DeCID has launched its third thematic brief which delves deeper into the topics of child development and participation in the context of urban displacement. Previous thematic briefs focused on children and urban displacement, and how to work with children affected by displacement.
There has recently been a surge in interest in urban childhoods, but the topic is not new. Several studies have pointed towards the built environment’s impact on children’s wellbeing, their mental health, self-worth and ability to learn, but more research is needed. “Child Development and Participation in Urban Displacement” by DeCID Co-Investigators Riccardo Conti and Joana Dabaj, DeCID Researcher Giulia Galli, and DeCID Principal Investigator Dr Andrea Rigon, explores the impact of the built environment on child development, what constitutes child-friendly cities and and why setting up child friendly spaces is especially important in contexts of crises.
The authors recommend that when working with child participation, the diversity of the children needs to be taken into account, and argue that through children’s participation, decision makers engaged in such processes will be able to make better informed choices, leading to better outcomes.
Download the Thematic Brief No. 3 here (pdf, 2MB)
