Speaking up for child-friendly cities

Students share ideas about inclusive placemaking at international conference

INSIGHTS and suggestions from children’s point of view were shared at the Petaling Jaya International Child-Friendly City Conference 2023.

Some 250 children attended the conference at the Petaling Jaya Civic Centre.

They included students from China, Japan, Korea and Indonesia.

They participated in the “World Cafe Workshop – Placemaking With Children: Creating an Inclusive Public Space, Park and Playgrounds”.

The students presented their ideas at the end of the conference.

Representing Malaysia and Indonesia were Kenneth Leong Kain Zhen and Hujjah Lishaumi Kirana from Bandung, Indonesia.

Leong said, based on the workshop, there was a need for monitoring and evaluation to assess the effectiveness of educational and inclusive park models as well as soliciting feedback from the community.

Some 250 children attended the Petaling Jaya International Child-Friendly City Conference 2023.

“There should be more advocacy for sufficient funding and resources to support the development and maintenance of educational and inclusive park models,” he said.

“These are integral components of a child-friendly city.”

Petaling Jaya deputy mayor Aznan Hassan said the conference, organised in conjunction with World Children’s Day, was part of the city’s commitment to manifest the children’s rights and participation.

“The children at the conference discussed their ideas on their rights to play and experience leisure in a safe and inclusive public space, park and playground in Petaling Jaya,” he said.

Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) Development Planning Department director Lee Lih Shyan said authorities should not always cite budget restrictions when planning facilities for children.

“By providing for the children’s needs, we are catering to the population’s needs too,” he said, adding that 25% of Petaling Jaya’s population are aged 18 and below.

Unicef Malaysia social policy specialist Yin Yee Tham said children’s needs must be put first in urban planning.

Participants included students from China, Japan, Korea and Indonesia.

She said child-friendly cities attract business opportunities too.

Yin said children were more susceptible to air pollution, noise pollution and traffic accidents as they were biologically more vulnerable, and as such, had a right to participate in city planning.

To understand what a child-friendly city is, children themselves need to be asked this question.

She added that the voice of the children from the disadvantaged background must also be heard to enable holistic planning.

“Children must demand to be involved when facilities are designed for them,” she said.

She said teachers played a role in educating children on their rights while schools could provide opportunities for students to model respectful behaviour.

Parents, too, need to listen to their children more and demonstrate how democratic decisions were made, she added.

Children should also share their ideas with their elected representatives, community and the local government.