Cities for Children: Children's Rights, Poverty and Urban Management

THIS BOOK DISCUSSES practical measures for meeting the rights and requirements of urban children in Africa, Asia and Latin America in the context of rapid social change, limited resources and multiple challenges to health and well-being. Although the book concentrates on the actions and institutional changes that local governments need to take, it contains information that would be useful to any groups working to make urban areas better places for children.

The opening section provides a basic orientation for those unfamiliar with children's issues - a chapter on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and on some of the issues raised by a rights based approach to children; a chapter on children's development and the significance of supportive environments in this process; and a chapter on the kinds of supports local authorities can provide to support family stability and, through that stability, children's rights. The second section examines the practical realities of the various domains of children's lives. Children have rights whether they are in school or at home, at work or at play, in prison or living on the streets. These nine chapters present guidelines, recommendations and examples for ensuring that each of the various environments that children occupy is able to support their health, optimal development and capacity for involvement on their own behalf. Frequent cross-references are made to pertinent information in other parts of the book in order to stress the connections and coordination that are the basis for an integrated response. The final section recognizes the challenge of establishing systems of governance that can promote the economic security, social justice and environmental care that are essential for the realization of children's rights, and looks at the practical implications for the structure, policies and practices of local authorities. The book includes a resource section which lists publications and organizations that can provide further information and support to both local authorities and other organizations.