Cities play a pivotal role in shaping the lives of their residents, and the inclusion of youth in urban development is crucial for fostering innovative and sustainable communities. According to the 2020 World Youth Report, young people aged 15 to 24 years old make up over 1.21-billion or 16% of the entire world’s population. This number is expected to grow to 1.29-billion and over 1.34-billion by 2030 and 2050, respectively, emphasizing the significant demographic influence of young people on the urban landscape. Almost 90% of these young people live in developing countries.
Despite this demographic prominence, the youth often face barriers in actively participating in urban development. A report by the United Nations indicates that youth are frequently marginalized in decision-making processes related to urban planning, limiting their ability to contribute fresh perspectives and creative solutions to the problems that they themselves face and will have to hurdle in order to become productive members of society. According to a survey conducted by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability and Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation (GIB), these problems include pollution and health; deficiencies in public infrastructure and transportation; and crime and harassment, among others.
Given this engagement problem, how can cities empower and engage their youth to be effective urban changemakers, especially when it comes to their urban environments?
This online event will share key learnings and insights from the implementation of the youth-focused Safe and Sound Cities (S²Cities) programme in Naga City and Baguio City, Philippines. It seeks to advocate for the inclusion of young people in urban development planning and implementation.
