Planning child-friendly, educating, and learning cities : an urban framework for Sao Paulo

Abstract

By 2030, if socioeconomic inequalities are not tackled soon, worldwide, almost 70 million children under age five will die, and 60 million children of primary school age will not be attending school (UNICEF 2016). In cities, socioeconomic inequality between urban regions, and huge disparities in educational access prevents excluded children from developing their full potential, thus perpetuating intergenerational cycles of inequity. This thesis argues that cities and city planners have a crucial role in the collective responsibility of guaranteeing children's and educational rights. I use three city concepts promoted internationally by UNICEF, UNESCO, and IAEC to guarantee children's rights, lifelong learning, and educational rights to propose a new urban plan. I use a multi-method approach including historical analysis, semi-structured interviews, spatial analysis, and participation in public meetings to analyze six Brazilian multi-sector projects, propose a framework and apply the framework to the city of Sao Paulo. The framework is an integrated urban and education strategy to create a Child-Friendly, Educating, and Learning City, or what I call a CEL City. This research makes diverse contributions to the existing literature on city planning, education, and children's rights. First, the new framework allows cities to put both children and education at the center of the urban planning agenda. Second, my work fosters a strategic urban plan that builds multi-sector, intergenerational, and interdisciplinary cooperation for a more inclusive and effective process for urban and educational development. Third, I create a CEL City Master Plan formed by a Network of CEL Territories -- place-based community systems, which include a Democratic Forum, a Socio-Educational Network, and Integral Education Schools -- that foster the intellectual, social, cultural and educational development of children and youth and make them agents in the development of their city.