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UN-Habitat and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have developed this Guidance on Child-Responsive Urban Policies, Laws and Standards to support governments at all levels to create urban spaces where children can access basic services, clean air and water; where children feel safe to play, learn and grow, which includes ensuring their…

Progress in urban areas is vital to achieving outcomes for children. In 2020, around 56 per cent of the world’s population – some 4.4 billion people – lived in urban areas, of which 1.18 billion were children. That figure is set to rise to 70 per cent by mid-century, with over 90 per cent of the growth taking place in Africa, Asia, Latin America,…

More than half of the world’s population – some 4.5 billion people – live in urban areas. As millions more make the move each month, many end up in slums or informal settlements. An estimated 350 – 500 million children live in slums, with limited access to essential services like health care, education and sanitation. Opportunities stemming from…, Publications and resources, UNICEF's response, By 2050, an estimated 70 per cent of the world’s population will live in urban settings, with most population growth occurring in low- and lower-middle-income countries. Without a stronger focus on children in cities, humanitarian organizations will fail to reach the most vulnerable children with the protections set out under the Convention of the…, Learn more

Goal Area 4 of the 2018-2021 UNICEF Strategic Plan encompasses four results areas: (1) WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene), (2) disaster risk reduction, resilience strengthening and peacebuilding, (3) urban programming and local governance, and (4) climate, energy and the environment. Good progress was made across all of these areas despite the…, UNICEF set its most ambitious WASH target ever for the 2018–2021 Strategic Plan: to reach 60 million people with water and sanitation services in their communities through direct support. The target was achieved, an exceptional result given the operational challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. GARR2021-Goal-are-4-figure-1 Number of additional…, girl-drinking-water Disaster risk reduction, resilience strengthening and peacebuilding, UNICEF helps to reduce the risk of disasters and strengthen resilience in the countries where it works, investing more than US$250 million across 150 countries over the 2018-2021 period. In 2021, UNICEF helped strengthen early warning systems in 27 countries, supported the updating of 44 preparedness plans and provided risk-assessment support for…, children-filling-water-can Urban programming and local governance, Over the four-year Strategic Plan period, UNICEF expanded its engagement in local governance and urban programming in response to increasing inequities within countries and deepening deprivations that affect children in their communities. UNICEF supported urban-specific interventions in over 100 countries globally and has engaged with 3,845…, youth-planting-tree Climate, energy and the environment, The climate and environment crisis is a crisis for children, threatening their development and their very existence. In 2021, UNICEF released the Children’s Climate Risk Index, the first global atlas of climate and environmental risk from a child right’s perspective, showing that almost every child is now exposed to at least one climate or…, smiling-girl-holding-water-can Looking forward, The new UNICEF 2022-2025 Strategic Plan defines how UNICEF will contribute to child-related SDGs over the next four years, defining the pathways to achieve an inclusive recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and, ultimately, the realization of a society in which every child is included and has agency, opportunity and their rights…, Read more and support our work, June 2022, Global Annual Results Report 2021 GOAL AREA 4 Every child lives in a safe and clean environment Cover image: UNICEF/UN0560201/Dubourthoumieu Souza Mbomba, 19 years old, draws water from a new spring-sourced water system developed with the support of UNICEF in Mutonji district, Kasai Oriental province, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.…

