The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA, India), has undertaken an initiative in partnership with the Bernard van Leer Foundation (BvLF) to build Child Friendly Smart Cities (CFSC) in India within the urban agenda of building smart cities. The goal of this initiative is to mainstream the needs of children in the urban policy and planning framework of Indian cities under key theme areas - public health, safety and security, transport and mobility and living conditions through programme of activities focused on advocacy and interventions in urban areas.
It is the first time an initiative like this, which looks at children's needs in a comprehensive manner through the lens of urban planning and design across four key theme areas (Public health, Safety and Security, Transportation/ Mobility and living conditions) is being taken up in the country. Governance aspects across the key theme areas will also be considered for greater convergence of various agencies to address children's needs.
The main objective of the initiative is to bring greater awareness amongst urban planners and policy makers about the interrelationship between a child's health and the built environment. The program aims to stimulate innovation and partnerships between city agencies, urban policy makers, planners, architects, business leaders and NGO's to better address and prioritize children's needs around issues such as housing, sanitation, education, health, transportation, mobility, environment, leisure and play through practical and impactful interventions.
