Youth Engagement for Child Rights Friendly Communities

• In Event: Pedagogies that amplify youth voice and compel social action

Proposal

Nearly a third of the four billion people living in urban areas today are children. By 2050, 70 percent of the world’s children will live in cities (UNICEF, 2022). Youth have been historically excluded as research partners in the development of projects, including data collection, analysis, and interpretation (Tisdall, 2017). As the emphasis on inequality has become central, and discourse on the importance of child rights has become more prevalent, research on young people’s participation is increasing (Levine, 2018; McMellon & Tisdall, 2020; Tisdall, 2017; Tisdall et al., 2008). Research conducted at the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE, 2021) found that youth actively participate when they have opportunities, but such opportunities are not available in many communities (Levine, 2018).

The Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI), launched in 1996 by UNICEF and UN-Habitat, is contributing to children’s rights by working with governments and community organizations at local and state levels in 35 countries. A community that is committed to child rights works to ensure young people’s rights to provision, such as healthcare, education, and housing, protection from violence in all forms, and opportunities to develop agency, make decisions, and contribute to their communities.

On International Youth Day – August 12, 2020, UNICEF USA introduced the Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) in the U.S. The first cohort of cities (Houston, Minneapolis, and San Francisco) and one county (Prince George’s County) began working with key stakeholders, including government officials, community leaders, children, and youth as a model to conduct community assessments of child well-being. Based on their findings, CFCI communities developed and are implementing local action plans that engage youth in advocating for policies and practices to prioritize their best interests. This approach is intended to empower intergenerational leaders to address the impacts of systemic racism, discrimination, and the pandemic on children, as well as magnify youth voice in local governance and decision-making.

This paper explores the opportunities and challenges for youth participation and civic engagement through an analysis of UNICEF’s first U.S. CFCI cohort (UNICEF, 2022). Through a qualitative analysis including interviews with CFCI pilot community leaders and a review of the findings of the U.S.-based CFCI cohort work within the past two years, including community assessments, local action plans, and young people’s role in both, this presentation will share possibilities and hurdles for youth participation and engagement This paper will also highlight how the CFCI cohort applies the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) (UN Office of the High Commissioner, 1989), the primary document guiding children’s human rights. The CRC has become the international standard for defending the provision, protection, and participation of children and youth. Nations and communities that have committed to a child rights framework are obligated to fulfill the articles outlined in the CRC. Data indicates that children in countries which have ratified the CRC are healthier, happier, and more satisfied and successful (Edmond, 2020; Gromada et al., 2021; OECD, 2021).

Author

• Kristi Rudelius-Palmer, University of Minnesota