Safe, Inclusive and Sustainable cities for children : Addressing structural barriers to child well-being in Informal Settlements

Children in urban areas and in slums and informal settlements
Slum population is estimated to triple by 2050, which in effect means there will be anywhere between 1.2 billion to 1.5 billion children living in these dense and poor urban settings. Slums/ informal settlements which will comprise most of urban growth have very different levels of urban slum population across countries. The proportion ranges from a low of 20% in countries like Cambodia and Armenia to over 90% in countries in Sub- Saharan Africa.
These children live in overcrowded neighborhoods and households with increased risk to injuries, with limited access to quality essential services. Even when such services are available, they may be unaffordable and inaccessible to poor urban children and families. These challenges are further exacerbated for some inhabitants, due to their gender, disability, refugee, or migrant status, etc.
Children living in urban slums are often engaged in dangerous and exploitative work also increasing their risk to injury deaths and disabilities. Many urban families work in the informal economy, without access to social protection mechanisms. There are still gaps in ensuring effective reach and adequate design of cash transfer programmes to meet multiple vulnerabilities of children and families in urban slums and informal settlements.
Cities, and children living in cities, are particularly vulnerable to climate change- almost 70 per cent of cities are already dealing with the effects of climate change, and nearly all are at risk. Climate change is a threat multiplier, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable. Much of the world’s urban population lives in coastal cities and in slums and informal settlements that are usually situated at the edge of the cities and in low lying areas.
The higher child mortality and morbidity among children living in slums is attributable to the living conditions worsened by urban waste and severely inadequate disposal and environmental pollutants.

Dealing with slums and informal settlements remains one of the main challenges for many urban governments globally. Urban governments either do not have the planning tools to deal with rapid urbanization, or the tools in place are not sufficiently responsive.
This event, organized by UNICEF, UN Habitat, Slum Dwellers International, will bring together stakeholders to discuss the challenges faced by children living in slums, share data and ideas, and promote action toward building urban resilience. The conversation will hopefully lead to a Call for Action, following the event, focused on aligning slum transformation with SDG 13 (Climate Action), emphasizing the role of disaster preparedness, climate adaptation, and inclusive urban governance in creating safe, resilient spaces for the most vulnerable populations. The event will also highlight the importance of financial partnerships in scaling up these efforts.
Expected Call for Action
The event will culminate in a Call for Action, focusing on mobilizing key stakeholders to commit to supporting urban resilience efforts in slums, particularly for children. As the discussions have highlighted, addressing climate risks, improving infrastructure, and enhancing child protection in slums is critical for safeguarding the futures of millions of vulnerable children.
We call upon financial partners, policymakers, and urban planners to:
• Invest in urban resilience strategies that align with SDG 13 (Climate Action).
• Support the transformation of slum environments through innovative financing and scalable solutions.
• Advocate for child-centered urban policies that ensure the inclusion of children’s needs in all urban development plans.
This Call for Action will serve as a platform for continued collaboration and investment in sustainable urban development that prioritizes children’s well-being in slums and informal settlements.