnerable situations. We will seek to for all ensure that this infrastructure is climate SDG 6.2 By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and resilient and forms part of integrated end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in urban and territorial development plans, vulnerable situations including housing and mobility, among other things, and is implemented in SDG 6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and a participatory manner, considering minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated innovative, resource-efficient, accessible, wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally context-specific and culturally sensitive SDG 6.5 By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including sustainable solutions. through transboundary cooperation as appropriate SDG 6.B Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management Page 130 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
How should we plan?
Planning the space
Building and infrastructure regulations – building scale
• Norms and standards ensure child- On safety and health: maximize natural focused availability, accessibility and safety storm water infiltration in open spaces, for children and their families to water and including streets. Impose less use of sanitation infrastructure: mineral, impervious surface materials to reduce flood risk, erosion and water On technical security and availability: logging, and to reduce heat island effects. ensure safe construction and installation of private and collective water and sanitation infrastructure that allows regular cleaning • Design guidelines that improve the use by and maintenance; ensure collection of children and their families: storm water on rooftops, in storm water On multi-functionality: invest in collectors and tanks integrated in buildings water- and sanitation-sensitive urban and infrastructure; design, to integrate water and sanitation On accessibility: affordable access to infrastructure in the built environment, water (drinking fountains, where the such as green storm water infrastructure Unidades de Vida Articulada, Medllin, Colombia context allows) and sanitation (single- in streets to reduce run-off, filter sex toilets) in public spaces and public pollutants, protect water quality and • Impact assessments in planning and buildings; affordable access to water and mitigate flood risks; design phase of integrated urban water sanitation in housing (including rented On stimulation: where it is appropriate, and sanitation infrastructure, for optimal accommodation), following universal design provide playful fountains and integrate benefits and minimal negative impacts on principles with attention to the limitations water in public and green spaces; make children and their families; of children and persons with disabilities; certain parts of water infrastructure visible access to onsite sanitation facilities at the to children to teach sustainable water household and the neighbourhood level for management. emptying faecal sludge and transportation out of the neighbourhood; UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 131
Urban design and area-based community planning – neighbourhood scale
• A neighbourhood water and sanitation planning and urban water and sanitation the integrated water and sanitation plan that localizes points of public access management, to define an action plan for infrastructure, with integrated potable to water and sanitation for children within improving access to safe and affordable water supply, sanitation and use of green reasonable distances, and that uses drinking water and adequate and equitable storm water infrastructure in buildings sensitive water and sanitation urban design sanitation and hygiene for all, and to for public amenities, playgrounds, public to ensure resilience against climate risks, ensure children are risk-prepared and spaces, public markets (and other places such as flooding. flooding risks decrease; relevant for urban food systems), parks, streets and paths for walking and biking • Organize child-sensitive participatory • Urban design recommendations for (active transportation). workshops with all stakeholders in urban urban spaces and systems related to
Land use planning – city scale
• Land use standards to quantify the Minimum standards to quantify • Building permit regulations that increase amount of land needed for Integrated Urban effective accessibility, proximity and the supply, the equal distribution and Water Management, such as surface and functionality: differentiation of water and sanitation infrastructure required for storm water »»Access and proximity to safe and infrastructure on different scales in new retention and buffering, for drinking water affordable drinking water and sanitation private developments: access and storage, for sewage plants facilities. General urban rules for buildings to to clean different types of waste water, »»Distance and typology of sewage plants. be connected with drinking water and based on agreed norms and identified sanitation systems, to provide permeable needs (population density, age group space and collection on roofs and reservoirs compositions, assessments) • Land use plans to protect and ensure effective supply, equal distribution and for storm water and to integrate a separated Minimum standards to quantify the differentiation on different scales: system of grey and storm water. required supply/availability, based on General urban rules for the un-built Delimitation and protection of natural global standards and the specific local space to integrate green storm water systems such as lakes, rivers, green areas context infrastructure in built and un-built areas and wetlands for storage, retention and »»Open areas/reservoirs for water such as soil-water-plant systems of bio- purification of water resources (drinking collection to serve as aquifer recharge; filtration planters, bio-retention swales, water reservoirs, waste water treatment trees, and permeable pavements; »»Areas for grey water recycling and reuse, banks, storm water retention areas); treatment facilities for wastewater and Specific master plans and allotment Protection of natural water sources and faecal sludge; plans with detailed alignments for flood-prone areas. »»Areas for storm water retention. storm water retention and waste water treatment and re-use in new large-scale private developments. Page 132 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
City development planning – city scale
• A city-wide water and sanitation plan, rely on decentralised/onsite systems, and • Local coordination for integrated water including the valorisation of hydrological where people are prone to water risk and resource management in spatial terms, and other eco-systems, taking into account environmental degradation. relevant for acquisition of land, planning and future demographic growth, higher water management of infrastructure that optimizes • A city-wide integrated water resource and sanitation demand, future risks and use of freshwater and maximizes re-use of strategy of un-built land to reduce heat other stress factors. The city development wastewater and storm water. island effects and maximize permeability of plan should focus on neighbourhoods where the soil. people are not served, or where people
Urban planning policy – multi-level scale
• Coordination instruments for cost- • Frameworks that allow acquisition and • Integration mechanisms for water and effective financing for the improvement, creation of land for water and sanitation sanitation management to be coordinated maintenance and daily management management by public and private actors, with other relevant policies, such as urban and supervision of water and sanitation and that describe incentive mechanisms for planning (land management and urban infrastructure, particularly for children and private owners to participate in the creation design), transportation policy (streets), their families, focusing on reduction of and maintenance of a built environment environmental policy (cleaning rivers, climate consumption and loss of resources, re-use with safe and affordable access to water and change), energy policy (reuse of human and recycle of water and minimal harm to sanitation and instalment of green storm waste and waste-water for energy), public the ecological environment. water infrastructure (session of private land, health policy (environmental health). bonus system, constituencies)
City policies for affordable access to water and sanitation In Brazil, the Law of the Municipality of Porto Alegre, article 219 states: “The populations living in non-regularized settlements have the right to be served by municipal public services.”
In Paris, France, public drinking water and sanitation facilities can be used free of charge. Those who are homeless or who have inadequate housing at least have access to basic water and sanitation facilities. The network of public facilities includes public baths and showers, some of which are equipped with laundries. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 133
Engaging children and other stakeholders
Stakeholder engagement Budgeting and mobilizing resources Co-production for incremental change and coalition building
• Engage with children and communities, • Influencemunicipal financing and • Co-produce transformative green storm using specific techniques for different budgeting for integrated water and water interventions with children and ages, to raise awareness about water and sanitation management, by setting families that focus on cleanliness, health, sanitation needs in built infrastructure, minimum percentages to be allocated to play and education, like the construction including green storm water infrastructure. water and sanitation, including green storm of collective rainwater umbrellas and Reach out to children through schools, water infrastructure. collection tanks. youth organizations, and other children’s • Include integrated water and sanitation • Organize child-centred activities around programmes and undertake walks and infrastructure, in large urban development the blue network. Use events to raise activities in urban spaces where water and programmes, funded by national and awareness of the careful use of water, sanitation infrastructure is visible. international programmes, including green pollution prevention, reduction of needs, • Engage with others who have a shared storm water infrastructure. recycling and re-use. interest in improving access to safe and • Present a cost-benefit analysis that shows • Make recommendations to public authorities affordable drinking water and adequate and return on investment of better urban planning on area-specific opportunities for more equitable sanitation and hygiene for all, of neighbourhoods and city extensions, access to safe and affordable water and such as community health clubs, informal and of provision of water and sanitation adequate and equitable sanitation and water vendors, informal sanitation infrastructure including green storm water hygiene, describing benefits for children and service providers, such as informal faecal infrastructure and other integrated design projected outcomes. sludge management service providers measurements, in terms of costs for (e.g., pit emptiers), the elderly and local A woman collects water from a hand pump. In the construction and maintenance. businesses that have no improved access to past the Rupnagar slum residents had to collect water water and sanitation. from two kilometres away, Dhaka, Bangladesh. • Engage with other constituents that advocate for universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all, access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all, on end to open defecation, such as public health specialists, child development specialists, climate change and urban resilience experts. Page 134 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Using the evidence
sanitation services; Proportion of population Urban situation analysis Measuring for progress practicing open defecation; average annual hours of water services interruption per • Assessment of the components of Progress on integrated water and sanitation household; total water consumption per Integrated Water Resource Management management systems for children can be capita (litres/day); SDG 6.3.1 proportion and excreta management, through measured and evaluated with many types of of wastewater safely treated ; SDG 6.3.2 mapping and survey access points and indicators. Some examples are: proportion of bodies of water with good service levels (Water Flow Diagrams and ambient water quality; amount of re-use of Shit Flow Diagrams), collecting opinions and • Physical related indicators: availability storm water for purposes other than drinking suggestions from different user and manager of land areas and stock volumes for water per capita; perspectives: children, parents, commerce drinking water storage in volume per • Impact related indicators: proportion of owners, public authorities; capita; surfaces for storage of drinking children who state that they have access water, for grey water cleaning, for storm • Interview key stakeholders and collect to safe and affordable drinking water and water retention; percentage of water loss information on the availability of urban adequate and equitable sanitation in public (unaccounted for water); water and sanitation planning instruments, spaces; prevalence of stunting among capacities and resources: water vendors, • Functionality and quality related children under 5 years of age in cities; sanitation operators, government indicators: SDG 1.4.1 Proportion of incidence of diarrhoea and other water and departments; population living in households with access sanitation related diseases; the number of to basic services; SDG 4.a.1 Proportion of children who drown in non-protected water • Define priorities in need of new or adapted schools with access to: ... (e) basic drinking areas or in flooding; water and sanitation infrastructure, based on water; (f) single-sex basic sanitation facilities; demand and relevant existing standards and • Process related indicators: SDG 6.5.1 and (g) basic hand washing facilities; SDG good practice. degree of integrated water resources 6.1.1 Proportion of population using safely management implementation (0-100); SDG managed drinking water services; SDG 6.B.1 proportion of local administrative 6.2.1a Proportion of population using safely units with established and operational managed sanitation services; SDG 6.2.1b policies and procedures for participation of Proportion of population with a hand washing local communities in water and sanitation facility on premises with soap and water management; available; Proportion of population using basic UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 135
Building accountability
• Use public hearings on urban planning-related public and private interventions close by, or in neighbourhoods without proper access to drinking water and sanitation, to give high access to everyone and to share a common perception and evaluation of the current situation and proposals for change, to increase participation in matters of infrastructure, service levels, tariffs, and the operation and maintenance of water and sanitation services. • Centralize information for, opinions by and surveys of children on water and sanitation in publicly accessible observatories online or at information points in designated public spaces. • Support grievance mechanisms regarding water and sanitation, in terms of their accessibility, use, safety and comfort by children, and direct complaints towards the accountable stakeholders, in particular the public authorities and service providers.
