Roundtables - Children and Youth Roundtable (WUF13)

Good afternoon, distinguished guests, excellencies, colleagues, and my fellow young leaders. It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Children and Youth Roundtable at the 13th session of the World Urban Forum held in Baku. And thank you to all of you joining us virtually as well. My name is Esther Ngete, Youth and Gender Advisor at the International Disability Alliance. If you would allow me, I am a young African woman in a blue short-sleeved dress. Apart from my conference badge, I have silver colored necklace on and the silver colored earrings. And thank you so much for joining us. And as I understand, I'm actually making history, as in the history of the World Urban Forum, this is the very first time a person with a visual disability is moderating or speaking at a session that is not related to persons with disabilities. And it's of great excitement to me because one of the big aspects of my career has to do with intersectionalities, and as persons with disabilities, we are not just persons with disabilities, we are youth, we are children, we are women, we are parents, we are all these identities, and we face both of this, all of these identities and their challenges in equal measure. So it's always a pleasure to find my space, myself in a space where it's not just persons with disabilities, but in diverse ways as well. So thank you so much. This roundtable is informed by the youth and Youth and Children General Assembly, which was held on Sunday 17th May, and by the broader Worf 13 agenda. It comes at a critical moment when Worf 13 is focused on housing, is focused on housing, the world through safe and resilient cities and communities. And today's conversation asks a very important question: How do we ensure that children and youth are not only discussed in urban policy, but are actively shaping the cities, settlements, housing systems, and public spaces that determine their futures? Our session today will move from inspiration to action. We will hear open reflection from high-level speakers, followed by a panel discussion focused on evidence-based solutions, practical recommendations, and a way forward. We will then open the floor Floor for wider roundtable discussion and conclude with action pledges from stakeholders. The purpose of this session is not only to speak about children and youth, but most importantly to listen to them, learn from their leadership, and identify concrete actions that can feed into a post-WAF 13 action agenda. I invite all of us to participate today with openness, agency, and a commitment to action. I will now invite his Excellency Minister Farid Gaybov, the Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan, to make opening remarks. Thank you.

Thank you very much, dear Mr. Patrick, Bahar Hanım. I am greeting on the behalf of the Minister of Youth and Sport all young people, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Baku. I believe you heard this sentence many times. Well, we prepared the long speech. I will try to read it as soon as possible, because in order not to forget anything. And if you allow me, I immediately will follow this text. So, we I would mention that we are proud that Azerbaijan has served for centuries as a historical crossroad of civilization, cultures, and ideas. And as the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, highlighted during the opening ceremony, that not only Baku, but also many ancient Azerbaijani cities, including Shamakhi, Nakhchivan, Ganja, One of the oldest cities in the world, Gabala, Sheki, and the cultural pearl of Karabakh, Shusha, stand as remarkable examples of rich architectural heritage and urban civilization. I am confident that many of our guests have already had an opportunity to experience the historical atmosphere of Baku's Old City and witness iconic landmarks such as Maiden Tower, a true symbol of resilience and cultural continuity for the Azerbaijani people. Therefore, it is not Coincidence that Azerbaijan is hosting the World Urban Forum at the time when the future of cities is being actively reimagined globally. As a minister responsible for youth and sport, I am proud that Azerbaijan cities host major international event. We organize every year here Formula 1 event. Last year we did a CIS game, and Baku-Hankendi cycling race just finished. In general, Baku is the Sport Capital of the World for 2026. These events, of course, reflect the growing international role of our cities and their contribution to youth engagement and regional cooperation. A meaningful example was the first International Youth Forum held in Nagdam after nearly 30 years of occupation, bringing together hundreds of young people from Ecoregion in the spirit of dialogue and recovery. Today's discussion is not merely about urban development. It's about people, inclusion, resilience, and responsibility. We share to shape cities that are sustainable, equitable, and human-centered. Above all, it's about ensuring that the voice of children and young people are fully reflected in this process. In this regard, we highly value our close cooperation with UN-Habitat and its Baku office. Those partnerships through recent months within the Azerbaijan Urban Campaign has played an important role in strengthening youth engagement, inclusive dialogue, and participation in shaping sustainable urban futures. Because the future of cities cannot be discussed without the participation of the generation who will inherit and transform them to advancing the new urban agenda and achieving the sustainable development goals. In Azerbaijan, where young people represent nearly 22.5% of population, we recognize that investing in youth means investing in the long-term stability, innovation, and sustainable development. At the same time, we remain conscious of the global challenges many children and young people continue to face, including unequal access to housing, public services, and opportunities for participation in urban life. Therefore, for Azerbaijan, sustainable urban development is not only a policy objective, but a national priority closely linked to youth empowerment, social inclusion, and building safe, accessible, and livable cities for future generations. Through initiatives such as National Youth Capital Program, cities including Shusha and Lankaran have become important platforms for strengthening youth engagement, expanding cultural and social participation, and promoting regional development. Equally important is our commitment to promoting healthy and active communities. Initiatives such as Healthy Communities, Sport Mornings, and the Fit Track Project aim to make public spaces more accessible and engaging for young people, encouraging healthier lifestyles and stronger social cohesion. At the international level, Azerbaijan continues to actively support multilateral cooperation on youth and urban development issues. Earlier this year, Baku hosted the D8 Youth Delegate Meeting, which resulted in the adoption of the D8 Baku Youth Declaration under the theme "Youth: Shaping the Future of the Global Urban Agenda." In preparation for this forum, we also worked to amplify youth voices from the local to the global level. One important example was the side event entitled "Scaling Youth-Led Urban Innovations." from the ECOSOC Youth Forum to WUF13, organized jointly with the Republic of Türkiye, the Republic of Uzbekistan, and the Federal Republic of Somalia, with the support of UN-HABITAT. Key outcomes from the discussion highlighted the strong commitment of the young people to ensuring meaningful youth participation in urban governance and local decision-making processes. The event also emphasized the importance of strategic and cooperative dialogue to strengthen support system for use-led solution and affordable and inclusive housing, as well as the need for increasing strategic investment to effectively support and scale use-driven innovation in sustainable urban development. This discussion clearly demonstrated that the young people are ready not only to participate in urban governance, but also to lead innovative solutions for more affordable, inclusive, and sustainable cities. At the national level, under the initiative Youth and the Cities in the Future, Azerbaijan organized a nationwide youth dialogue across 33 youth houses and youth centers, bringing together young people from both Baku and the regions to answer one important question: What kind of city do young people want to live in? Their message was clear: young people want cities that are green, inclusive, accessible, safe, and human-centered. They emphasized that cities are not only about roads and buildings, but about connection, community, and quality of life. Participants highlighted the importance of accessible and multifunctional public spaces, greener urban environment, and safer cities for everyone, particularly women, children, older persons, and persons with disabilities. They strongly supported sustainable transportation system and concept of 15-minute city, where education, healthcare, and essential services are accessible within a short distance from home. Young people also emphasized the importance of stronger regional opportunities, environmental sustainability, and greener urban development through cleaner transportation, expanded public spaces, and greater civic engagement. At the same time, they reminded us that sustainable cities must remain inclusive and people-centered, where innovation and technology strengthen community life and human connection. Distinguished participants, as we gather here today for the World Urban Forum, we must recognize that the success of sustainable urban development will depend not only on infrastructure and investment, but equally on participation, trust, solidarity, and human connection. Young people are ready to contribute ideas, innovation, and leadership. Our shared responsibility is to ensure that their participation is not symbolic, but meaningful; not temporary, but institutionalized; and not limited to consultation, but fully integrated to urban governance and decision-making processes. Azerbaijan remains firmly committed to advancing inclusive urban development, strengthening youth participation, and promoting international cooperation in building sustainable cities and communities. We firmly believe that empowering young people today is one of the strongest investments we can make in a more resilient, peaceful, and sustainable future for all. I wish the children and youth roundtable every success and look forward to productive discussion that will emerge from this important platform. I thank you.