UNICEF made good progress towards Strategic Plan 2018-2021 Goal Area 4 targets in 2020. Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services were maintained and expanded for millions of children and their families. Support was provided for child-centred disaster risk reduction and disaster recovery efforts, and UNICEF worked with partners to foster…, Goal Area 4 progress against 2020 targets across five output areas The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of a safe and clean environment for children. But it also underlined the fragility of systems and services upon which they rely. The numbers of households, health centres and schools without access to adequate water and hygiene…, WASH, Icon representing drinking water - water in a glass 17 million people gained access to safe drinking water services Icon representing sanitation - a toilet 13.4 million people gained access to basic sanitation services Icon representing sanitation - hand underneath a tap 110 countries implementing national community-based hand-washing programmes …, Hygiene, From the beginning of the pandemic, handwashing with soap was identified as the first line of defence against the transmission of COVID-19. In response, UNICEF significantly expanded handwashing promotion efforts through media and social media campaigns, and provided support to community-based handwashing promotion programmes in 110 countries,…, Menstrual health and hygiene, Improving menstrual health and hygiene for girls and women is a challenge in the best of times, during a global pandemic the challenge became that much greater. Through the ‘periods don’t stop for pandemics’ campaign, UNICEF helped girls and women get access to menstrual pads and culturally- and age-specific information and provided emergency…, Safe water supply, A total of 17 million people gained access to safe water services through UNICEF direct support in 2020, and an additional 30.2 million people were provided with short-term emergency water services, such as water trucking. Other people were reached through UNICEF advocacy efforts to waive tariffs and subsidise water utilities during the pandemic.…, Climate-resilient WASH, UNICEF is committed to promoting climate resilient WASH to ensure that benefits for children are realised now and in the future, and that WASH systems – and communities that depend on them – have the tools and support to cope with climate change. In 2020, UNICEF provided support for climate-resilient WASH solutions in a total of 46 countries. This…, WASH in schools and health centres, WASH in institutions programming was ramped up in 2020 in support of the global effort to address COVID-19, particularly in the areas of hygiene promotion, infection prevention and control, and ensuring the functionality of WASH systems. A key part of the COVID-19 emergency response was support for safe school reopening programmes through the…, Emergency WASH response, In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, WASH supplies and services were delivered to vulnerable populations in 120 countries, ultimately reaching 106 million people. The scale and scope of this support varied widely. In some countries UNICEF pitched in by delivering a few thousand bars of soap to a small number of targeted schools and health centres…, Sanitation, UNICEF helped 13.4 million people gain access to basic sanitation through regular programming in 2020, lower than targeted due to the difficulty of field work during the pandemic and shifting priorities. Almost three-quarters of these beneficiaries were in sub-Saharan Africa, where UNICEF focuses its direct support because it has the lowest…, WASH and gender, Through all its WASH programming, UNICEF works to promote the rights of women and girls in different ways. One is through WASH in schools programming, where UNICEF works to ensure that sanitation and hygiene facilities are girl-friendly: private, lockable, clean and with menstrual hygiene facilities and supplies.   UNICEF ensured that COVID-19 …, WASH and disability, Children with disabilities have the same rights to water and sanitation as other children, but they may not be able to fully realize these rights due to lack of access to disability-inclusive and accessible facilities and services.   Inaccessible sanitation can be particularly problematic for children (and adults) with disabilities, who can be…, Urban WASH, The shift towards a greater focus on urban programming continued in 2020 with the launch of the UNICEF global framework for urban WASH, the release of a new analysis of WASH coverage in urban areas with a focus on access disparities, and a significant increase in results for children in urban contexts through both development programming and…, Disaster risk reduction, resilience strengthening and peacebuilding, Icon representing risk - warning symbol and a falling arrow 56 countries had child-sensitive national or local risk management plans which address risks related to disasters, climate change, conflict, public health emergencies or other crises , Child-centred disaster risk reduction and recovery, Momentum continued on promoting child-centred disaster risk reduction and disaster recovery efforts both internally within UNICEF and together with partners. UNICEF efforts in this area are cross-sectoral and mainstreamed through all sectoral programming. UNICEF also ensured that COVID-19 responses were conflict-sensitive and supported social…, Peacebuilding and sustaining peace, UNICEF implemented peacebuilding programmes in 70 countries in 2020 - more than ever before - with the goals of bridging community and inter-generational divides, reducing social tensions and addressing the root causes of conflicts. These efforts leveraged UNICEF sectoral engagement in the areas of education, WASH, early child development, child…, Urban programming and local governance, Icon representing urban setting - a person surrounded by buildings 71 countries had data on intra-urban disparities, including girls and boys in informal settings, Urban programming, With more than 90 per cent of COVID-19 cases reported in urban areas, UNICEF developed global urban-specific guidance material to strengthen and adapt social services to respond to the health, social and economic crisis. Through regular programming, UNICEF supported urban and rural governments in 55 countries to make their development plans child-…, Local governance, As the level of governance closest to people, subnational and local governments play an important role in ensuring the fulfilment of child rights while reducing disparities and inequality. In 2020 UNICEF supported local governance systems strengthening and capacity building by engaging with multiple stakeholders at national, subnational and local…, Climate, energy and environment, Icon representing environmental sustainability - globe with a leaf 74 countries implemented child-inclusive programmes that foster climate resilience, environmental sustainability and low carbon development, Advocacy and evidence generation, Although not widely recognized, climate change is a child rights crisis because children bear the brunt of its impacts. UNICEF continues to make this a central theme of its global advocacy. For example, the briefing document Reimagining our Future: Building Back Better from COVID-19 presents a set of solutions to reduce the impact of COVID-19…, Engagement and empowerment of children and young people on climate, energy and the environment, Action on climate and the environment is driven by the energy of young people, and UNICEF programmes promote their engagement and empower them through education. In 2020, UNICEF worked in 106 countries to engage children and young people on advocacy, communication and campaigning around climate change and the environment. Through this support,…, Reducing emissions and pollution, Approximately 93 per cent of children under 15 – a total of 1.8 billion young people – breathe air that is so polluted it risks their health and development. UNICEF air pollution response programmes were being implemented in nine countries in 2020, including in Myanmar, where data was gathered on the sources of air pollution, youth networks were…, Internal sustainability/greening UNICEF, UNICEF has aligned its 2030 carbon reduction target to the 45 per cent reduction target (from 2016) set by the United Nations Secretary-General in September 2019, and will once again be recognized as carbon neutral after offsetting unavoidable emissions. In 2020 UNICEF conducted 23 internal eco-efficiency projects (including solar energy projects…, Looking forward, A young woman standing in a classroom in front of a blackboard A boy standing in front of solar panels and waving A girl standing in front of a white wall with colourful butterflies and flowers painted on it In 2020 UNICEF made good progress on its plans to help ensure a that every child lives in a safe and clean environment, despite the…, With thanks, This report highlights the achievements made possible by the generous contributions of softly earmarked thematic funding received from various partners. UNICEF would like to express it's sincere appreciation for these contributions. June 2021, Global Annual Results Report 2020 GOAL AREA 4 Every child lives in a safe and clean environment Cover image: UNICEF/UNI332257/Keta Hamsatou Bolly, 13 years old, became a child leader in the Socoura displacement camp, in Mopti, Mali, sensitizing other children on hand washing and COVID-19. Expression of thanks: UNICEF/UN0372916/Naftalin Five-year-…