Flooding and vulnerability analysis, Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya
Resources
Existing guidelines, tools and literature • Thirsting for a Future (UNICEF) • Sanitation 21. A planning framework for improving City-wide Sanitation • UNICEF WASH Strategy 2016-2030 (UNICEF) Services (Eawag-Sandec/GIZ/IWA Sustainable Sanitation Alliance) • Community-Led Urban Environmental Sanitation Planning. CLUES. Complete Relevant networks and platforms Guidelines for Decision Makers (Sustainable Sanitation Alliance/ UN-Habitat) • JMP – Joint Monitoring Programme for water supply and sanitation • Principles for Water Wise Cities (International Water Association) (WHO/UNICEF) • Integrated Urban Water Management, background paper (Global Water • Susana – Sustainable Sanitation Alliance Partnership) • WSUP – Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor • Urban Street Storm Water Guide (NACTO) • International Water Association • Realizing the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation (Human Rights to Water • Global Water Partnership and Sanitation UN Special Rapporteur) KOOKMET: during the market and after closing time, children and families learn to cook healthily on a mobile cookstove, Brussels, Belgium Page 137
Markets and gardens
Nutrition-related factors contribute to approximately 45% of deaths in children aged under 5 years (mainly due to undernutrition), while low- and middle-income countries are now witnessing a simultaneous rise in childhood overweight and obesity.1
Principle 7
Through urban planning, all cities should develop an urban food system with farms, markets and vendors, so children and their community have permanent access to healthy, affordable and sustainably-produced food and nutrition. Page 138 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Why should we invest?
Current challenges
Urbanization stresses food systems, as urban citizens consume more processed foods laden with salt, sugar and fat, often including an increase in the demand for animal-sourced foods. Urbanization leads to loss of an estimated 1.6 to 3.3 million hectares per year of agricultural land.2 The local urban-rural linkages that ensure food provision to cities are threatened in terms of the supply-chain of nearby farmland and a city- region distribution network, and also the nutrition transition from traditional to modern food systems. With urban population growth, urban demand will increasingly dictate what goods are grown. Cities become vulnerable as they rely on food that is 80 to 85 per cent produced, transformed and stored elsewhere.3 Climate change will impact the provision of food to urban populations, with generally longer periods of drought and shorter and heavier rainfall, affecting A typical corner shop with food that is imperishable, with low nutrition and vitamin content, Boston, United States the production of crops and potentially destroying of America critical food production, distribution and storage infrastructure. foods. Together with changes in lifestyles and The land and nutrition transition causes a shift to persistent rates of under-nutrition, this leads to more formal supermarkets, where multi-national The urban poor, particularly those living in increased malnutrition and diet-related chronic traders and retailers set standards and influence informal settlements, face the most challenges diseases especially amongst children, often ways of procurement. Neighbourhoods become related to food security and nutrition. Poor urban called the ‘double burden of malnutrition’: many food swamps where fast food and junk food households in developing countries spend more poor children are stunted, wasted, and suffer outlets outnumber healthy alternatives. The than 50 per cent of the budget on food and are from micronutrient deficiencies, at the same promotion and presence of unhealthy food prone to price fluctuations.4 Without affordable time as overweight and obesity are becoming around and in schools and other public spaces and reliable access to energy for cooking and increasingly and fast-growing in urban areas. In attended by children, highlights the need for safe drinking water, these households are not 2014, an estimated 41 million children under five integrated planning and active design in the able to cook their own food and rely instead across the globe were overweight, a quarter of development of healthy food environments for on unhealthy, cheap, fast and processed these lived in Africa and almost half in Asia.5 children in cities UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 139
The benefits for children and their community • Preservation and sustainable management Urban food systems Urban food systems enable support children to grow citizenship and promote of agricultural lands in rural and peri-urban healthy and strong children’s awareness around areas can help to enhance flood retention healthy food choices or mitigate increasing temperatures, thus • Nutritious, balanced and diversified diets reducing the climate change vulnerability of reduce the effects of hunger, malnutrition • Vibrant markets, community gardens and both urban and rural areas. and diet-related non-communicable diseases schools where food is produced, managed • Organic and agricultural waste resources throughout the lifecycle. and cooked, strengthen local identity and are produced in urban and rural areas can be a vital source of community engagement. • Safe food supply, cold chain storage and recycled and used to generate energy and adequate water quality provide a safe • Healthy and sustainable food environments, fertilisers, thus contributing to a circular 7 food environment that diminishes risks of at home and at school and other public economy approach. communicable diseases. spaces, stimulate children to develop life-skills regarding food consumption, production, processing and consumption. Urban food systems ensure Urban food systems • Through active learning regarding the health investments and opportunities ensure that children are and environmental impact of different for children as they get older safe and risk-prepared foods, children can also learn about natural resource management and build healthy and • Investments in children’s nutrition have a • Sustainable local food systems decrease the sustainable habits. high return and are durable and inalienable risks of food stress and the chance of spikes because they belong to a child for life. in food prizes, which can lead to increased • Fresh food markets are magnets for small social unrest and faster and uncontrolled businesses and fine-grained economic rural-urban migration. Urban food systems ensure children live in a development by offering a ‘lighter, quicker, sustainable environment cheaper’ way to support, promote, and increase economic activity. • Urban food systems could contribute to • Urban food cooperatives build on civil climate mitigation strategies, as they may society capacity to create job security shorten farm-to-table food transportation and produce affordable, sustainable and distances and reduce GHG emissions.6 culturally relevant food. • Urban food systems are also an important part of climate adaptation strategies, making cities less vulnerable to climate change, by, among other measures, advancing green urban spaces for food production and ecosystem services. Page 140 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
What should we plan?
Definitions and concepts
Tsoka Market in Lilongwe, Malawi Agroindustry workers at the coopera- Community-supported agriculture, Students of the Equator School for tive Vivero Alamar, Havana, Cuba Santa Cruz, United States of America Mentally Handicapped eat food together, produced on the school’s Plan sustainable urban food Plan urban and peri-urban Foster community supported farm, Siaya District, Kenya systems – The food system entails agriculture (UPA) – It is agriculture – An alternative all the elements (environment, estimated that 130 million urban socio-economic model of farming Plan schools as healthy food people, inputs, processes, residents in Africa and 230 that connects the producer environments – Schools educate infrastructures, institutions) million in Latin America engage in and consumer by allowing children about the importance and activities that relate to agriculture, mainly horticulture, to the consumer to subscribe to of healthy food and nutrition, as the production, processing, provide food for their families or purchase directly from a farm, well as acting as the focal place distribution, preparation and to earn income from sales.9 Urban or group of farms (farm-to- in a child’s day where healthy consumption of food, and the agricultural production can help table). Consumers are organized and affordable food is provided outputs of these activities, households mitigate the impact as food cooperatives, where at lunch, produced by local including socio-economic and of seasonal or itinerant market- members decide and organize farmers and caterers selected environmental outcomes. There based vulnerability. It is practiced the production and distribution through public procurement (farm- are three constituent elements of more at scale in peri-urban areas of typically local, organic and to-school). Schools also have food systems, as entry and exit and low-density communities, but conventionally grown produce. school garden programmes to points for nutrition: food supply also occurs in small community grow vegetables, herbs and fruit chains; food environments; and and family gardens in densely trees, and provide children with consumer behaviour.8 populated areas. gardening experience in small places, which lays the foundation for healthy consumption at school and at home. Unhealthy snacks and beverages are banned at these schools and in the proximity. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 141
Promising practices
School Gardens Project by Cities without Cultureghem, Brussels, Belgium Kedai Balitaku (KeBAL: My Child’s Café), Hunger, São Paulo, Brazil Jakarta, Indonesia The main fresh food market is located in a The project provides children and their families densely populated and central district. It recently The healthy food cart operation addresses living in deprived regions access to fresh modernized its infrastructure with a rooftop the issue of food deserts and malnutrition of and organic food as well as nutritional and urban farm and better accommodation for local children in low-income communities. While a environmental education. It is part of a larger entrepreneurs. Cultureghem is the not-for-profit considerable portion of the city’s children are initiative to transform unused or underused organization in charge of community outreach malnourished and exposed to unhealthy diets, plots of land into community gardens for around the market. It has launched several the project increases their accessibility to good people living in slums in the East Area of the initiatives to engage children and parents to nutritional sources by strengthening the quality megacity. Community Gardens, School Gardens learn about different diets while also opening up and child-friendliness of food carts. The project and Agricultural Greenhouses were developed the market infrastructure as a public space for tackles both the malnutrition and equity issues on unused and neglected public and private the local community. KOOKMET invites children by empowering micro-entrepreneurs of the areas of land with social focal points to provide and citizens to do grocery shopping and food city. A nutritionist creates an affordable and jobs. Sustainable agricultural projects and preparation together. With mobile kitchens it nutritious menu that appeals to families. The professional qualification courses encourage enables children and parents to learn collectively colourful carts and music draw the children’s citizens to become community gardeners about acquiring and preparing affordable and interest. Additionally, the project provides the and improve their livelihood. Also, the School healthy food. Food remains from the market are food cart vendors with training in nutrition Gardens Project engages parents and teachers recuperated to cook free meals for the most standards, hygiene, and even marketing to to help children learn and understand the disadvantaged. KETMET converts the covered ensure their business model is profitable and importance of a healthy diet, organic food and a market space into one of the largest covered contributes to the local economy. respect for the environment. playgrounds in the city. Page 142 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Supporting international frameworks
Paris Agreement (COP 21) Recognizing the fundamental priority of safeguarding food security and ending hunger, and the particular vulnerabilities of food production systems to the adverse impacts of climate change,
Right to adequate food The human right to adequate food establishes the seven ‘PANTHER’ principles that should govern decision-making and implementation processes: Participation, Accountability, Non- discrimination, Transparency, Human dignity, Empowerment and the Rule of law.
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development SDG 2.4 By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality SDG 12.3 By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses
New Urban Agenda Para 123 ... promote the integration of food and nutrition needs of urban residents, particularly the urban poor, in urban and territorial planning, to end hunger and malnutrition. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 143
How should we plan?