Thank you, Your Excellency, for welcoming us and for opening and for your remarks for this important discussion. I will now invite Her Excellency Ms. Bahar Muradova, the Chairperson of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, to make her opening remarks.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues, children and young people, first of all, I would like to.

Warmly welcome all participants to this important roundtable organized within the framework of World Urban Forum 13.

I also wish to express my sincere appreciation to the organizers for dedicating this timely discussion to the role of children and youth in shaping the future of our cities and communities.

Now in English, sorry.

I will switch now to English.

Colleagues, children, and young people, first of all, I would like to warmly welcome all participants to this important roundtable organized within the framework of World Urban Forum 13. I also wish to express my sincere appreciation to the organizers for dedicating this timely discussion to the role of children and youth in shaping the future of our cities and communities. Today's dialogue provides an important opportunity to reflect on the environments in which children grow, learn, and develop, and on how we can better ensure their safety, well-being, and equal opportunities. At the same time, this discussion carries particular importance in promoting the meaningful participation of children and young people in decision-making and implementation processes that directly affect their lives. As emphasized by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, during the opening ceremony of the forum, sustainable cities are not defined solely by modern infrastructure, but by living environments that ensure a human well-being, social justice, and security. Today, the concept of home extends far beyond a physical place of residence. For a child, home represents a safe and supportive environment for development, access to education and care services, opportunities for play and social interaction, and a sense of belonging. At the same time, home also means family, the first social environment where a child feels heard, protected, respected, and valued. In this regard, when planning adequate housing and child-friendly urban environments, several priorities should remain at the center of our efforts. Distinguished participants, today, the world is facing increasingly complex challenges. including rapid urbanization, climate change, social inequalities, and forced displacement. Unfortunately, children remain among the groups most vulnerable to the impact of these processes. Children living in informal settlements, vulnerable communities, and conflict-affected and post-conflict settings often face serious barriers in accessing adequate housing, quality education, health care services, and safe public spaces. For this reason, we believe that urban planning and housing policies should be guided by a human rights-based approach, particularly one grounded in the rights and best interests of the child. Children should not be viewed merely as beneficiaries of social policy. They are active partners in shaping the future of our cities, and their experiences, perspectives, and needs must be reflected in urban development processes. Therefore, children's daily experiences and expectations should be systematically integrated into urban governance and planning processes. The Republic of Azerbaijan has identified the protection of children, the creation of a safe and supportive environment for their development, and the strengthening of inclusive social policies among the key priorities of state policy. The existing legislative framework of our country, including the Strategy on Children for 2020-2030, together with other legal and institutional mechanisms, identifies the creation of safe and inclusive environment for children as a strategic priority. At the same time, national policies related to urban development and territorial planning are based on the principles of public participation and socially oriented planning. This provides an important foundation for addressing children's well-being in a more systematic and sustainable manner within urban governance. One of the important approaches presented by Azerbaijan within the framework of the forum is the human-centered reconstruction model. This approach seeks to ensure a safe, dignified, and hopeful future for children and youth in post-conflict recovery and reconstruction processes. We firmly believe that child-friendly cities are not built through infrastructure alone. They require integrated policies that combine social protection systems, inclusive urban planning, community participation, digital safety, environmental sustainability, and intergenerational solidarity. Distinguished participants, today's roundtable reminds us once again of a very important trust. If we genuinely wish to build inclusive and sustainable cities for the future, we must first ensure that they are safe, healthy, and livable for children. We must strengthen the bridge between the family, environment, and society, because cities designed for children ultimately become better places for everyone. We believe that the discussions held within the framework of World Urban Forum 13 will contribute to a stronger integration of children's rights and interests in the future urban policies and development agendas. Allow me to conclude my remarks with the words of Alvin Abdullayeva, an activist on the Child Ambassadors Assembly operating under the State Committee, a network uniting nearly 6,000 members across the regions and secondary schools in Azerbaijan, and a fifth grade student from the secondary school of Sumayil village in the Zakatala district. She says, "For me, family is the noisiest place in the world, yet at the same time, the most peaceful one. Let us work together to build cities and public spaces where every child can grow up in dignity, safety, and peace, and where every home is filled with children's voices. Thank you for your attention, and I wish the Forum very success in its work.

Thank you very much, Your Excellency, for those important reflections. We hope that as children and young people, and as partners working with them, we can continue working together to create more livable, inclusive, safe, and resilient cities for all. We'll now hear a video message from His Excellency, Mr. Felipe Mr. Philippe Pollier, Assistant Secretary-General in charge of Youth Affairs.

