Need to integrate children's vulnerabilities in urban planning, design: Goa child rights panel

Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Peter Borges on Friday urged policymakers, urban planners and community leaders to prioritise in their strategies the health risks children face from pollution, climate change and unsafe living conditions.He was speaking at a workshop organised by ICLEI South Asia and Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited.He emphasised the need for a child-centric approach in urban planning and environmental design.Understanding childrens vulnerabilities are crucial when designing environments for them.

Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Peter Borges on Friday urged policymakers, urban planners and community leaders to prioritise in their strategies the health risks children face from pollution, climate change and unsafe living conditions.

He was speaking at a workshop organised by ICLEI South Asia and Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited.

He emphasised the need for a child-centric approach in urban planning and environmental design.

''Understanding children's vulnerabilities are crucial when designing environments for them. This includes considering their physical vulnerabilities, such as health risks from pollution and climate-related phenomena, and psychological vulnerabilities such as the impact of living in unsafe and unstable environments,'' he said.

Borges said children living on the streets or in precarious situations face enormous risks, which are often overlooked in city planning. ''We also need to rethink how we define and create child-friendly spaces, considering physical inclusiveness for children with disabilities and other vulnerabilities,'' he added Sanjit Rodrigues, managing director of Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited said almost 70 per cent children will live in urban areas by 2050.

''This is a significant proportion and highlights the urgent need for child-compliant urban planning, public space design, and policymaking. These studies highlight a subject that is complex, encompassing social, economic, and political dimensions,'' he said.

Rodrigues said he is particularly interested in understanding the equity in our open spaces and whether these are universally accessible.

''Let us make tangible improvements, even if they seem small, such as enhancing the safety of parks. In Panaji, we're committed to implementing these guidelines and showcasing them as successful examples for other cities,'' he added.