Planning the space
Building and infrastructure regulations – building scale
• Norms and standards for buildings • Design guidelines for buildings, and infrastructure, ensuring the use of infrastructure and green space, to flat rooftops and other surfaces for urban facilitate double use for urban agriculture agriculture, in terms of technical stability and and make nutritious food more accessible accessibility. and convenient: rooftops and vacant lots for urban agriculture, recreation and community activities, community gardens, fruit trees and other edible nutrition elements (nuts, edible leaves, syrups) in parks and green spaces; composting with food waste; in schools, Brooklyn Grange on the rooftop of a large industrial health facilities and other public spaces. building, New York City, United States of America
Urban design and area-based community planning – neighbourhood scale
• A neighbourhood food and nutrition plan, to plan healthy food environments and ban unhealthy food entry points in and nearby public spaces such as schools, health clinics. • Community-led food networks in terms of production, distribution and retailing, in regional urban farming areas, fresh markets, community gardens, food co-ops and people’s restaurants.
After closing time the food market is transformed into a large playground, Brussels, Belgium Page 144 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Land use planning – city scale
• Land use plans, to protect and ensure • Zoning laws and building permit Incentives for retailers to establish effective supply and equal distribution of regulations that regulate the proximity supermarkets with a broad selection of land and infrastructure for the food systems, of food and nutrition environments to healthy food in low-income areas if land regulate urban expansion on agricultural land consumers: use standards on coverage are not met and facilitate compatible use of green and (food deserts); Land use standards on the coverage unused open space in the urban areas: of food access points, that assesses Incentives for establishing farmers’ Zoning plans that delimitate land for UPA, whether there are food deserts; markets and healthy food trucks selling nutritious food in low-income areas and preserving and protecting agricultural land Incentives for building owners to use school zones; and natural resources; rooftops and other parts of buildings Distribution plans that localize and infrastructure for urban agriculture, Restrictions to control the density of places for fresh food markets covering fostering innovation (aquaponics, fast food retailers and junk food shops neighbourhoods in walking distance. hydroponics, production techniques for (food swamps) and to put perimeters edibles in spaces without natural light); around schools and other public spaces where consumers do not have access to unhealthy food.
City development planning – city scale
• A city-region-wide Urban and Peri-Urban • An urban food system resilience plan and collaboration amongst departments Agriculture plan that comprehensively covers that ensures that the city’s food systems and is responsible for the broader aim to the need of land and infrastructure for healthy withstand and recover quickly from create healthy food environments, looking food supply (UPA, coops), distribution (fresh disruption and are prepared for demographic at production and access to food, food markets) and consumption (healthy school changes, urbanization and climate change; quality and the valorisation of adequate food programmes, people’s restaurants), consumption habits. • Establish a local public food agency including access to natural resources; that ensures cross-sectoral governance
Urban planning policy – multi-level scale
• Coordination of national and local mainstreaming horticulture (family gardens, mechanisms to leverage small- and coordination instruments on food community gardens) in food security agendas; medium-sized cities as key nodes to link security, strengthening urban-rural linkages smallholders to big cities. • Development of metropolitan and regional and shortening farm-to-table links by planning instruments and coordination UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 145
Designing the process
Stakeholder engagement Budgeting and mobilizing resources Co-production for incremental change and coalition building
• Engage with children in schools and in • Support financial benefits and • Support children, schools and communities communities, sensitizing breastfeeding employment training for healthy food to set up farmers’ markets, community practice and the advantage of nutritious and producers, agricultural land owners, gardens, family gardens; healthy food, and teach about production and distributors and traders to promote healthy • Incentivise popular restaurants with consumption of fresh, whole foods instead food and eliminate less healthy foods (tax healthy and affordable food, centrally of processed food; benefits, micro-credits, social protection); located in neighbourhoods, in order to be • Engage other constituents who have a • Promote public procurement for schools able to sensitize inhabitants; shared interest in healthy food systems and other public spaces which stipulates • Make recommendations on healthier such as local farmers, growers’ associations, that food must be healthy and sustainable food environments, in terms of better use women’s’ organizations, schools, hotels and and calls for quantities and season-related of open space for production and stronger restaurants, refugees; types of food that can be provided by small- regulation to avoid food swamps. scale and family farmers; • Engage with other constituents that advocate for the benefits of healthy food • Use urban water tariffs/income for and nutrition, such as education specialists investment in and preservation of peri- and public health and nutrition specialists. urban and rural watersheds; • Provide public financing and support private- public partnerships to ensure free healthy child-care and school meal programmes (breakfast, lunch, day camps) and school garden programmes, which provide children with gardening experience. Include free healthy food for children, through public and private financing.
New Roots Programme, Salt Lake City, United States of America Page 146 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Using evidence
Urban situation analysis Measuring for progress
The comprehensive urban situation analysis Progress on healthy urban food systems for should include a Community Food children and their families can be measured Assessment (CFA), a collaborative and and evaluated with many types of indicators, participatory process that systematically objective and subjective ones. Some examples: examines a broad range of community food • Physical-related indicators: number issues and assets with the goal of making the of supermarkets/kilometre (km)2 within community more food secure: neighbourhoods/the urban boundary; number of fast food chains and junk food outlets/km2 • Assessment of availability and within neighbourhoods/the urban boundary; accessibility of healthy food for children, number of fresh food markets/km2 within through mapping their food environment neighbourhoods/the urban boundary/the city- and the governance models, with children, region; number of urban gardens/km2 within Map indicating coverage of fresh food markets, Barcelona, Spain communities and users, collecting opinions neighbourhoods/the urban boundary/the city- and suggestions from different user and region; distance between a school and the manager perspectives: children, parents, first store with unhealthy food; business owners, public authorities; • Process-related indicators: proportion of • Functionality and quality-related food consumption met with healthy food • Interview key stakeholders and collect indicators: SDG 2.4.1 Proportion of production/Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture; information on the use of instruments, agricultural area under productive and proportion of food waste recycle; number capacities and resources to ensure healthy sustainable agriculture; total urban agriculture of children that have access to Healthy food environments, especially in schools; area per 100 000 population; proportion School Food programmes; number of of city’s organic waste being reutilized as • Definepriorities in need of new or adapted schools involved in healthy food production; nutrition source or as growing substrate back healthy food entry points (markets, proportion of local food procurement that is in urban and peri-urban food production; schools), based on demand and relevant healthy and sustainable; SDG 12.3.1 Global population affected by food deserts and food existing standards and good practice. food loss index …; swamps; number of families engaged in Community Supported Agriculture…; • Impact-related indicators: proportion of children malnourished (stunting, wasting, obesity); UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 147
Building accountability
• Help children and their community to define land and infrastructure to enable Community-based Agriculture in public hearings and political decision-making processes such as city development plans, green space development and new norms and standards for buildings, at local and national level; • Use geo-spatial mapping in the the urban situation analysis to generate area- based knowledge about needs and opportunities for healthy food entry points (markets, shops, agricultural land); • Support research on health and nutrition outcomes for children, and urban planning policy in terms of coverage of neighbourhoods with healthy food entry points and healthy food programmes for children. Farming Kindergarden for children of factory workers, Dongnai, Viet Nam
Resources
Existing guidelines, tools and literature Relevant networks and platforms • What makes urban food policy happen? (IPES) • C40 Food Systems Network • Global Food System Analysis (WWF) • EAT • Nutrition and Food Systems 2017 (High Level Panel of Experts for Food • Greener Cities (FAO) Security and Nutrition) • Institute for the Promotion of Sustainable Development (IPES) • City Region Food Systems and Food Waste Management (GIZ-RUAF • Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) Foundation-FAO) • Resource Centres on Urban Agriculture and Food Security (RUAF Foundation) • Urban Food Action Platforms (FAO) By deploying a fleet of low-cost, environmentally friendly bikes into the narrow streets and alleys of the city’s slum neigh- bourhoods, low-income communities get a chance to capture value from waste and clean up their neigh- bourhoods through an incentive-based recycling program, Lagos, Nigeria Page 149
A clean urban waste management system*
Globally, the amount of trash produced is growing faster than the rate of urbanization.1
Principle 8
Through child-responsive urban planning, all cities should develop a zero waste system and ensure sustainable resource management, so children and their community can thrive in a clean and safe environment.
* This principle focuses on the built environment aspects of urban solid waste management. Urban planning standards and good practice of integrated water and sanitation management, including human waste, is dealt with in the chapter on Principle 6 ‘Integrated urban water and sanitation systems’ (see page 123). Page 150 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Why should we invest?
Current challenges
In urban areas, resources are intensively used and create waste water, municipal and industrial solid waste, food waste and hazardous types of waste. Even in cities with a proper municipal waste management system, too much waste is generated, which is neither recycled or segregated. This leads to inefficient resource management that ignores the environmental impact of the waste, and in addition provides a commodity which is an economic resource to be taken advantage of. Children, who are already exposed to contaminated environments, bear the burden of poor waste management: as they will have to deal with the waste in the future.
As many developing countries do not have proper municipal waste management systems or policies, open dumping is a widespread waste-disposal method.2 This results in polluted and unsafe settings, often in dense, informal Boys play at the garbage landfill where parents are working, Olongapo, Philippines settlements in urban and peri-urban areas. Children have constant physical contact with flooding, soil saturation and landslides. Children prohibited for children under many national polluted soil and water, as they are forced to are more vulnerable in local flood situations Child Labour Acts. Chid waste pickers collect play in dirty streets and open areas that attract as they are less likely to be able to swim and recyclables from dump sites and are more vermin and animals that spread infectious defend themselves. The threat of flooding is likely to drop out of school to earn money diseases. People discard garbage next to their growing as an effect of climate change. by waste-picking on unsecured waste-sites. own houses in slum areas because they have These children have few options for their own no ownership of the place where they live. Children who live near and access waste- educational development and are not aware Due to a lack or improper collection of waste, sites are exposed to risks of explosions or of the health and environmental risks of the sewage systems such as storm drains or river uncontrolled fires. Waste-picking is a form of informal waste management business. networks are blocked continuously causing local child labour listed as a hazardous occupation UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 151
The benefits for children and their community
Urban waste management Urban waste management Urban waste management supports children to grow ensures prosperity for children enables citizenship of children healthy and strong and their community
• Clean public spaces decrease children’s • Waste-pickers associations, cleaners and • By acknowledging that waste is an economic risk of infectious diseases and exposure to self-employment groups that are engaged resource, communities can be sensitized to pollution and waste. in community-led waste management help engage in waste management. recognition of semi-informal livelihoods. • Clean public spaces increase the playfulness • The cost of solid waste management is of urban settings and support children’s • Waste collection practices that require a a major part of municipal budgeting: less development. deposit (on the package or the product itself) waste, less generation, more segregation sensitize consumers to understand that waste and more recycling saves costs;3 • Reduction and recycling of waste minimizes has a value. incineration of waste and thus air pollution. • Urban areas with clean streets and public • Incentive-based waste collection using spaces attract private investment for cash, healthy food or transport tickets in residential programmes, to foster the local exchange for collected and segregated waste economy. Urban waste management sensitizes consumers and is an important ensures children are safe support for children and their families, to eat and risk-prepared healthily or have the possibility to travel to work and school by public transport. • Properly managed waste sites are fenced, thereby preventing direct access and exposure to dangerous materials, burning Urban waste management sites and explosions. ensures children live in a • Children are not engaged in waste-picking, sustainable and climate- which is a form of child labour. They are risk resilient environment informed about exposure to waste. • Through anaerobic digestion processes, • The reduction of waste generation and human and food waste can be recuperated management leads to less truck traffic, less as bio-energy. air pollution and a lower risk of road traffic accidents. • Yard and farm waste can be reused for composting. • Less production, more segregation and more recycling reduces the amounts of waste to be burned or managed in general, which will reduce GHG emission. Page 152 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
What should we plan?