And head of the United Nations Youth Office, an office created by the General Assembly to advance youth issues and meaningful youth participation at every level. It is my privilege to join you at the 13th session of the World Urban Forum Children and Youth Assembly at this roundtable and pavilion. For young people everywhere, home is not just where they live. It is where they grow, where they feel safe, and where opportunities begin. Yet for far too many, that foundation remains uncertain. Across the world, millions of young people face inadequate housing, live in informal settlements, or experience the growing impact of climate change in their neighborhoods. And this is something that must change. Every young person deserves a home that offers safety, dignity, and hope. And every city, every community, and every neighborhood has a responsibility to make that possible. That means investing in affordable housing, ensuring access to basic services, and creating safe, inclusive public spaces where all children and youth can thrive. But homes alone are not enough. We must also talk about liveability. For young people, a liveable city is one that is healthy, that is inclusive, and that is full of possibilities. It is a city with adequate and affordable housing, with clean air and green spaces, a city where mobility and basic urban services are safe and accessible. A city that connects young people to quality education, to decent jobs, and to digital opportunities. And today, liveability also means resilience, because climate change is not a distant threat. It is already reshaping cities and communities around the world. Across the globe, young people are already leading. They are innovating, they are organizing, and they are redesigning your communities in bold and very creative ways. What young people need is real power, real power to shape decisions rooted in institutions and systems. So today, I call on policymakers, on city leaders, and on institutions Please listen to young people, invest in their solutions, and institutionalize their meaningful participation in urban planning and governance as partners and not only beneficiaries. Because when we work with young people to co-create cities, we do more than build infrastructure. We are building trust, we are building resilience, and we are building shared futures. Together, let us build cities that are not only livable, but they truly belong to all of us. Thank you very much.

Thank you to Assistant Secretary-General Felipe for that powerful message. It's now my pleasure to invite Her Excellency, the Executive Director of UN-Habitat, Ana Claudia Rospach, for her opening remarks. Thank you.

Thank you, thank you, Chair. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, partners, young leaders, children, youth, It's a privilege to be here today with you at the Children and Youth Roundtable. I really would like to extend my warm greetings and gratitude to His Excellency Farid Gaybov, Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan. And Her Excellency Bahar Muradova, Chairperson of the State Committee for Family, Women, and Children Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, for their support and dedication to advancing this agenda here in Azerbaijan. but also for hosting us here in this beautiful country and city, and helping us to enjoy. I also would like to recognize that we have spaces here that are dedicated for children. And actually one, I don't know if you've been to the playground, and I've been to some of them before. I think I never seen the playground so crowded. as I've seen here. And I think it's important that we think about spaces for children use in everything that we do. But I would like to first call your attention for one of the features of the global housing crisis. We've been talking about the global housing crisis that cannot leave my mind. And this one was mentioned by Philippe, is informal settlements. We have 1 billion people living in informal settlements. And as a community, as a global community, and me myself, I think we cannot accept, we cannot allow ourselves to have another generation of kids, children being born in slums. And I would like to put it right away as an emergency, urgent task that we need to tackle. It is ahead of us as we start our new strategic plan, UN-HABITAT 26-29, as we are reviewing what happened with the New Urban Agenda in the last 10 years. and how children and young people have been left behind, and what is the focus that we need to give for the next 10 years. Another aspect of the crisis and the urbanization trends that we are living that I would like to highlight is that right now we have 50% of the population living in cities. In 2050, we're going to have 70%. I think we all know these statistics now after how many days? Four or five days of the World Urban Forum. But my whole point is, 2 billion people are coming to cities, cities that are already facing gaps. Many informal settlements, as an example. But in Africa, if we zoom into Africa, we're talking about 600 to 900 million, hundreds of millions of people coming to cities in the next 20 years. And they are young. They are young. So urbanization and the global housing crisis is affecting disproportionately large segments of our population, geographies such as Africa and Southeast Asia, who are really suffering with the big wave tsunami actually of urbanization that's happening, and children and youth. So just to start our conversation. And then I would like us to make an exercise and put ourselves in the shoes or absence of shoes of children and young people living in the diverse faces of the global housing crisis. So let's imagine, we spoke about slum, a child living in a slum that has to go to the school every day, and there's no school around, or there's a school far away, or there's no transport. Then the child goes to school, comes back home with homework. There's no safe space to do the homework because the housing conditions are extremely precarious. My rain, like it did here, it happened here on Sunday, and then kid has the homework to do and the house is flooded. So this, or electricity drops, or if we have another pandemic like we had in COVID, they cannot connect to the school. because the digital connectivity is unequal, and they don't have access. So this is the life we are talking about. A kid living in homelessness situation, I've been seeing in my missions that more and more, we see whole families living on the street in situation of homelessness, not single persons. not male only, but women, more and more women, and more and more kids and whole families living on the streets. They have no chance, right? Let's talk about health. How often are kids living in an informal settlement, on the street, get sick and has perhaps sometimes no clinic, no health service close by? or no access to more sophisticated health services. There's no proximity. And how this kid can stay at school. Let's think about a young person who is starting their life, going to the university or starting a job in a new city, and goes look for a house to live and realizes they cannot afford to pay the rent. They cannot afford to buy the house and cannot start the job, cannot start the university, the education, and so on. So I just wanted us to see these faces and to help us to feel what they feel and the urgency of what we're discussing here. As you have touched, we are committed. I can list a couple of initiatives that we are working on in terms of young game changers, Hail City, a planning guideline only for women minister that we design, use 2030. We have partnerships, Cities for Children Global Alliance, the United Nations Interagency Network on Youth Development, which we want to strengthen. But this is not enough. We need to work as a coalition, and I think this World Urban Forum here in Baku, Azerbaijan, can help us to bring us to another level. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Your Excellency, for this powerful message. And now, on behalf of the Children Stakeholder Constituency, it's my pleasure to welcome Ms. Nasarin Askaseid, Azerbaijani youth leader, to deliver a keynote speech on the topic Our homes, our future, solutions for livable cities. Nazriene, you have the floor.

