Locating Representational Equity: Intersections between Child-Friendly Cities and Children’s Roles in Realizing Environmental Justice

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter (peer-reviewed)peer-review

Abstract

UNICEF conceived Child-Friendly Cities as a framework to recognize and integrate children’s rights into governance and urban planning. A 2022 review of published literature about Child-Friendly Cities identified consistency in the general indicators used to describe child-friendly environments but emphasized that in practice, realization of these indicators often mirror environmental and socio-economic inequities. This chapter provides an overview of the UNICEF Child Friendly Cities Initiative; introduces a Child Friendly Cities Initiative pilot program in the United States that highlights intersections between child friendly cities and environmental justice; and explores additional programs and projects from communities working toward environmental justice in the United States and Italy. Despite inequities in environmental provisions by municipalities or disproportionate environmental harms, children, youth, schools, and communities are finding innovative ways to voice inequities while also taking action and realizing change. The chapter concludes with recommendations for framing child-friendly cities through an equity lens that elevates representational processes in the realization of children’s rights.
Original languageAmerican English
Title of host publicationEquity in the Urban Built Environment
EditorsBradley Bereitschaft
PublisherRoutledge
Chapter9
Pages123
Number of pages136
StatePublished - Jan 27 2025

Keywords

  • Child friendly cities
  • environmental justice
  • air quality
  • climate justice
  • ecological restoration
  • Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights

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