Definitions and concepts
A young man recycles waste plastic Makerspace modules for e-waste Recycle bins centrally located in public A waste return point, New South bags in Dandora, Nairobi, Kenya recovery, Accra, Ghana spaces, Medellin, Colombia Wales, Australia
Promote Municipal Solid Waste Plan waste management Promote the five Rs value chain Promote Extended Producer Management (MSW) – Municipal infrastructure – Depending on – Sustainable waste management Responsibility – Extended solid waste covers the generation, the local context, different types relies on awareness of the five Producer Responsibility describes storage, collection, transfer of infrastructure are needed: Rs: Refuse as consumer; Reduce a type of policy that gives and transport, processing and disposal stations in buildings and sources through adapted design producers responsibility – financial disposal of domestic, commercial public spaces, transfer stations, and production; Reuse and repair and/or physical – for the treatment and institutional solid waste, waste-to-energy facilities, material as an alternative to disposables; or disposal of post-consumer including food waste. It includes recovery facilities, landfills, Recycle by collecting and products. Assigning such all administrative, financial, amongst others. segregating for optimal treatment; responsibility provides incentives legal, planning and engineering Rot by composting food waste in to prevent wastes at the source, functions in the solutions to fertile soil. promote product design for the solid waste issues in terms of environment and support the health, economics, engineering, achievement of public recycling conservation, aesthetics, and materials management goals. environmental considerations and public attitude.4 UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 153
Promising practices
Green Exchange programme, Curitiba, Brazil Wecyclers, Lagos, Nigeria Slum and Environment Clean-up Project, Nairobi, Kenya The Green Exchange programme (O Programmea In Lagos, only 40 per cent of city waste is Câmbio Verde) is a city-wide initiative where collected and only 13 per cent is recycled. Each week the Mathare Youth Sports residents trade recyclable materials for fresh Wecyclers, a fast-growing local start-up, Association links a football match with an produce. Based on the “trash purchase” collects household and corporate waste in environmental clean-up operation. The limited programme where collected recyclables were specially adapted bicycles. Designed and open space in the densely populated slum is exchanged for transportation vouchers, it manufactured locally, the bikes can manoeuvre filled with uncollected garbage and human promotes the trade of recyclable materials for in dense informal settlements of Lagos, where waste. The programme combines group sports local produce. Schools are engaged in trade for there’s no waste management which leads and environmental activities to promote a supplies, toys, chocolates and concert tickets. By to the spread of diseases, clogged drains and cleaner and safer environment for children. In using the budget of the city’s Department of the flooding. Collected waste is sold to proper addition to playing matches every weekend, Environment, the programme offers immediate recycling plants which shred it to make new the Mathare Youth Sports Association teams incentives for children and communities to create products. Households are incentivised with clean up surrounding garbage and plant trees a cleaner and more equitable environment. It rewards for every kilogram recycled, earning to receive league points. With simple devices also includes an educational aspect in regards to points by SMS that they can redeem for such as wheelbarrows, rakes and spades, the environmental sustainability, civic engagement electronics, household items or training. youth collects garbage at designated points and healthy lifestyles, combating hunger and The Lagos Waste Management Authority is on a weekly bases. The programme includes poverty. Through this programme, children in partnering to scale-up this start-up and provide the cleaning of drainage and planting trees on Curitiba establish good habits and are co-creators space to collect the waste and tactical support public land and at local schools. of the city’s overall environment and economy. and advice. Page 154 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Supporting international frameworks
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development SDG 11.6 By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management SDG 12.3 By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses
New Urban Agenda Para 74 ... to promote environmentally sound waste management and to substantially reduce waste generation by reducing, re-using, and recycling (3Rs) of waste, minimizing landfills, and converting waste to energy when waste cannot be recycled UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 155
How should we plan?
Planning the space
Building and infrastructure regulations – building scale
• Norms and standards for buildings and RESIDENTIAL BUILDING DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS 9. Shallow refrigerators and in particular public space to have minimal 1. Waste room: consider area, shelves to reduce “lost food,” ventilation, lighting, signage. or smart refrigerators. 2.17 2.03, 2.10 space for waste collection (indoor, doorsteps, 11 10. Pull-out cabinet with bins 2. Chute and disposal of 8 (all waste streams) and disposal points in public spaces); recycling on every floor counterop organics bin. 2.08 required by BC 1213.3 ≥ 5 stories and ≥ 9units) 11. Consider impacts of building • Norms and standards for waste 12 materials selection and 3. Consider how waste travels 2 construction process. Optimize management infrastructure to impose vertically (by chute, by 1 material usage, consider end of residents or by building staff life. in regular/service elevator). enclosure of waste-sites, to prevent access 2.02 12. Consider amenities that reduce material consumption (e.g., to unauthorized individuals and children; 4. Provide co-location dis-posal children’s play areas with toys, for all waste streams shared goods library, cleaning including organics. Consider 9 10 service with vacuums). 2.15 to impose containment of pollution in the other waste streams that may block chutes, e.g., cardboard, 3 13. Provide textile recycling and controlled area (installation of filters on air textiles, hangers. 2.08 plastics recycling in laundry room. 2.13 and water evacuation, an impermeable layer 5. Trash compactor required by BC 1213.2 for ≥4 stories and 4 14 14. Consider possibilities for reuse at the bottom of waste-sites to prevent ≥12 units such as online bulletin boards and donation refrigerators. 2.18 6. Consider path of waste 3 hour fire-rated 13 leachate infiltration in the groundwater; to curb and staff time wall 15 15. Provide feedback on waste required. 2.02, 2.05 generation to residents Sprinklers and staff to change behavior. 7. Waste storage room per Consider how to incorporate • Impact assessments in planning and BC 1213.1 or BC 707.13.4. Use 16 Hose Floor SAYT back to resident. 2.11 design phase of waste management containers unless room is connection drain ratproof and fireproof room 16. Provide paper recycling in mail infrastructure, for optimal benefits for and per HMC 27-2021. Consider room and cardboard collection area required, ventilation, and 5 in parcel room. 2.13 washing of containers. 2.01, 7 17 minimal negative impacts on children and 2.03 17. Provide set out area, coordinate Service door for with street, trees, furniture, curb their families. 8. Compost can be made and waste cuts and entrance. See NYC used on-site in gardens. 6 2.23 Rules for setout. 2.04
Building regulations in Zero Waste Design Guidelines, New York City, United States of America
ZERO WASTE DESIGN GUIDELINES / Chapter 02: BUILDING DESIGN 62
Urban design and area based community planning – neighbourhood scale
• A neighbourhood waste plan to plan and education, assistance and exchange for repair, re- settlements or areas which physically maintain adequate disposal locations to collect, use and recycle of valuable goods and e-waste prevent access (small alleys, steep sloped segregate and recycle waste; to plan and (swap shops, maker spaces, repair cafes); alleys); maintain on-site composting facilities for food • Community-led waste management, in • Community-led maintenance and waste in community gardens and schools; to particular in neighbourhoods that are not programming of buffers around waste- organize the presence of mobile collective points covered by traditional or official municipal sites and landfills, with activities such as for hazardous and residential polluted waste waste management, such as informal local food production, play and recreation. at specific moments; community spaces for Page 156 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Land use planning – city scale
• Land use plans that ensure supply, locations, transfer stations, composting and recreational activities are allowed, to distribution and safety of waste management pits, landfills), taking into account prevent children from being exposed to infrastructure, with minimal needs of heavy geographical, meteorological and pollution. truck transport; hydrological conditions; • Building permit regulations that require Zoning plans for infrastructure (disposal Protection areas and buffers around waste management plans for new large waste sites, where no residential developments and new buildings.
City development planning – city scale
• An integrated waste management strategy and plan, including 5 the spatial aspects of the urban waste system, which follows the Criteria for a landfill location principles of location and spatial integration of waste-sites; 1. Located outside densely populated areas 6. Not located within 500 m of a 2. Within 10 km of an urban area railway line • Integrated waste management and clean energy plan, 3. Located between 0.2 and 10 km of a 7. Avoid areas of ecological value supporting a market for materials, neighbourhood scale energy-to- major road 8. Not located within 500 m of sites of waste, entrepreneurial options for handling waste and innovation; 4. Not located within 1 km of surface water historic importance 5. Avoid areas of groundwater 9. Avoid taking up fertile agricultural land • A transition plan to close waste-sites that are located too close to vulnerability 10. Acceptable to the public residential areas, in order to transform these into green landscapes.
Urban planning policy – multi-level scale
• Coordination of national, subnational and Economies of scale – Waste regions can Incentivize community-led collecting and local policies on Municipal Solid Waste consolidate their resources more efficiently. separating waste. management, addressing sustainability: • Develop fiscal and legal regulations to • Impose law enforcement to protect children Equity and economy – Recognition of the support effective waste management: and to support behavioural change in terms of waste: role of waste pickers to mainstream them Legal requirements where corporations in municipal solid waste management, are responsible for materials they generate Prohibit children from waste picking establish municipal solid waste advisory (Extended Producer Responsibility); by legistating against such activities in boards; Allow tax exemption on the renovation of National Child Labour Acts. In a bridging Environment – Impose minimal principles of infrastructure, on second-hand and repair period, provide education for children living municipal solid waste management: segre- shops, on barter; near waste sites; gation of collection, reduction of the need for Enforcement of solid waste violations; incineration, prohibition of open air burning; Mandatory take-back policies. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 157
Designing the process
Stakeholder engagement Budgeting and mobilizing resources Co-production for incremental change and coalition building
• Engage with children and youth clubs • Influencemunicipal financing and • Work with children and communities to to start campaigns and clean the streets budgeting by allocating minimum collect, recycle and separate waste during periodically; proportions of budgets to municipal solid street, public space and green space events, waste and in particular the coverage of poor to focus on providing healthy and safe • Engage with waste-picker cooperatives neighbourhoods; spaces; and their families to determine current and better municipal waste management; • Support a taxation system to generate • Invest in communications, campaign revenue to finance waste management, in schools with organized education • Engage with private sector specialists in by imposing tax on waste and tax per programmes on the three Rs; recycling materials, resource generation household and business (principle producer and users of recycling materials to • Sensitize communities regarding the value and then polluter pays); decrease garbage production and increase of specific wastes and create community recycling and re-use; • Include the provision of space and collection points where people can bring infrastructure for municipal waste waste materials for cash; • Engage with local economy management, such as space for recycling representatives (Chamber of Commerce) • Organize youth-related events on cleaning and collection in large urban development to set up residential waste management for the streets (‘no litter days’). programmes, funded by national and business owners. international programmes; • Present a cost-benefit analysis that shows the cost-efficiency of municipal waste management, in terms of costs of building and maintenance, and their return on investment (health, water management, food management, safety).