Hello, everybody. My name is Nazriene Skerzadeh, and I'm the child group coordinator at Ecosfera. I am from Azerbaijan myself, and it's really proud for me to talk here on this important topic, because I think it's really important to raise awareness on this topic, because I'm a child myself, and I do in fact face some difficulties in cities and urban planning. That's why we're all here to talk about it. So the thing that I want to mention is that my topic is livable cities and youth. I think cities shouldn't just grow economically. I think they should grow emotionally as well. I think it's really important to create a community for kids to understand that it's really safe for us to stay in a place and know who we're living close to. As a child myself, I'm really proud to speak on a topic that directly affects my generation and our future. I also want to speak of my personal experience. I am a citizen of this country, and I've grown up in a city of the old town. It's a landmark in here, and I've experienced the community and feeling safe, even waking up, walking around, and I'll be knowing the people that I'm living next to. Our parents would know each other, my friends and I, we would know each other, and I think it's really important to have a sense of community, to have a sense of safety, because children are here and we're all here to protect them. And it's really important, especially with urban planning, because that's how we make it happen. As well as, i also want to mention urban and rural areas, that as factored, there's lots of people who are struggling in rural areas. There's not enough stability, not enough of help to them. That's why I think it's really, really important to raise awareness, especially as we are right now. And I think the core message of my speech would be children do not only need housing, we need a safe space. We need a safe environment. We need to go to school thinking that we're going to go to school and have fun, not thinking that we're going to school and the road I'm taking to school. It's also important to have education, health care, especially, in every single city. Personally, I think education and health are not a privilege. It's a must that everybody should have. And there are lots of solutions to it. Solutions like Building a household, building a city that matches what children need, building a city that helps us understand that people care for us, that people are here to help us, and they really look forward to us growing up and us being the next change makers. 'Cause obviously, the next generations are the generations we pass on to. That's why it's also important to maintain stability, I would say, between the age limits, and especially having children represent children at the round tables like I am right now, which I'm really, really proud to do here. So I also especially want to continue with the fact that lots of, lots of cities are in fact struggling right now with maintaining stability within the age gaps, equality, I would say. So I think it's really important for all of us to help. As Azerbaijan hosting the WUF, we are really proud to do that, in fact, for presenting and representing our culture to all of you guys, and especially talking about this issue, because we do take responsibility, and we're really happy that we are here to help everybody. even the cities that don't have enough support or the cities that don't have enough awareness to them. So, I wanna say that I am really proud of my own city, of being here for me as a child, for being here to support my needs. Whatever I need to need, I have it here. And I really, really hope that everybody, every single child around the world has the same possibilities I have, has the possibility to speak up, has the possibility to walk around their city and feel safe. That's why we're all here, to help them, to make them understand that it's not just a topic, it's a really, really big issue. It's an issue all of us should work on. It's an issue people should speak up about more and more and more than we are right now. And I want to conclude my speech with every child deserves not only a house to live in, but a community where they feel safe, valued, and at home. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Nazreen, for that inspiring keynote and for grounding us, grounding our conversation in the realities, hopes, and leadership of children. Equally, on behalf of the Children Stakeholder Constituency, I'll invite Mr. Imtiaz Ahmed, child rights advocate from the National Children's Task Force in Bangladesh, to deliver his keynote remarks.

Hello, everyone, and a very warm welcome to you all. My name is Imtiaz Ahmed, and I'm from Bangladesh, a student. From last six years, I have been working as a child advocate at National Child Task Force Bangladesh, the largest child organization who is working for child. To be honest, I never imagined I would be standing on the global stage delivering a keynote speech. I am here today because of a 40-second video, a reel, I created for competition. The City Through a Child's Eyes. This was a competition by Save the Children Bangladesh. Across Bangladesh, all children were participated in this competition. In that reel, I wanted to show a truth that we often passes without looking. Today, I want to tell you a story, not a story of two different cities, not a story of two different countries. But a story of two different children who are living in the same city, Dhaka. Just imagine both of them are Imtiaz Ahmed. One Imtiaz is living his life, and another Imtiaz is surviving his life. My day starts in a comfortable room. I wake up safe. I have electricity, clean water for my shower, a warm breakfast made by my mom, and a school where teachers support my dreams. After school, I attend tuition classes, hang out with my friends online, study, have a nutritious meal, and go to sleep without any burden. Surviving, this is what we call living. But there is another Imtiaz, who is living in Korail slum in Dhaka. He wakes up in a tiny, crowded room shared by six family members. There is often no electricity. and no running water. He has to stand in lines just to use toilet. When the rains flood the streets and causes water logging, he has to walk through knee deep dirty water just to reach schools. He remains in fear, fear of fire, earthquakes, which can take away everything, even their lives. Every month, he worries that his family will not have the money to keep him in school. Even after school, his day is not done. He has to work to help his parents. Surviving forces you to become an adult way too early. He works to support his family, bring food to home, some to reduce pressure from his parents. But end of the day, they laugh together, they smile together, they survive together. One important thing. Please, do not pity him. Surviving like this Imtiaz is not just a story of suffering. It also carries resilience, strength, and hope. Sometimes, the surviving Imtiaz has something that the living Imtiaz does not have: the ability to find happiness in the smallest things. The strength to keep dreaming even when the system gives you very little. Around 500 million children are surviving in slums and informal settlements. They are not just symbols of suffering. They are incredibly strong. They know how to find joy in the smallest things, and they still keep dreaming. But we must remember, strength should never be an excuse for injustice and inequality. No child should have to fight every single day just to have their basic rights. In developing and least developing countries, millions of children don't live, they just survive. Why are we building cities and towns where one child gets to fly while another is trapped in daily battle to survive? A city can never be truly child-friendly if we do not ensure children's rights and their active participation in decision-making. This is why we need active and meaningful child participation. We don't want to be ignored when the real policies are written and solutions are created. We want to be heard. We, the children, are the experts in our own way. We know which streets are safe for going to schools. We know how hard it is to play when there are no parks and playgrounds. We know the taste of polluted air in our cities. We feel the joy when you build something for us. We want our city leaders, designers, and global leaders to sit with us, listen to our struggles, experiences, and expectations, and create solutions with us and for us. To make this happen, we need more words and promises. We need real actions. We need national governments, city leaders, and global organizations to show genuine political will. We need to invest in children's rights, include our opinion in city planning and budgeting processes. Invest in safe housing, clean drinking water, accessible schools, health care, safe streets, and safe playgrounds, and pollution-free environment, which will not only benefit children like myself, but also millions of children who are just surviving in slums, in streets, engaged in child labor and losing their childhood, and contribute to overall human development to countries. As I finish today, I share a dream with you, a dream of a future World Urban Forum, where the main theme of the Inter-urban Forum will be how to build child-friendly cities for every children. Let's build a world where children do not just survive, but where every child, regardless of their postcode, has their right to truly live. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. And thank you to all our opening speakers for setting the tone for this roundtable. We will now move into the panel discussion. This part of the session is focused on stocktaking, evidence-based solutions, recommendations, and the way forward. Our aim is to identify practical actions that can help ensure that children and youth are meaningfully involved in shaping adequate housing livable cities, safer settlements, urban planning, data systems, and partnerships, and post-WHAF13 follow-up actions. Each panelist will have three minutes to respond to their assigned questions. After the panel discussion, we will have We'll open the floor for comments and questions from the audience. Sorry, my panelists, I have to be very strict with my time, but let me now introduce my panelists. We are joined by Sarah Sabry from Save the Children and Cities for Children Global Alliance. Safrina Irungu, co-chair of Martha Roots and UN-Habitat Youth Advisor. Rafael Hajibeli from the National Assembly of Youth Organization of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Alina Raisin, a German youth delegate. And Alina and Linicia Roden from Young Women and Men of Purpose. And finally, John Andrew Pineda from the Sangguniang Kabataan Council, Youth Council. Thank you all for joining us and for bringing your leadership and expertise into this discussion. My first question is to Alina. Both UN-Habitat's strategic plan and WAF 13 prioritize adequate housing. But children and youth often define livability in ways that go beyond the physical housing unit. For them, livability also includes safety, affordability, accessibility, green spaces, transport, schools, and public services. So my So my question to you is, how can we move from recommending to mandating livability priorities defined by children and youth as core non-negotiable components of municipal policies on adequate housing?

