Healthy and Just Cities for Children and Youth

In October 2016, the United Nations adopted ‘The New Urban Agenda’ at the Conference on Housing and Sustainable Development – a set of guidelines and measurements that will support the implementation of the SDGs in urban areas, specifically Urban SDG #11 “Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. As a lead partner of UN-Habitat's World Urban Campaign, World Vision was approved to organise three Urban Thinkers Campuses as part of a global initiative to inform the New Urban Agenda.

On October 28 2015 in Geneva, Switzerland, World Vision International hosted the “Healthy and Just Cities for Children and Youth” Urban Thinkers Campus, drawing experts from UN-Habitat, World Health Organisation, International Labour Organisation, Stockholm International Water Institute, Eawag, WasteAID and other leading organisations.

The Campus explored principles, practices and policies that improve access to water, waste and sanitation within informal settlements. Discussions offered possible business models that simultaneously improve the urban environment, reduce public health risks and engage young people in safe and dignified employment within these sectors.

The event promoted the importance of cities to be equitable, inclusive and transparent – where the process of designing and monitoring urban policies and services occurs at all levels of the city. Transparent cities support innovative governance approaches such as participatory budgeting and community contracting, reflecting meaningful multi-stakeholder engagement.