Members of the trade cooperative of waste collectors Tree planting with the Buffelsdraai Landfill Site Com- KKPK, Pune, India munity Reforestation Project, Durban, South Africa Page 158 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Using evidence
Urban situation analysis
• Develop a municipal waste stream diagram and assessment, through mapping and surveys with children, communities and users, collecting opinions and suggestions on polluted and dirty places, sources, solutions; • Interview key stakeholders such as waste- pickers, local representatives and local business representatives to draft a process flow diagram to understand the waste and recycling system; • Use geospatial data to detect open air burning sites, publicly accessible waste sites and monitor collection and transportation systems to define priorities of intervention and ways to optimize collection routings. A former waste site is transformed in to the playful Ghost Train Park, Lima, Peru
children with regular solid waste collection • Process-related indicators: total collected Measuring for progress (residential); city-wide coverage of garbage municipal solid waste per capita; volume and recycling points (inhabitant or district or per capita of urban municipal waste and urban areas); number of protected waste wastewater collected/treated/recycled; Progress on clean urban waste systems for sites; proportion of households and local SDG 11.6.1 Proportion of urban solid waste children and their families can be measured commerce covered by a daily door-to-door regularly collected and with adequate final and evaluated with many types of indicators, collection; volume of solid hazardous waste discharge out of total urban solid waste objective and subjective ones. Some examples: generated per capita; generated, by cities; SDG 11.6.2 Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. • Physical related indicators: proportion of • Impact-related indicators: numbers of PM2.5 and PM10) in cities; proportion of housing equipped with space for collection children/families involved in waste-picking; city’s solid waste disposed of in sanitary separate from waste; population of numbers exposed to unsecured waste sites; landfill; SDG 12.3.1 Global food loss index UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 159
Building accountability
• Help children and their community to define land and infrastructure to enable clean waste management in public hearings and political decision-making processes such as city development plans, green space development and new norms and standards for buildings, at local and national level; • Support with geo-spatial mapping and urban situation analyses where dangerous waste spaces are located and where more waste infrastructure (recycle bins) is needed;
Children come up the public escalators in ‘20 de Julio’ neighbourhood in the Comuna 13 slums, where recycling bins are centrally located, Medellin, Colombia
Resources
Existing guidelines, tools and literature Relevant networks and platforms • Municipal Solid Waste, Key issues for Decision-makers in Developing • Global Alliance of Waste Pickers Countries (UN-Habitat) • Global Partnership on Waste Management (UNEP) • Solid Waste Management in the World’s Cities (UN-Habitat) • Sustainable Solid Waste Systems (SSWS) Network (C40) • What a Waste: A Global Review of Solid Waste Management (World Bank) • Ellen MacArthur Foundation • Sustainable Solid Waste Systems (C40) • Urban Solid Waste Management in India (NIUA) Children play on well-lit a boardwalk in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Page 161
Clean energy networks
In 2012, 131 million people in urban areas around the world lacked access to electricity, and 482 million used solid cooking fuels.1
Principle 9
Through urban planning, all cities should integrate clean energy networks in all urban settings and ensure reliable access to power, so children and their community have access to all urban services day and night. Page 162 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Why should we invest?
Current challenges
With a little over half of the world’s population, cities are responsible for an estimated 60 to 70 per cent of anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Housing, food and urban transportation comprise the three major sources of upstream emissions.1 Buildings’ energy accounts for one-quarter of greenhouse gas emissions, and if today’s context continues, this share is predicted to rise. Emissions from road, rail, air and water transport cause ambient air pollution, particularly in urban areas of developing countries where the number of vehicles is rising, yet emission standards are lax or non-existent.
There are two main strategies for transitioning to a low-carbon city: to shift from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources; and to reduce urban energy consumption levels. The low- carbon transition can be accomplished through energy-efficiency measures, behavioural interventions and incorporating carbon sinks such as urban parks. Cities and their energy systems should be resilient to natural and human threats. The energy systems of cities are increasingly vulnerable to natural and Ambient air pollution is a major environmental health issue for children in cities human-induced disasters and the effects of climate change and extreme weather. high-energy sectors such as transportation, use solid cooking fuels that are highly polluting.2 In addition, urban energy systems directly food production and water quality. Many households, which are connected to formal affect the well-being and happiness of urban grids, have increased the use of firewood due to inhabitants. Health conditions, economic Access to clean and affordable energy is still an regular load shedding. Other highly toxic energy competitiveness, cultural appeal, and social, issue in cities, especially in slums and peri-urban sources, such as paraffin, are still used in homes, gender, and racial equality are influenced by areas. Globally, nearly half a billion urban residents schools and hospitals. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 163
The benefits for children and their community
Clean energy supports children Clean supports children’s Clean energy ensures prosperity to grow healthy and strong citizenship for children and the community
• Clean energy sources prevent ambient and • Clean energy networks are a time-saving • Safe lighting is necessary for children to do indoor air pollution. alternative to the collection of firewood and their homework after dark. Schools require other types of household fuels, which is energy, proper lighting increases school • Health centres need reliable access to often a responsibility imposed on children, attendance and learning outcomes. energy and electricity to provide proper giving them less time and opportunity to services, especially at night. Safe and clean • Renewable energy provides affordable engage in the community and in education. water also depends on sustainable energy, electricity and stabilizes energy prices. It as it is needed for drilling, pumping, transport • Access to reliable energy is vital to access also improves future energy security and and treatment. Information, Communication and Technology. productivity. • Energy efficiency, combined with proper • More jobs are created for each unit of insulation and ventilation ensure a healthy electricity generated from renewable indoor climate for children. sources than from fossil fuels. Clean energy ensures children live in a sustainable • Decentralised and compact networks in environment compacter settings have lower connection Clean energy ensures children costs. are safe and risk-prepared • Clean energy is naturally replenished and is virtually inexhaustible. • Streets that are well lit are safer for children, • By switching from fossil fuels to renewables, especially girls. clean energy networks do not impact on the • Investing in clean energy reduces the environment. dangerous impact of climate change on • Clean energy decreases deforestation, children (flooding, weather). forest and soil degradation due to biomass • Clean energy networks are a safe alternative harvesting. to household fuels, including the collection of firewood which is normally the responsibility of girls, making them vulnerable to harassment. Page 164 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
What should we plan?
Relevant definitions and concepts
A new residential neighbourhood equipped with solar Solar panels and wind turbines power street lamps, Street lights on the Monwabisi Park Informal settle- water heaters, Tieshan, Hibei, China Hong Kong, China ment pedestrian walkway, Cape Town, South Africa
Plan for clean energy – The development Invest in clean fuels and renewable energy – Ensure street lighting – Street lights, in of clean energy networks entails a shift to Compare clean energy strategies, retro-fit and particular along sidewalks, improves road renewable energy as well as better energy adapt buildings with clean energy heating and security and increases social safety in streets, efficiency. Clean energy is one approach to ventilation, install clean cooking infrastructure in particular for women and children. Investing achieve the Paris Agreement. Supported by in housing (fuel, cooking device, and ventilation) in clean energy solutions with off-grid and innovative and diverse technologies around and clean energy transportation. mini-grid supply lowers energy consumption, renewables, decreased cost and decoupling maintenance costs and risks of defect energy-related carbon emissions is possible. In installations. doing so, developing countries will ‘leapfrog’ and skip inferior less efficient, more polluting technologies. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 165
Slolar Settlement, Freiburg, Germany Solar panels, Za’atari Camp, Jordan Electricity provision in a busy street in Mathare slum Nairobi, Kenya
A city-integrated renewable energy strategy Explore decentralized grids – Detailed Invest in slum electrification to increase fosters distributed, non-fossil fuel energy geospatial modelling suggests that or improve access to electricity for the poor generated locally in urban areas, often referred decentralised systems, led by solar photovoltaic in urban/peri-urban areas, for healthier and to as district energy. It implies the provision in off-grid systems and mini-grids, are the improved lives, and especially to make slums of space and regulations on infrastructure least-cost solution for three-quarters of the safer from fires. Through dialogue with the to facilitate power supply, focusing on additional connections needed in sub-Saharan community and stakeholder management with decentralisation, autonomy and back-up Africa. Decentralised grids are complementary private operators, the increase of legally and security. Energy is renewable from solar panels, to national grid extensions. Both need to be safely connected households that pay their bills windmills, geothermal power and is often used coordinated in national and subnational energy on time and the reduction of theft compensates for district heating. policies. the initial infrastructural investments and the reduced tariffs for low-income households. Page 166 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Promising practices
Low-cost urban housing energy upgrade project, Khayelitsha, South Africa
This project retrofits solar water heaters, insulated ceilings and energy efficient lighting in over 2,300 low-cost homes in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. It garners the Clean Development Mechanism to fund the project more effectively. An estimated 71 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line, and 32 per cent of housing uses multiple fuels for energy, including paraffin. The project provided the township with better, cleaner and safer energy sources. The energy-efficiency measures increased building heat by 5 per cent in winter and decreased heat by 5 per cent in summer. The project was recognised as a Gold Standard Clean Development Mechanism project.
The African Solar Cooperative, Old Fadama (Agbogbloshie), Ghana
Old Fadama, one of the largest dumping sites of e-waste on the planet, Zero Emission School Bus, Dubai, United Arab Emirates uses hazardous electric connections which risk electrical fires and other accidents. Child health is a community concern, and waste processing Globally, the transportation sector accounts for a large share of total energy already causes respiratory, cardiac and neurological diseases. To empower use. Vehicles and public transportation are increasingly transferring to the community with clean and modern energy sources, The African hybrid or electric, but school buses continue to predominantly use external Solar Cooperative supplies schools and other public buildings with solar combustion engines fuelled by diesel or gasoline. To ensure that children’s systems. It provides the community with economic independence from transportation to school uses clean energy, Emirate Transport worked with other fuel sources and creates a safer, cleaner community for children. the bus manufacturer to adjust the efficiency of applications, such as the air As part of the UN’s Energy Access Practitioners Network, the cooperative conditioning, to comply with local regulations and specifications. Numerous works with the Government, social enterprises and civil society. integrated bus power stations will be constructed that will recharge the batteries within four hours. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 167
Supporting international frameworks
Paris Agreement (COP 21) ... Acknowledge that reductions in global emissions are required to achieve the Paris Agreement and emphasize the need for urgency in addressing climate change. ... Acknowledge the need to promote universal access to sustainable energy in developing countries, in particular in Africa, through the enhanced deployment of renewable energy.
