Inclusive Cities for Sustainable Families

According to the World Bank, today’s urban population of about 3.5 billion people is projected to reach 5 billion by 2030, with two-thirds of the global population living in cities. City leaders must move quickly to plan for growth. The speed and scale of urbanization brings challenges for all family members such as children, parents, youth, persons with disabilities and older persons. The capacity to tackle challenges is essential to assure a safe growth of all family members that live in the city. Some suggested relevant areas for it should promote affordable housing; well-connected transport systems; meeting accelerated demand for infrastructure and built environment; ratio of the available land, urban development focused in nucleus family needs, urban growth designed for persons with disabilities, respect and social inclusion; access to community support and health services; communication and information; as well as civil participation; jobs and opportunities, particularly for the nearly 1 billion urban poor who live in informal settlements.

The most recent presentation of the Project on "Inclusive Cities for Sustainable Families" was held in Marseille on April 4th-5th 2018, organized by the Municipality of the City, in partnership with the European Local Inclusion and Social Action Network (ELISAN), the Department of Bouches-du-Rhône, the Regional Council of the Veneto Region and the International Federation for Family Development (IFFD).

About the project

This project is directed to cities and Regions that wish to actively contribute to goal SDG11 to be inclusive of sustainable families by being responsive to their needs. Their commitment will consist on presenting once a year a report about the results of their work on the following points.

1. Housing
Cities design should include all family situations and social groups, flexible urban and environmentally sustainable planning, and social services to meet every need.

2. New Technologies
The need of connecting people through new technologies should be also included to ensure social inclusion, to bridge the digital gap via training of seniors, professional carers and socially disadvantaged families.

3. Education
Inclusive and quality education for all and promotion of lifelong learning (SDG 4) should lead to the improvement of accessible and affordable childcare facilities in locations close to the residence or workplace of parents, parenting education, participation of older persons in educational activities for the younger, intergenerational meeting places for cultural and leisure activities, youth integration practices as well as second chance schools and chances to reintegrate in society.

4. Healthcare
Organization of campaigns to promote healthy habits and lifestyles, especially those targeted to prevent mental disorders and to meet the needs of senior citizens, setting the necessary structure to stimulate innovation and human relations in hospitals as well as medical attention of visitors and tourists.

5. Safety
Creation of a welcoming environment in the streets based on solidarity, mutual support and social interaction, through instruments like promoting volunteers, a neighbourhood police, the use of cameras and public lightning, information and training on how to behave in case of natural disasters, terrorist attacks, etc.

6. Clean Air
Creation of as many green areas as possible, tax benefits for garden buildings, progressive reduction of pollution produced by public transportation, increase of charging points for electric cars and support for circular economy.

7. Transportation
Design of a plan to make public transportation more rational and accessible, to dissuade citizens to use private cars, and to take advantage of teleworking as much as possible.

8. Affordability
Plan to facilitate access to housing for the most disadvantaged citizens, including promotion of smart cohousing solutions for different target groups with common use of services, efficient energy-saving and flexible buildings, and intergenerational arrangements to provide care for the elder and cheaper housing for the younger.

9. Leisure and Tourism
Foster of active engagement in the volunteering sector to conserve and restore the cultural and touristic of the city, as well as tools to facilitate access to cultural activities for all through special prices and adhoc exhibitions and locations for museums, theatres, etc.

10. Vulnerable Families
Establish specific programs to recognize the value of unpaid work and care, and address the needs of families in vulnerable situations, including single-parent families, large families, migrant families, etc.

For more information about the project on "Inclusive Cities for Sustainable Families", please click here.

Source: IFFD