Thank you very much for this important question. I feel very honored to sit here with all the experts. don't mean the experts sitting on this panel, but in all rows, because I believe that expertise doesn't come with age, it comes with a passion and perspectives we bring to this round table and to this room, because we are all experts of our lived realities, especially as young people coming from different countries. And first of all, I'm happy that we now move from the what and why, we had wonderful speech about that before, but to the how. How can we move from recommending to mandating? And even beyond that, towards real implementation that can actually be felt on the ground. So I'm 23 years old, I'm a student, I guess here also more students in the room, and I can tell you there's a big difference between recommended readings and mandatory readings I have to prepare for an exam. When time and resources are limited, and I think that's the same for students, for governments, but also UN organizations, we naturally have to prioritize what is mandatory. And failing an exam in university is one thing. I personally have to deal with the consequences of that. But failing to adequately address the housing crisis is a completely different story. That failure has already and will have devastating consequences for millions of people, especially children and youth and marginalized communities. And these consequences will only deepen if we continue to treat livability priorities as options instead of obligations. So coming back to your question, how can we move from mandating livability priorities defined by children and youth? I would argue that there are three things we need. Spaces, people and honesty. First, we need spaces. Spaces where young people can meet, organize and collectively develop solutions. That can mean youth centers where youth organizations can gather and develop solutions. This can also be conferences like this one where we broaden our perspectives and create partnerships, or exchange programs between youth councils from different cities. Because participation cannot happen if there is no space for participation. And secondly, people. We need to involve the right people, especially those directly affected, from the very beginning and throughout the entire process. We need community-led action backed by adequate funding and institutional support so that young people can speak for themselves and implement solutions that reflect their and our realities. And third, we need honesty. Honesty about the fact that all of this is not a linear process. Housing challenges are complex. Policies will need readjustment. Some approaches will fail, some will succeed. And we need the transparency and accountability and willingness to listen and readjust continuously instead of pretending that we have all the solutions already on the table. So, ultimately, if we want to move from recommending to mandating livability priorities defined by children and youth, we must create the spaces where the right people meet with honesty. Because only then can adequate housing become not just a recommendation, but a lived reality for children and youth worldwide.

Thank you so much, Alina. And I'll move to Rafael. What mechanisms are needed to ensure young people are meaningfully involved in defining, monitoring, and evaluating these priorities across diverse regional contexts?