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development SDG 7 Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. SDG 9.4 By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities
New Urban Agenda Para 121…ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services by promoting energy efficiency and sustainable renewable energy, and supporting sub-national and local efforts; to apply them in public buildings, infrastructure and facilities, as well as in taking advantage of their direct control, where applicable, of local infrastructure and codes, to foster uptake in end-use sectors, such as residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, industry, transport, waste, and sanitation. We also encourage the adoption of building performance codes and standards, renewable portfolio targets, energy efficiency labelling, retrofitting of existing buildings and public procurement policies on energy, among other modalities as appropriate, to achieve energy efficiency targets. We will also prioritize smart grid, district energy systems, and community energy plans to improve synergies between renewable energy and energy efficiency. Page 168 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
How should we plan?
Planning the space
Building and infrastructure regulations – building scale Land use planning – city scale
• Green building codes for clean energy in • Land use plans that ensure the supply, building infrastructure, public spaces and distribution and safety of clean energy networks: appliances focusing on energy efficiency, Zoning plans for urban parks as carbon sinks; insulation and safe and green energy. Infrastructural plans to prioritize safe • Impact assessments in planning and below-grade lines instead of over-ground design phase of energy infrastructure, for transmission. optimal benefits for and minimal negative • Building permit regulations that facilitate impacts on children and their families. clean energy infrastructure on or close to buildings (solar, windmills, geothermal) and impose energy efficiency for retrofitting and Green Building Code, Jakarta, Indonesia for new developments and buildings.
Urban design and area based community planning – neighbourhood scale City development planning – city scale
• A neighbourhood energy plan, to plan • A neighbourhood clean air plan to monitor • An integrated clean energy and climate and maintain a district energy network, with air pollution and plan local improvements action plan determining slum electrification free access to clean energy and lighting for such as school areas with low car numbers, projects, scaling renewable energy and children, in particular in public amenities mobility shift to clean transportation, energy supporting waste-to-energy. for children and public lighting in streets. shift in housing (fuel type, insulation). Determine infrastructure, landfills, vacant lots and neglected places that can be used Urban planning policy – multi-level scale for clean energy production (solar panels, windmills); • Invest in land use cadastres that record property and function of buildings and areas, and enables targeted energy audits because different activities have different demands. It also facilitates demand forecast. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 169
Designing the process
Stakeholder engagement priority processing for building permits, The priority is safe and affordable access, and coalition building floor-area allowances, bond and mortgage the reduction of needs and consumption financing, revolving loans, dedicated credit (insulation, low energy devices, behaviour, • Ask children and communities to engage lines, and risk-sharing facilities. active transportation) and the shift to clean fuels, including off-grid and micro-grid in clean air assessments about the air • Develop technical programmes and options for clean energy production. pollution at home, in their school and campaigns that help motivate building streets, with mobile and fixed monitoring stakeholders. These include local partnerships • Organize child-focused improvements in devices, to determine air pollution and health for efficient buildings, ‘green lease’ guidance, neighbourhoods to improve the quality risk levels. In street canyons and adjacent and behavioural mechanisms such as of air and access to clean and safe energy buildings, in particular, local levels of air competitions and awards, media campaigns, by imposing low numbers of cars in school pollution can be very high. user-feedback information via kiosks or environments and streets. computer displays, and implementing strategic • Engage with constituents that have shared • Make recommendations to public energy management activities. interests, such as child-care centres, health authorities on impactful energy efficiency facilities, schools, community based • Technical and financial service provider improvements in building stock owned organizations and the elderly to determine engagement can facilitate the development by individuals and governments, polluting sources of air pollution and to form common of skills and business models to meet factories, transportation, describing benefits objectives to reduce air pollution. and accelerate demand for efficiency. for children and projected outcomes, • Involve public health specialists, clean These include technical workforce proposing low-cost interventions, such energy and transportation specialists training, procurement officer education as subsidies for clean cooking devices, to assist in determining benefits of public on performance contracting, engagement building insulation and ventilation and low car amenities for children in a rational way, to with the financial sector to help standardize numbers in neighbourhoods. determine sources and priorities in solutions. investment terms and reduce transaction costs, establishing revolving loan funds or dedicated credit lines, and considering public- private risk sharing facilities for investments. Budgeting and mobilizing resources
• Support incentives that help energy Co-production for incremental change efficiency projects overcome economic barriers, such as those related to upfront costs and ‘split incentives’. They include • Support community-based groups and grants and rebates, energy-efficient bonds citizens to implement a clean energy Solar System potential dashboard, Boulder, United and mortgage financing, tax incentives, shift in their housing and transportation. States of America Page 170 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Using evidence
Urban situation analysis Measuring for progress Building accountability
The comprehensive urban situation analysis Progress on clean energy networks for • Help children and their community measure should focus on access to clean energy children and their families can be measured and monitor air pollution and define for children and include all data on urban and evaluated with many types of indicators, priorities in public hearings and political planning scales, stakeholders, resources and objective and subjective ones. Some examples: decision-making processes such as urban priorities. It combines the self-assessment energy plan and urban development plan capacity of children and the community with • Physical and quantity related indicators: approval procedures, at the local and an expert diagnosis: total electrical energy use per capita national level; (kilowatts/year); energy consumption of • Support with geo-spatial mapping and the • The spatial and functional coverage of public buildings per year (kilowatts/square urban situation analysis general and area- clean energy: health facilities, educational metre); greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in based knowledge about air pollution and life skills training centres, safe spaces tonnes per capita, disaggregated by source concentrations and polluters and streets for children, child-care, libraries and (building, transportation); without lighting; community centres; • Functionality and quality related • Support adjustments to current urban • Assess current energy demand based on indicators: SDG 7.1.1 Proportion of planning regulations to accelerate the requests from the community, identification population with access to electricity; SDG clean energy shift, at the local and national of vulnerability of neighbourhoods, 7.1.2 Proportion of population with primary level. Support research on the impact of air projections of future needs, thresholds for reliance on clean fuels and technology; pollution on children, on better monitoring, different target groups amongst children proportion of clean energy in total energy good practice in energy efficiency. and communities; consumption; penetration of smart metering; • Conduct a stakeholder and institutional • Impact related indicators: proportion of analysis to determine the stakeholders, children breathing clean air; regulations, supply and distribution and tariff • Process related indicators: proportion of structures, investment capacity environment; municipal budget spent on clean energy; • A priority map for clean energy with an existence of national/municipal standards for overview of possible solutions (importance clean energy. versus difficulty).
Curieuzeneuzen – Community led air pollution moni- toring, Antwerp, Belgium UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 171
When there is electricity, Fares uses the Internet, city of Beit Lahia, State of Palestine*
Resources
Existing guidelines, tools and literature Relevant networks and platforms • Why sustainable energy matters to children (UNICEF) • Global Initiative for Resource Efficient Cities (UNEP) • District Energy, a good practice guide (UNEP/C40) • Global Alliance for Clean Cook stoves (UN Foundation) • State of Electricity Access Report (World Bank) • 100 per cent Renewable Energy Cities & Regions Network (ICLEI) • Global Tracking Framework (UNECE) • Market Acceleration for Green Growth (REEEP) • Renewable Energy in Cities (IRENA) • Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) • Energy Access Outlook (IEA) • Energy Efficient Cities Case Studies Database (ESMAP) • Strategies Towards Energy Performance and Urban Planning – STEP UP (EU) • Building Efficiency Initiative (WRI) • Powering Cities in the Global South (WRI) • District Energy Initiative (UNEP) • Habitat III Issue Paper 18 Urban Infrastructure and Basic Services including energy (UN-Habitat) • Sustainable Urban Energy Planning (UN-Habitat/ICLEI)
* The State of Palestine was accorded non-member observer State status in the United Nations effective 29 November 2012. Ref: General Assembly Resolution A/RES/67/19 adopted 29 November 2012. U-Report is a social platform created by UNICEF, available via SMS, Facebook and Twitter where young people express their opinion and be positive agent of change in their communities, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire Page 173
A smart data and ICT network
About 29 per cent of youth worldwide – around 346 million individuals – are not online. African youth are the least connected. Around 60 per cent are not online, compared with just 4 per cent in Europe.1
Principle 10
Through urban planning, all cities should integrate data and information and communications technology (ICT) networks in all urban settings and ensure digital connectivity of children and their community, to ensure universally accessible, affordable, safe and reliable information and communication. Page 174 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Why should we invest?
Current challenges
Cities need technology and technology needs cities. Technology has made its mark in shaping urban life worldwide and supports business functions, data-driven industries like finance, city logistics and grids, transport, delivery of basic services, environmental management systems, government operations and people- to-people interactions. Cities have become centres of technology-driven innovation, making digital literacy and ICT access the minimal conditions for urban citizens for accessing services and the job market.
