Integrated initiative sought to build child and youth friendly city

Speakers today said it is possible to build a child and youth-friendly city through the consultation and participation of all concerned including policymakers, researchers, civil society, urban planners and development agencies.

They expressed their views at a virtual discussion titled "Future Cities Dialogue: Reshaping the Cities for Children and Youth" jointly arranged by Save the Children in Bangladesh and World Vision, reads a press release. 

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Bangladesh Program Coordinator Dr Khalid Hossain said, "We need to understand how children and youth are thinking. The city of the future is theirs. We have to plan our city keeping in mind that how they want to live with the wildlife, water, environment." 

Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) Member Secretary Architect Iqbal Habib said, "We are failing in playing a strong role in planning and inclusion. We think it's important for me to survive, to enjoy now. The responsibility of returning the borrowed land to future generations remains implicit in our urban planning."

Prior to the discussion, Save the Children in Bangladesh Urban Resilience Manager Simon Rahman gave a presentation on the need to build a child and youth friendly city and the need for their inclusion. 

The other speakers were, Tony Michael, Director- Advocacy & Policy Influence, World Vision Bangladesh, Farhana Hafiz, Gender Mainstreaming Analyst, UN Women, Monika Biswas, Manager- Child Sponsorship, Action Aid,  Md Liakath Ali, PhD, Director- Climate Change & Urban Development Program, BRAC, Dr Kazi Maruful Islam, Professor, Department of Development Studies, University of Dhaka, Dr Sarah Sabry, Urban Lead, Save the Children, Dr Nazmul Huq, Head of Resilience Development Program, ICLEI, Ishita Alam Abonee, Urban Development Specialist, World Bank, Shamima Siddiky, Program Specialist (Urban), UNICEF.