Thank you very much, distinguished guests, dear colleagues, dear young participants. It's a pleasure to join this discussion and to speak about the topic that is becoming increasingly important for Azerbaijan and for many countries around the world: the role of young people in shaping sustainable, safe, and resilient cities. In Azerbaijan, 2026 has been declared the Year of Urban Planning and Architecture. Urban development in Azerbaijan is not only about buildings, roads, and infrastructure, it's about people, communities, and the quality of life we create for future generations. When we speak about cities, we speak about access to education, mobility, housing, public spaces, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion. These are issues that directly affect young people, and that is why young people must not only be part of this conversation, but also actively participate and influence the decision-making process. related to the future of our cities and our communities. For Azerbaijan, the topic of urban development has a special meaning. In recent years, our country has been going through a major process of reconstruction, urban renewal, and regional development. In liberated areas, new infrastructure is being built, cities and communities are being restored, and long-term approaches are being taken toward sustainable urban planning. This process shows how, in a short period of time, restored territories can once again become living communities where people return and create a foundation for future development. In this context, Goal 13 is especially important for Azerbaijan, as it connects the global urban agenda with our country's own practical experience. In this process, the role of young people is essential, and in Azerbaijan, youth development is not an afterthought, it's a national priority. The foundation of state youth policy was laid by national leader, Heydar Aliyev, who attached a special importance to the development of young people and their active role in society. Today, this policy continues creating opportunities for young people to release their potential, contribute across different fields, and take part in forward-looking initiatives. This approach has shaped an environment where young people are not only supported, but also trusted to lead. connect communities, and contribute to partnerships based on responsibility and cooperation. As NAORA, National Assembly of Youth Organizations of Republic of Azerbaijan, uniting 156 youth organizations, our role is to connect young people with youth organizations, governmental institutions, international stakeholders, and corporate partners to help them fulfill their potential within their respective fields. We work to ensure that youth participation is not symbolic. but practical and meaningful. In the context of urban development, that means creating opportunities for young people to engage with experts, contribute ideas, and to be part of the project that shape the future of our cities and communities. We at NAIOR actively support youth organizations and young people who want to specialize in areas connected to urban development, architecture, sustainability, and community planning. As I already mentioned, Youth policy is a national priority, and it can clearly be seen in the approach of state institutions toward young people and youth organizations. We work closely with many state institutions, and we maintain active cooperations through working groups, joint initiatives, and grant competitions, creating collaborative environment where young people can contribute ideas and develop projects. So we make sure that their participation is not symbolic, as I already mentioned. And in the field of urban development, together with Ministry of Youth and Sport, we also work very closely with State Committee of Urban Planning and Architecture of Republic of Azerbaijan, and we organize trainings, discussions. ideatons, events, and different in different formats to provide young people with necessary tools, knowledge, and professional connections they need to progress in the fields and make sure that their voices are heard. We recently organized Urban Vision. It was an initiative that brought together young people studying architecture, urban planning, and related fields, including those educated both in Azerbaijan and abroad. And the purpose was to create a practical learning space where young people could engage with real urban challenges and take part in sessions and field-based activities. and better understand how cities are planned and developed and transformed over time. And so we believe that youth participation in urban development should be structured and connected to real and practical opportunities. Young people interested in architecture, environmental issues, public policy, or community development should have clear ways to learn, engage with experts, and contribute to future initiatives. And this is exactly what serves as an answer to the question that has been raised. We are ensuring that young people are meaningfully involved in defining, monitoring, and evaluating urban development priorities across diverse regional contexts. Participation mechanisms must be continuous, inclusive, and connected to decision-making processes. Youth engagement should not be limited to occasional consultation or forums. Instead, young people should be represented in thematic working groups, advisory councils, monitoring platforms where their perspectives can directly contribute to policy discussions and practical implementation. It's also important to create opportunities for youth from different regions, social backgrounds, and professional fields to participate equally, so that urban priorities reflect the diversity of communities themselves. At the same time, partnerships between youth organizations, governmental institutions, international stakeholders, and experts are essential to provide mentorship, access to information, and long-term cooperation. This way, young people can contribute not only by participation, not only as participants, but also as active partners in shaping sustainable and inclusive cities in the future. And what I believe is even more important, that we have opportunities as Mayora, we have as National Youth Council, we have opportunities for young people to propose their own ideas, launch their own projects, and to make the changes they want to see in the world themselves. So I would Also like to approach today's discussion in the same spirit. I'm very much looking forward to hearing the ideas and perspectives of young people present here today as a National Youth Council. We're always open to cooperation and ready to develop projects together with organizations you represent or with you individually, and to have them either in Azerbaijan or globally. I hope that after today's discussion, together we will take another step towards building more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient cities. while creating greater opportunities for young people and to create the future of our communities. I think my speech took a bit longer than it expected, but I hope that after this, we will be able to create partnerships and this meeting will be effective for all of us. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Rafael. And I will come to you, Lenisia. Spatial segregation continues to isolate young people from productive economic hubs. What specific urban planning strategies and zoning reforms can move us towards a productive housing model that integrates affordable living and offers proximity to economic opportunities for young people and caregivers.

All right, thank you very much, Estelle. So I want to start with a simple truth that young people in countries and communities like mine, and I'm from Jamaica, already know where you live determines what you can become. It's not really your ambition and talent, but it is affected by where we live. When affordable housing is pushed to the urban periphery, far from the jobs, reliable transportation, schools, and opportunities, that it's not just a planning failure, it's actually a policy choice, and it is one that we must and can correct. Spatial segregation is not accidental. It is a product of decades of single zoning land markets that price young people out of well-located areas. And housing policies actually disconnects young people from economic planning. This results in young people, and caregivers especially, spending two, sometimes up to four hours a day commuting, losing income, and losing time with their children, families, and just to access work, their businesses, and even other opportunities. If we look at the UN-Habitat Strategic Plan, it is very clear that adequate housing must unlock opportunities and drive economic growth. But housing located hours from economic hubs does the opposite. It locks people into poverty rather than lifting them out of it. We cannot talk about productivity or productive housing without talking about location, because proximity is not a luxury, it is infrastructure. I'd like to propose three strategies, the first being mandate mixed-use and mixed income zoning. Cities must move away from single use residential zoning towards legally mandated mixed-use frameworks. This means that the new residential developments above a certain scale, they must include accessible commercial, co-working, and service spaces within the building itself or within the immediate block. It shouldn't be in the next city or across town, but it should actually be next door. In our assembly session recently, We identified a core reform to decentralize zoning frameworks so that employment agencies, schools, and public services, they're embedded within a 15-minute walk of every residential point. This is really not a new concept. It is a 15-minute city principle that should be applied as a legal standard and not remain as an aspiration. We must also require inclusionary zoning in well-located areas that mandate that a percentage of all housing units in economically active zones be affordable, especially for children and youth. This keeps young people in the city centers where opportunity already exists, rather than displacing them to the marginal areas. The second strategy is to embrace chrono-urbanism, which is the plan for time. and not just for space. So we need to rethink how we use the infrastructure that we already have. Again, one of our sessions in the Children and Youth Assembly highlighted this powerful idea of chrono-urbanism, time-based planning that activates buildings across different hours of the day. Practically, what does this look like? If we think about our schools, every evening, schools across our cities, they're empty. While everyday public libraries across our cities, they're also being less used. These are publicly funded assets embedded in residential communities that we are simply not maximizing. So we are calling on the municipal authorities to implement dual use of public infrastructure and implement this as a policy to activate both. open schools as subsidized co-working spaces and incubation centers for hours, maybe after school. We're also proposing that libraries, beyond their usual opening hours, and even within their opening hours, they can be dedicated spaces for especially entrepreneurs. It could be a co-working desk, it could be a booking room for meetings for entrepreneurs, it could also be a workshop space for skills training and even business development. Libraries, they already have the connectivity, they have the space, and they have the community trust. What they need is a mandate to serve the economic life of the neighborhood, not just its reading list. And again, we can look back at the UN Habitat Strategic Plan, which explicitly recognizes that well-located and mixed-use neighborhoods, they enable equitable access to services and opportunities for all. So chrono-urbanism is how we can operationalize that at low cost with existing buildings. And the final strategy that I would like to recommend is to embed entrepreneurship and economic opportunity within every productive housing zone. So this strategy, I'm very passionate about entrepreneurship and youth development, and proximity to economic hubs is not enough for youth. We must bring economic activity inside the productive housing model itself. What does this look like in practice? It means intentionally integrating innovation centers and co-working spaces, business support hubs, into every new affordable housing development. It should not be an afterthought, but it should be anchored and built into the design, built into the zoning requirements, and built into the financing conditioning. Infrastructure alone is not sufficient. Young people also need the tools to use it. So this would look like packaging every productive house zone with access to entrepreneurship support, such as business training, business mentorship, technical assistance, and access to financial support to start and operate their own businesses or even social enterprises. They should also have access to microfinance opportunities, whether within the area or in close proximity. Here is a reform that matters most. So residents, particularly youth, they must also be given first priority to set up businesses or access jobs within these integrated commercial spaces, not as a preference, but as a right that is embedded in the lease and the land agreements that govern these developments. If public money or public land is used to build it, then local young people must be first in the door. This model will transform housing from just passive shelters into an active economic ecosystem. And this is how we can convert a roof over somebody's head into a launchpad for their own livelihood. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you so much, Linisia. And we'll be coming to you next, Sarah. Slum upgrading can be slow moving sometimes, spanning several decades where many childhoods can be lost. What are some immediate, low-cost, and community-led interventions that cities can implement right now to make slums and informal settlements safer, healthier, and more nurturing for children.