Many cities have therefore adopted a Smart City model to leverage the knowledge and use of data and ICT, in order to improve access to urban services and to be competitive in the global economic market. Communication technology is particularly important for emerging markets, where children and In Madagascar, 16-year-old Charmela’s family can’t afford to send her to school. She spends much of her time on young people are potential users. Also, the the Internet, where she has experienced online soliciting. virtual character of ICT and data networks allows much faster expansion than heavy other urban services, technology is mostly a identity, privacy, control of power and the infrastructural services such as sanitation. private service and is thus often not affordable. media. In many countries and cities, there is a Also, many technological innovations focus lack of public oversight in terms of regulation to However, despite the concentration of ICT on efficiency and optimization, which is not ensure the physical and psychological safety of and data networks in urban areas, basic relevant for the poor who are often not digitally- children and young people in the face of online connectivity to data and ICT is unequally literate. Children with disabilities, who stand to exploitation, cyber-bullying, invasions of privacy distributed, often unaffordable, unreliable or benefit greatly from technological innovation, and Internet addiction. Although connectivity unsafe. From an infrastructural perspective, often lack access to devices and technology increases, the reliability of information, the ICT and data depend on the availability of that comply with accessibility standards. safety of access and the openness of data is devices and energy, which is not guaranteed not guaranteed. in the most deprived urban areas. Similar to Data and ICT also evoke concerns about digital UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 175
The benefits for children and their community
ICT and data networks ICT and data networks ICT and data networks support support children to grow ensure prosperity for children children’s citizenship healthy and strong and their community
• Better monitoring of air quality with local • ICT and data facilitates better communication • ICT and data improves access to basic and sensors or remote sensing techniques allows and access to free and reliable information; advanced education through online learning authorities, children and their families to be platforms with possible interactive learning; • Web-based planning mechanisms better informed and to take decision in terms allow residents to be involved in local • Customized energy consumption through of exposure, protection and behaviour; government’s decision-making processes, smart metering, micro-grids, and dynamic • Remote monitoring of personal health report on specific issues and communicate pricing lead to direct economic and conditions ensures better routines and better with city officials; environmental benefits; follow-up; • Online community-based mapping ensures • ICT and data support innovation in livelihoods • Sensors in water systems help to detect that informal settlements or areas that lag and work environments, including in the leaks and pollution and ensure safe and clean behind in terms of public investments are informal sector. water supply. better known; • Crowdsourcing and funding facilitates individuals and communities to exchange ICT and data networks ideas, combine capacities and collaborate ensure children are safe better; and risk-prepared • Ready-access to, and performance standards • ICT and data allow children to have for, services for all individuals which serves permanent access to emergency services to improve transparency and equity in city and early-warning systems, including online governance and basic service delivery. training and instructions; • Monitoring of weather, climate and the environment ensure resiliency of communities ICT and data networks and facilitate good decision-making in terms ensure children live in a of climate adaptation infrastructure, disaster sustainable environment risk-reduction and investments, and in terms of post-disaster recovery; • Improved monitoring of the environment • ICT and data facilitates interactive and allows for optimum use of resources without updates report systems that inform citizens depletion, such as the use of natural water regarding unsafe experiences and insecure sources. urban environments. Page 176 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
What should we plan?
Relevant definitions and concepts
WCCD, an international standard cre- Humanitarian Open Street Map (HOT) U-reporters UNICEF, Abidjan, Côte Smart Cities for All ated for cities, with cities d’Ivoire
Explore International Standards Support open data Support Smart City Initiatives Support Smart Cities for All – on City Data – Developed by communities – Platforms for Children – Many cities look ICT and data innovation are critical the World Council on City Data based on GIS, ICT and open for innovative city development to eliminating the barriers in cities (WCCD), ISO 37120: Sustainable data facilitate communities models that use ICT and other that persons with disabilities and Development of Communities in feeding and using online means to improve quality of life, older persons are confronted with – Indicators for City Services urban observatories for their efficiency of urban operation and on a daily basis. The Smart Cities and Qualities of Life, is the first cities, which are relevant for services, and competitiveness, for All toolkit supports a range of global standard on city indicators humanitarian action, for improved while meeting the needs of organizations and roles related to published by the International urban planning and governance, present and future generations Smart Cities, including government Organisation for Standardization. and for better risk-preparedness with respect to economic, social, managers, policy makers, ICT and training. Several initiatives environmental as well as cultural professionals, disability advocates, have proven to be reliable bi- aspects.2 Recently, the importance procurement officials, technology directional systems of knowledge of social innovation and the civic suppliers, and developers who and engagement, such as the component have complemented design Smart City apps and Humanitarian Open Street Map the Smart Cities’ models. solutions to be accessible for all. Team (HOT) and Know Your City The toolkit includes several tools (Slum Dwellers International). targeting specific digital inclusion challenges facing all cities and is available in 10 languages. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 177
Promising practices
Mapping neighbourhoods into Street View, Block by Block Place Making, Querétaro, Bhubaneswar Smart City, India Buenos Aires, Argentina Mexico In line with India’s National Smart Cities Together with Google, two social organizations Developed by UN-Habitat and Minecraft, the Mission, the initiative aims to harness ACIJ and TECHO took initiative to incorporate computer game in which you make things technology as a means to create smart popular settlements into Street View which, out of virtual blocks, Block by Block, engages outcomes for the citizens of Bhubaneswar in turn, contributes to the integration of these communities – particularly young people, including children and youth. As the city settlements into the rest of the city. The women and slum dwellers – in the design of has grown rapidly over the past decades, improvement of the overall visibility of areas their own local public spaces. Used in 30 cities, it has realized the potential benefits for its that lack basic services can facilitate the regular it is attractive for youth and children while also inhabitants of building infrastructure that access to public services for children in these promoting a better participation process and thus is better connected and smarter. Thus, by neighbourhoods. It also provides the same producing more solid outcomes. To help a city tapping a range of approaches from digital and technological benefits that the inhabitants of plan and develop improved public spaces, the information technologies to urban planning to other parts of the city receive, such as the project invites members of the local community public-private partnerships and policy change, possibility of geo-referencing of public places, to provide input into the design and management the project aims to provide smart solutions in case of disasters or for public decision- of the spaces. As Minecraft provides the in planning, operating and managing mobility, making. While Street View normally uses a car visual platform based on virtual reality, it offers energy use, waste and water management, with a tracker to make 360-degree images, the better geospatial references and enhances governances and services. It also includes project involved local participants and young communication among the local neighbours and a plan to transform the city into an ICT and volunteers walking the neighbourhoods on foot multiple global stakeholders from a variety of education hub for children and youth. with a tracker on their back as an alternative. backgrounds. Page 178 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Supporting international frameworks
Human Rights Council 32nd Session 30/06/2016 The promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development SDG 4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship SDG 9.C Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020 SDG 17.18 By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and Small Island Developing States, to significantly increase the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts
New Urban Agenda Para 157 … support science, research, and innovation, including a focus on social, technological, digital and nature-based innovation, robust science-policy interfaces in urban and territorial planning and policy formulation, as well as institutionalized mechanisms for sharing and exchanging information, knowledge and expertise, including the collection, analysis, standardization and dissemination of geographically-based, community-collected, high-quality, timely and reliable data, disaggregated by income, sex, age, race, ethnicity, migration status, disability, geographic location, and other characteristics relevant in national, sub-national, and local contexts. UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 179
How should we plan?
Planning the space
Building and infrastructure regulations – building scale
• The norm and standards for integration and respond to children, and to better inform optimal benefits for and minimal negative of data and ICT in building infrastructure children. impacts on children and their families, in and public spaces, to strengthen the social particular ensuring they are usable and • Impact assessments in the planning and good and ensure basic benefits for children accessible for children, in particular for the design phase of Smart Cities initiatives as described above, to measure and collect children with disabilities, and that they and other ICT and data developments, for data relevant for children, to alert, organize respect children’s privacy.
Urban design and area-based community planning – neighbourhood scale
• Smart neighbourhoods’ coverage through public access points Increasing the number and coverage of hotspots in public spaces, allowing free and reliable access to the Internet and public information; Expanding the networks in public services to be publicly accessible, including schools, community centres, health facilities; Providing innovative solutions in less accessible neighbourhoods, or neighbourhoods with less coverage, such as busses with Wi-Fi access that children from these neighbourhoods can benefit from. • Smart building programmes that provide both social space and digital connectivity, for example in libraries: Online libraries where children can access resources remotely (digital books, textbooks, videos); Public libraries and schools as centres for connectivity, Internet access, e-learning and development of skills. Library for All, Gressier, Haiti Page 180 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Land use planning – city scale
• GIS-based mapping and innovative Community-led mapping tools with applications smartphones and other devices support and complement official data. Remote sensing allows improved and accurate land registry and zoning, through satellite aircraft or drone imaginary;
ICT and data to facilitate neighbourhood participatory budgeting in Solo, Indonesia
City development planning – city scale
• A city-wide smart infrastructure plan, • Data and ICT-informed urban planning and integrating multiple-purpose networks urban management, in transport systems and synchronizing the installation of fibre- (dynamic demand and traffic control), water optic cables with existing infrastructure and other environmental systems, and in construction projects (road, gas, transport, climate and disaster risk-reduction planning. telecom, energy) to minimize the cost for governments and to incentivize developers and providers to invest in smart cities or neighbourhoods;
Public messages for early childhood development, Sao Paulo Basics, Brazil
Urban planning policy – multi-level scale
• Coordination of people-centred smart • Promotion of market strategies and • Urban data observatories and open city frameworks that complies with competition among service providers data dashboards that allow interaction national, regional and international data to reduce the cost of connectivity, which with citizens through accessible data protection principles and standards, that has been identified as the main barrier to dashboards, in order to detail, disseminate, ensures public transparency and regulates universal access; discuss and decide. partnerships between local governments and service providers; UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 181
Designing the process
Stakeholder engagement 3 and coalition building Innovating for Children in an Urbanizing World Based on its Innovation Design Principles4 on specific approaches and principles – through • An ICT and data-based citizen engagement UNICEF has developed a user-case handbook the lens of UNICEF’s innovation priorities. It strategy, with procedures for involving that seeks to outline opportunities for design, promotes four approaches for technological communities in collecting the information technology, and social impact, for communities innovation in cities: required for identifying their problems and to work together in creating technological 1. Scaling existing technologies opportunities, and unlocking their knowledge innovations that improve the lives of vulnerable 2. Adapting existing technologies children in cities. It highlights the urgent need for into shared open data platforms; 3. Inventing new technologies innovation on behalf of children in the context of a • Engage other constituents who have a rapidly urbanizing planet, and also offers guidance 4. Equipping communities with the tools to shared interest in ICT and data such as create their own technologies persons with disabilities, the elderly, migrant populations; • Use of information displays in public spaces in cities, for reliable and relevant Budgeting and mobilizing resources Co-production for incremental change information on social good, in particular for better outcomes for children, in terms of education, social assistance, health, culture • GIS-based tools for participatory • ICT applications that facilitate skill and leisure. budgeting, to increase awareness of training and information distribution citizens to urban issues that can be decided for ‘Do It Yourself’ interventions, such and financed on a neighbourhood level; as building and upgrading safe and healthy housing. • GIS-based tools for optimal distribution of public subsidies for infrastructure • Establish agreements with private ICT and (housing, rent and energy-efficiency data networks to provide free access for investments), taking into account the data and ICT (Wi-Fi), such as in and around exact location of poor households in shopping malls. different quintiles. Increased knowledge regarding densities of people and buildings also enables better and more precise quantification of the needs of social infrastructure and acquisition of land and buildings. Neighbourhood participatory budgeting, Solo, Indonesia Page 182 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Using evidence