Water shortages are a major risk in urban areas – including secondary towns and cities – around the world. This Guidance Note was created in response to that risk and describes the implications on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programming for UNICEF staff and partners, with suggested interventions. It highlights the dynamic threat of urban…

UNICEF works to safeguard the right of all children to a safe and clean environment both in times of stability and crisis. Under Goal Area 4 of the UNICEF Strategic Plan, 2018–2021, programming is grouped under five output areas: water supply, sanitation, disaster risk reduction, children in urban settings and environmental sustainability. In each…, In times of crisis and stability, all children have the right to a safe and clean environment in their homes, communities, schools and health-care facilities. This right is enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other human rights instruments. In 2019, this right was increasingly placed under threat by extreme weather events,…, Results, Significant progress was made in each of the Goal Area 4 output areas in 2019. Millions of children and their families in vulnerable communities gained access to water and sanitation, an increasing number of countries had child rights-sensitive risk management plans, more countries had data on intra-urban disparities, and a total of 56 countries…, Water, sanitation and hygiene, Significant progress was made in 2019 in the area of WASH. The rate of progress needed for reaching the target of 60 million people with water and sanitation over the 4-year Strategic Plan period was exceeded for water, but not for sanitation. However, the pace is accelerating for sanitation, and UNICEF expects to meet the target by 2021. There…, Climate resilience WASH programming, UNICEF recognises the need to fully incorporate climate resilience into all WASH programming by the end of 2021. UNICEF continues to expand its use of solar technology in WASH programmes to improve the resilience and sustainability of water supply systems and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. In 2019, it supported the construction of 1,286…, Safe water supply, In both 2018 and 2019, the Strategic Plan annual target of 15 million water beneficiaries was exceeded and UNICEF is well on track to meet the overall target of 60 million over four years. The largest number of people reached was in Nigeria, Iraq and Pakistan; the region with the most UNICEF water beneficiaries was the Middle East and North Africa…, Ending open defecation and increasing access to basic sanitation, The number of people practising open defecation was halved from 1.3 billion in 2000 to 673 million in 2017 (the latest year of available data) and rates declined in all SDG regions except Oceania and with the greatest progress in South Asia. UNICEF contributes to this progress both through direct support for improved sanitation, and by working the…, Emergency WASH Response, UNICEF responded to emergencies around the world in 2019, including major responses to cyclone Idai in Southern Africa and to the ongoing security and cholera crisis in Yemen. In total, UNICEF helped restore water services for over 39 million people in 2019, and sanitation services for over 9 million people. UNICEF’s Water Under Fire campaign –…, WASH and Gender, Menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) is one of the five priorities in the UNICEF Gender Action Plan 2018–2021, due to its transformative potential to empower adolescent girls. UNICEF support for MHH across country programmes continues to expand with activities in 72 countries. Two Indonesian girls holding up their mobile phones UNICEF EAPRO/NH…, WASH and disability, The human rights-based approach adopted by UNICEF means that WASH programmes work to ensure that that all children’s rights to water and sanitation are met, including those with disabilities. This imperative holds a prominent place in the UNICEF global WASH strategy, and in other policy and strategy instruments, which stress that it is the…, Disaster risk reduction, resilience strengthening and peacebuilding, UNICEF is increasingly focusing on the linkages between humanitarian response and longer-term sustainable development, strengthening resilience to climate change and disasters, and promoting peaceful and inclusive societies., Risk analysis and risk-informed programming, Risk-informed programming contributes to effective humanitarian programmes, which save children’s lives, alleviate suffering and lay the foundations for long-term recovery and sustainable development. A teacher sitting with young students in school uniforms under trees UNICEF/UNI265994/Jung In Sri Lanka UNICEF worked with government ministries to…, Peacebuilding and sustaining peace, UNICEF continued to address the social dimensions of conflict and social tensions through its programming. Across all seven regions in 2019, 59 country offices implemented Country Programmes with explicit objectives to promote peaceful and inclusive societies and address the underlying grievances that lead to violence, conflict and challenges to…, Urban programming and local governance, An estimated 1.4 million people move into urban areas each week. With many of them ending up in slums or informal settlements, the poor urban population continues to increase both in actual numbers and in proportion to the overall urban population. Currently, more than 1 billion people live in slums, including 350 million children.   