Thank you very much. I appreciate all the great suggestions that are emerging. Open schools after hours, a World Urban Forum dedicated to child-friendly cities, all great ideas, which I hope you in Habitat is noting down as recommendations. So, as we think of a future where there's adequate housing available, basic services, some of this stuff will take some years to happen, right? But what are the urgent and immediate needs of children growing up in slums today is the part that I want to focus on. As you can see, there's a little slide up there, and try to kind of quickly put those down in collaboration with the members of the Global Alliance Cities for Children. What are kind of 10 solutions we need to focus on right now for children in slums? First, there's a global action plan for transforming slums and informal settlements that exists. But there's very little financing for it, so we need to advocate for more financing for this plan. Second of all, we have seen great examples of child hubs in slums that address the immediate needs of children, putting children who are out of school back to school, for example, addressing the huge levels of malnutrition in slums to make sure children suffering malnutrition are immediately addressed. These cannot wait for, you know, in a few years, there will be adequate planning and neighborhoods. and urgent needs that must be addressed now. A lot of slums and informal settlements are on the urban periphery, in peri-urban areas, so encouraging urban farming, supporting that for adequate nutrition would be another immediate solution. Early child care is not only an intervention for children, it is very important because 80% of a child's brain grows in the first three years of life, so we need to make sure that they're getting adequate early childhood facilities, but it's also an economic intervention for caregivers so that they can both go work, especially mothers, and contribute to household income. Investing in community health workers. There are incredible programs around the world in slums that we are seeing where volunteers or people from the community are going house to house, home to home, checking on the status of children, of adolescent girls, on mothers, on pregnant women, et cetera, to make sure that they're receiving adequate nutrition, that their health is fine, addressing first aid and so on. So we should be investing in these existing programs today. In every slum and informal settlement, you'll find a place where there's a lot of rubbish gathered or an empty space. If we can quickly clear out these spaces, transform them to green, clean, child-friendly public spaces, this would be a very quick, low-cost win in many cities around the world. We cannot forget spaces for girls in slums. We often think of children as one broad category, but we want spaces for girls, for children with disabilities, spaces that are inclusive of migrant and displaced children, of all So we have to be thinking of all children. We know that young people have great ideas. We're hearing some of them here today, so we need to find ways to support child-led advocacy and action. And as we upgrade slums, we really have to think about heat and flooding, especially, because these are the most two important issues for slums around the world. So we need climate resilient upgrading. And something we hear in every discussion we have with a child living in a slum, especially adolescents, that they are keen for computers, for unlimited access to the internet so that they can build their own skills. There are lots of places to play games in slums. computers, you know, to play games, but not facilities for learning, for access to technology to bridge the digital divide, and this is a very important matter. Now, we at the Global Alliance Cities for Children have been documenting all of these great ideas that worked for children in cities around the world. I invite you to visit our website, our knowledge hub, our blog, to find all of these ideas of our 31 member organizations. And we're in the process of launching an initiative called the 100 Cities for Children Initiative, where we're hoping cities will sign up to a charter to make certain commitments towards children. This is where you can stay updated via this QR code if your city would be keen to sign up to this. And finally, one strong recommendation: we need the chief children's officer in every city government to coordinate all of these actions, multi-sectoral plans, spatial plans across the city, identifying where children are, that can coordinate across stakeholders. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Thank you very much, Sarah. Safrina, youth-led innovation is often dismissed as informal. What specific institutional changes are required to ensure that youth-generated data is recognized as a legitimate primary input for municipal decision making.

Thank you so much. First, I'd start by saying young people in formal settlements deserve more than temporary solution. They deserve inclusion and long-lasting opportunities. So for this, solutions, we can start by saying, allocating funds for youth-led research and data infrastructure, by supporting in budgeting and training technology, internet access, community data hubs for youth and organizations. Secondly, municipalities should develop projects that include consultations and evidence from youth-led data initiatives before approvals are granted. That means All these initiatives should be legalized. Local government should create interoperable digital system where youth-led mapping, survey, and monitoring data can be uploaded, reviewed, and used alongside government statistics. Most of these data in these initiatives are always collected, but they are never reviewed. So as we keep having more reviews and along way, we can have the exact information and it will lead to a good solution. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Coming to you, John, what specific processes can we launch today to ensure this roundtable translates directly into a post WAF13 action agenda that fulfills UN-Habitat's ambition for synergistic, pro-equality investments.