• Functionality and quality-related Number of countries that have national Urban situation analysis indicators: proportion of school-aged statistical legislation that complies children having access to online advanced with the Fundamental Principles of ICT and data allows the urban situation analysis learning; proportion of public web-sites and Official Statistics; SDG 17.18.3 Number to be more comprehensive and to be more web-sites with public services accessible of countries with a national statistical community-led: for children with disabilities; proportion of plan that is fully funded and under children with access to sufficient high-speed implementation, by source of funding. broadband; coverage of public alert systems • Online platforms as tools for quick-scan for air quality; coverage of water quality assessments and contextual mapping, advisories; coverage of weather advisories/ used and fed by communities, especially in warning; proportion of local businesses Building accountability environments where there is a lack of data relevant to city services which have data and quick decision-making is needed, such communication; … as in humanitarian situations. Support online, interactive data platforms to • Impact-related indicators: SDG 4.4.1 crowd source data on the built environment Proportion of youth and adults with that are relevant for children and can influence decision makers, such as accessibility for Measuring for progress ICT skills, by type of skill; proportion of population engaged in online interaction with children with disabilities, proximity, safety, governance; proportion of population that climate risks and functionality to green spaces. The progress on ICT and data access for estimates online governance is trustful; … children can be measured and evaluated with many types of indicators, both objective and Process-related indicators: proportion subjective. Some examples include: of municipal budget spent on smart city innovations and initiatives per year; existence of national/municipal standards • Physical-related indicators: SDG 9.C.1 for Smart Cities; city-level support to Proportion of population covered by a deliver in the following SDGs: 17.18.1 mobile network, by technology; number of Proportion of sustainable development Internet connections per 100,000 population; indicators produced at the national number of cell phone connections per 100,000 level with full disaggregation when population, number of civic Wi-Fi hotspots relevant to the target, in accordance per km2; proportion of children living in a with the Fundamental Principles household with Internet access at home; of Official Statistics; SDG 17.18.2 Know Your City Campaign, Slum Dwellers International UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 183
Kathmandu Living Labs, Kathmandu, Nepal
Resources
Existing guidelines, tools and • Habitat III Issue paper 21 on Smart Cities Relevant networks and platforms literature (Habitat III) • International Telecommunication Union (ITU) • Innovation Design Principles (UNICEF) • Connecting cities and communities with the SDGs • World Council on City Data (WCCD) (ITU/UNECE) • U-Report (UNICEF) • Humanitarian OpenStreetMap (HOT) • Enhancing innovation and participation in smart • Innovating for Children in an Urbanizing World • United for Smart Sustainable Cities (ITU/UNECE) sustainable cities (ITU/UNECE) (UNICEF) • Know Your City (Slum Dwellers International) • Implementing SDG 11 connecting policies and • Smart Cities For All Toolkit (Global Initiative urban planning practices through ICTs (ITU/UNECE) • Smart Cities for All Civic Data Use Cases for Inclusive Information and Communication Overview (Harvard University) Technologies) • Harnessing the Internet of Things for Global Development (ITU/Cisco) Page 184 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Glossary
The following are based on technical definitions, health care; can develop their personalities, and 5) insecure residential status. Additionally, but rendered in a simplified language for non- abilities and talents to the fullest potential; informal settlements do not tend to have specialist readers: grow up in an environment of happiness, love municipal services such as waste collection, and understanding; and are informed about schools and clinics within easy reach, or safe 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: and participate in, achieving their rights in an spaces for children to play or for the community In 2015, this agenda for action, which covers accessible and active manner.3 to meet and socialize. Informal settlements 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), include slums and long-term camps for refugees was adopted by the United Nations. With City: A large human settlement which and internally displaced persons. Slums are these new Goals that universally apply to generally has extensive systems for housing, commonly understood to be the most deprived all, countries will mobilize efforts to end all transportation, sanitation, utilities, land use, and and excluded form of informal settlement forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle communication. The density of a city facilitates and are characterized by poverty and large climate change, while ensuring that no one interaction between people, government agglomerations of dilapidated housing, often is left behind. While the SDGs are not legally organizations and businesses, sometimes located on the most hazardous urban land. binding, governments are expected to take benefiting different parties in the process.4 ownership and establish national frameworks Land use planning: A part of urban planning for the achievement of the 17 Goals, in terms Compactness: The characteristic of urban practice, to order and regulate land use in an of follow-up and review of the progress made form (shape, density and land use) that efficient and ethical way, in terms of public in implementing the Goals.1 reduces the overexploitation of natural health, safety and sustainability. It implies the resources and increases economies of need for land use zoning that regulates the Built environment: The human-made agglomeration, with benefits for residents in types of activities that can be accommodated surroundings that provide the setting for human terms of proximity. It is measured in terms on a given piece of land, as well as the amount activity, ranging in scale from buildings to of density of built area and population, and of space and building surface devoted to these infrastructure and open space. It has a physical concentration of urban functions. activities. Land use planning is essentially and functional dimension, defining how people a responsibility of public authorities. To be live, work, and recreate on a day-to-day basis.2 Geographic information system (GIS): A effective, land-use planning relies on settlement system designed to capture, store, manipulate, land information systems that register varied Convention on the Rights of the Child: analyse, manage, and present spatial or and overlapping tenure rights. The international treaty that recognizes the geographic data.5 human rights of children, defined as persons New Urban Agenda: A document intended to up to the age of 18 years. The Convention Informal settlements and slums: Informal guide national and local policies on the growth establishes in international law that States settlements are urban areas with one or and development of cities through 2036. Parties must ensure that all children – without more of the following characteristics: 1) poor Adopted at the United Nations Conference on discrimination in any form – benefit from structural quality of housing; 2) overcrowding; Housing and Sustainable Urban Development special protection measures and assistance; 3) inadequate access to water; 4) inadequate (Habitat III) in 2016, it serves as a roadmap have access to services such as education and access to sanitation and other infrastructure; for building cities that can serve as engines of UNICEF Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning Page 185
prosperity and centres of cultural and social be individual and collective tenure in multiple used in a critical way: often large and dense well-being while protecting the environment. forms, with overlapping rights.10 populations live in urban conditions just outside The Agenda also provides guidance for urban areas, in peri-urban areas. Therefore, the achieving the Sustainable Development Goals Sustainable development: Development urban agglomeration index is often used to and provides the solid foundation for actions to based on three pillars, known as the “3 E’s”: geographically determine where people live in address climate change.7 Environmental responsibility to sustain eco- urban conditions.13 systems and make minimal use of natural Sustainable neighbourhood: A geographical resources; Economic strength to sustain Urban setting/urban environment: An or administrative part of an urban setting that economic development that creates labour environment with a dominant presence of built is planned, built and managed following five and which is innovative; Social Equity to space and where a variety and intensity of principles: 1) adequate space for streets and sustain inclusive communities that are fair people’s activities take place in an urban context. an efficient street network; 2) high density; 3) for everyone.11 mixed land use; 4) social mix, and 5) limited Urban system: Cities can be described as land-use specialization.8 Universal design: The design of products, a geography of urban resource systems that environments, programmes, and services to have three constituent elements: supply Placemaking: A multi-faceted approach to the be usable by all people, to the greatest extent chains, environments where people interact planning, design and management of public possible, without the need for adaptation or with the system, and consumer behaviour. spaces. It capitalizes on a local community’s specialized design. Universal design is often These systems are laid out in the urban-rural assets, inspiration, and potential, with the associated with accessibility and disability. continuum.14 intention of creating public spaces that promote However, it actually covers good design for all, people’s health, happiness, and wellbeing.9 including the 1 billion persons with disability Walkability: A measure of how friendly an worldwide.12 area is for walking, analysing the presence or Security of tenure: Understood as a set of absence and quality of footpaths, sidewalks relationships with respect to housing and land, Urban (area): The definition of ‘urban’ varies or other pedestrian rights-of-way, traffic and established through statutory or customary from country to country, and, with periodic road conditions, land use patterns, building law or informal or hybrid arrangements, that reclassification, can also vary within one accessibility and safety, among others. It is an enables one to live in one’s home in security, country over time, making direct comparisons important concept in sustainable city planning, peace and dignity. It is an integral part of the difficult. An urban area can be defined by but is also mentioned in literature around health right to adequate housing and a necessary one or more of the following: administrative and urban economy. ingredient for the enjoyment of many other criteria or political; a threshold population size; civil, cultural, economic, political and social population density; and economic function or rights. All persons should possess a degree of the presence of urban characteristics (e.g., security of tenure. There are different types of paved streets, electric lighting, and sewerage). tenure: possession rights, use rights, rental, Every country determines its own definition of freehold and collective arrangements. There can urban areas. The definition of urban has to be Page 186 Shaping urbanization for children: a handbook on child-responsive urban planning UNICEF
Endnotes
Chapter 1: Why shaping urbanization 15 More information on The Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) can be 34 Venter, Christoffel, et al., ‘The equity impacts of bus rapid transit: A review of for children matters found at
Chapter 3: Shaping child-responsive 3 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,Global Educa- 3 Child Health Initiative, ‘The issues’, Child Health Initiative, London, n.d., urban settings tion Monitoring Report, UNESCO, Paris, 2016.
4 World Health Organization/United Nations Children’s Fund Joint Monitoring 8 High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on Glossary Programme, Progress on Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, 2017 Update World Food Security, Nutrition and food systems, HLPE, Rome, 2017. 1 See
The handbook describes a variety of promising practices in urban planning, based on documentation provided by many individuals and organizations. They aim to inspire and illustrate what is possible and attainable through child-responsive, area-based and community-led planning, in a local context. However, the inclusion of these examples in this handbook does not mean that they are endorsed by UNICEF. Credits The publisher has made every effort to trace copyright holders. If any have been overlooked, we will be pleased to make the necessary accreditations at the first opportunity. (Photographs appearing on pages from left to right/top to bottom) Page 114: © Creative Urban Projects Inc.; © EMBARQ India/India/2013/CC BY NC 2.0; © Mariana Gil/EMBARQ Brasil/Brazil/2016/CC BY NC-SA 2.0; Page 115: © Mariana Cover: © UNICEF/UNI123447/Pirozzi; Page 10: © UNICEF/UNI106625/Crouch; Page 19: Gil/EMBARQ Brasil/Brazil/2016/CC BY NC-SA 2.0; Page 116: © Edward Echwalu/FIA © UNICEF/UN058120/Vishwanathan; Page 24: © UNICEF/UNI45635/Kamber; Page 25: Foundation/2016; Page 118: © Ecovolis/Municipality of Tirana; Page 119: courtesy of © UNICEF/UNI121985/Vishwanathan; Page 26: © UNICEF/UNI45359/Versiani; Page 31: Proyecto AUPA; Page 121: Liga Peatonal, Mexico; Page 122: © UNICEF/UNI189337/ © UNICEF/UN045590/Kim; Page 36: © UNICEF/UNI178926/Ramos; Page 41: © UNICEF/ Gilbertson V; Page 126: © UNICEF/UNI159364/Pirozzi; © UNICEF/UN0139474/Prinsloo; UN072177/Phelps; Page 48: © UNICEF/UNI204091/Yar; Page 52: © Inter American ©Thanh Ngo/ISET-Viet Nam/2015; Page 127: © UNICEF/UN075401/Kealey; 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