These…, Urban programming, UNICEF is increasingly focusing its programmes on children living in urban settings, in response to the explosive growth of the urban population in recent decades. UNICEF is working closely with UN-Habitat to integrate child-related indicators in the City Prosperity Index, which is used to measure a city’s overall achievements with respect to…, Local governance, UNICEF works with local governments to help ensure that plans, budgets and service delivery are child-responsive, and that services are consistent with the preferences, needs and perspectives of children. UNICEF programming strengthens local governments’ capacity to plan, organize services, prepare for emergencies, budget equitably and monitor and…, Climate, energy and environment, Children are the least responsible for climate change, yet will bear the greatest burden of its impact. They are the most vulnerable to vector-borne diseases that will increase as a result of climate change, and to air pollution, which is associated with climate change. Close to 90 per cent of the burden of disease attributable to climate change…, Advocacy and evidence generation, The climate crisis is a children’s rights crisis, but is often not recognized as such. At the 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Madrid (COP25), UNICEF hosted a high-level event, ‘We Dare: Children and Youth vs the Climate Crisis’ to reinforce the need for climate change negotiations and commitments to integrate the protection of…, Engagement and empowerment of children and young people on climate, energy and the environment, With the growing movement of young people demanding accelerated and more ambitious actions on climate change, UNICEF has a unique role to play to ensure that their voices are adequately heard and responded to by decision makers. UNICEF supports the meaningful engagement of children and young people in a range of formal and informal consultation…, Reducing emissions and pollution, The only long-term solution to address climate change is a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In addition to advocacy with governments and other partners, UNICEF is focusing on reducing emissions and pollution in its own programmes across all results areas. This includes increasing the use of solar and other forms of sustainable…, Going forward, Good progress has been made in 2019 with most results areas on track to meet the UNICEF Strategic Plan targets but no result areas are currently on track to meet the 2030 SDG targets. At the time of writing, UNICEF is in the process of realigning its programmes for children in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Future progress and results will…, Global Annual Results Report 2019 GOAL AREA 4 Every child lives in a safe and clean environment Cover image: UNICEF/UN0339415/Frank Dejongh Hasenat, a seven-year-old girl washing her hands at the playground of the Sayef High School in Faizabad, Afghanistan, says: I want to become a doctor to treat the children Expression of thanks: UNICEF/…

The world is rapidly urbanising, swelling impoverished urban settlement populations – exacerbating exclusion and inequality in access to WASH services for the poorest and most marginalised children and their families. As of 2018 an estimated 4.2 billion people, or 55 per cent of the global population, were living in urban areas. A third of them…

The challenge for children and young people of growing up urban

At a time when the global urban population is expanding by 220,000 inhabitants every day – or some 80 million per year – this report supports the scale-up of urban programming for children to foster equitable and sustainable development. The report notes that an estimated 1 billion people now live in urban slums, and hundreds of millions of them…

This publication calls all urban stakeholders to invest in child-responsive urban planning, recognizing that cities are not only drivers of prosperity, but also of inequity. Through 10 Children’s Rights and Urban Planning principles, the handbook presents concepts, evidence, tools and promising practices to create thriving and equitable cities…, Get the latest data, research and analysis on the issues affecting children around the world., Browse all UNICEF publications, Discover our latest reports and explore by topic. October 2018, Shaping urbanization for childrenA handbook on child-responsive urban planning United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) May 2018 All reasonable precautions have been taken by UNICEF to verify the information contained in this publication. For corrigenda subsequent to printing, please see www.unicef.org/publications. Permission is required to…