13/04/2026
Cities across the world are being urged to rethink urban design with children at the centre, as a new global guide highlights the urgent need for safer, inclusive, and accessible public spaces.
A recent report by the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and UN-Habitat stresses that designing cities for children ultimately benefits everyone.
Public spaces are not just recreational areas but are essential for a child's physical, emotional, and social growth. Access to parks, streets, and open areas enables children to play, explore, and build relationships.
However, fewer than half of urban residents worldwide have access to nearby public spaces, and the situation is significantly worse in low-income regions.
The idea of public space should be expanded beyond traditional parks and playgrounds. Streets, schoolyards, markets, and even small unused plots can serve as valuable play areas.
This approach is particularly important in densely populated or under-resourced neighbourhoods, where formal recreational spaces are limited.
A key challenge is inequality. Well-developed neighbourhoods often have better infrastructure, while poorer areas lack safe spaces for children.
Safety concerns such as heavy traffic, poor lighting, and unsafe environments further restrict children's mobility. Social barriers, including exclusion and harassment, disproportionately affect girls and vulnerable groups. Environmental factors such as pollution and extreme heat also pose risks, reinforcing the need for greener and healthier urban spaces.
Cities can adopt simple yet effective measures, including traffic calming zones, safer school routes, improved lighting, and opening school grounds for community use after hours. Transforming unused land into small parks and involving local communities—especially children—in planning is a good strategy.
Urban planners and policymakers must prioritise child-friendly designs and invest in underserved areas. Even small interventions can significantly improve quality of life. Creating cities that work for children is not just an ideal but a necessity—one that leads to healthier, more inclusive, and resilient urban environments for all.
This guide, developed by WHO, UNICEF and UN-Habitat, highlights the importance of public spaces for optimizing children's health and well-being, and realizing their comprehensive rights. It provides support for practitioners in developing and improving public spaces for children in planned urban con...