Thank you, Esther. Good day, everyone. My name is Janandri Pinados and I am speaking today as a youth representative and chairperson of Sangguniang Kabataan Council in Surigao City, Philippines. Before I answer the question, I want to tell you about a young Sama-Bajau girl named Analiza. Analiza was born into a poor informal settler family living in unsafe stilt houses along the coast. She had no formal education and could neither read nor write. After Typhoon Odette devastated their community in 2021, her family began became even more vulnerable. At the age of 14, she got married, became pregnant, and gave birth at home. Her child was not registered. Like many indigenous girls living in poverty, her future was shaped not by opportunities, but by survival. For many people, stories like Anneliza's remain invisible. But for us in Surigao City, her story reminds us why housing matters. Housing is not only about building structures, it is about dignity, safety, identity, opportunity, and hope. It is about whether children and young people can grow up in communities where they feel protected, valued, and included. And this is why the question before us today is so important. Into what specific processes can we launch today? Ladies and gentlemen, our experience through the Huy Ananang mga Bajau project or the home for the Sama-Bajau in Surigao taught us that transformation happens when communities are not treated as passive beneficiaries but as partners in development. The Sama-Bajau are an indigenous coastal community in the Philippines. For decades, many families lived in makeshift houses above the sea, highly vulnerable to typhoons, flooding, poor sanitation, and climate risk, despite living in the city for more than 50 years. They were often excluded from urban planning and development processes. But what made the project transformative was not simply the construction of houses. The real transformation came from the people's process. Families participated in consultations, planning workshops, and housing design sessions. Women and youth became active in sanitation campaigns, environmental stewardship, and community governance, because communities protect and sustain what they help And I believe this is the first process we must launch today. We must institutionalize participatory governance. Youth, indigenous peoples, informal settler communities, and grassroots organizations must not only be consulted during global forums. They must become permanent partners in planning, implementation, and decision making. Second, we must establish permanent multi-stakeholder action teams. platforms that continue beyond WUF13. Too often, powerful conversations end when the conference ends. We need mechanisms where governments, civil society, development institutions, academia, and youth leaders regularly coordinate investments, monitor commitments, and align actions towards equity and inclusion. Third, We must strengthen community-led data systems and localized planning. Through the SDG Phases initiative in Surigao City, local leaders and partners were able to better understand the realities faced by Sama-Bajau families, especially on literacy, sanitation, education, and child welfare. This reminds us that sustainable development becomes meaningful only when it reaches the households and community level. Invisible communities cannot benefit from systems that do not see them. And fourth, we must launch pilot communities and cities for intergenerational co-investment and youth inclusive urban governance. As a youth leader, one of the most inspiring parts of this journey was seeing how young people became active participants in transformation. Several Sama Bajau youth are now pursuing higher education in civil engineering, tourism, and information technology. Youth organizations became active in environmental campaigns, disaster response, WASH initiatives, and advocacy against discrimination. Young people realize that they are not only future leaders; they are already capable of shaping communities today. And finally, we must move from fragmented projects towards integrated investment ecosystems. Housing cannot be separated from education. Education cannot be separated from healthcare. Healthcare cannot be separated from climate resilience. And climate resilience cannot be separated from social inclusion. If we truly want synergistic and pro-equality investment, then our systems, financing, and governance structures must also work together, because development is not only about infrastructure. It is about restoring dignity to communities that have long been invisible. And it is about ensuring that children, that children and young people, it is also ensuring that children and young people are safe, grow up in safe, resilient, and inclusive environments where they are empowered to participate and thrive. As we move forward after WUF13, I hope we continue building partnerships that are not symbolic, but transformative. Partnerships rooted in trust, partnerships rooted in participation, and partnerships rooted in the belief that no child, no indigenous family, and no young person should ever be left If we begin this transformation in Ciego City, then together, we can also build it in communities around the world. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much. Thank you to all of you, our panelists, for your very thoughtful and practical contributions. I will now open the floor for intervention and questions. And please keep your remarks very brief, two minutes max.

Distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen, first of all, I want to thank everybody for their speeches. I am truly honored to be part of this roundtable on children and youth. Today, I would like to speak about youth and child development and how Azerbaijan is advancing inclusive and effective youth policies under the leadership of His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev. Speaking not only participant, but as a young person myself, I would like to start with a simple point. Today's youth are not just the future. They are already active contributors to our societies. However, many of them still face serious challenges, such as unequal access to education, digital gaps, and limited opportunities to fully realize their potential. From my perspective, one of the key questions is not only what challenges young people face, but how effectively states respond to these challenges. In this regard, I would like to share the example of my country, Azerbaijan. In Azerbaijan, policy is not just a concept on a paper. It's a clearly defined and constantly implemented state priority. Under the leadership of His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev, significant steps have been taken to ensure that young people are supported, educated, and actively involved in the development of the country. For instance, Azerbaijan has adopted several state programs on youth development, focusing on education, employment, and civic engagement. The establishment of youth centers across the country, the expansion of scholarship programs, and support for studying abroad have created real opportunities for young people to grow. As a student myself at Baku State University, I can say that these policies are not distant or abstract. We directly feel their impact in our daily academic and social life. At the same time, Azerbaijan places strong emphasis on digital development and innovation. Young people are encouraged to gain modern skills, especially in technology and information.

Sorry to interrupt, but if you can, please wrap up.

Yes. Yes, what I personally find important is that youth are not seen only as beneficiaries, but as partners in shaping the future. More platforms are being created where young people can express their ideas, participate in decision-making, and contribute to public life. And in my view, if we want a stable and sustainable future, we must invest not only infrastructure or technology, but in young people themselves, their ideas, and their potential. Thanks for your attention.

Thank you. Another person? Any question to any of our panelists or intervention?

Hello, greetings, honored guests and participants. Firstly, I will say that thank you for give our to say our.

My name is Fatima Fattaljeva, and I'm also a member.

Of the Child Ambassador Council, an organization that's working under the project of the State Committee for Family, Women, and Child Affairs.

Firstly, I will highlight that Child Ambassador Council was created to ensure children's participation and develop leadership skills nationwide.

We have 22 child ambassadors, 5,618 school representatives, and 148 regional representatives, and creating an active network not only in.

Capital, but across all regions of Azerbaijan.

Being here today at World Urban Forum's 13th session is a great honor for us.

Leaders, experts, and young people from around the world are discussing the future of cities, and we want to show that children's perspectives have an important role in shaping that future. Children see cities differently, with creativity and hope.

If we want greener, more inclusive, and people-centered cities, we must create more space for children's ideas.

Our message today is simple: children are not only the future of the cities, they are also part of today.

Thank you for your attention.

Thank you. Any other inputs?

Yes. Thank you very much. My name is Sayabilla Edward from Ghana. I'm highly happy about the discussions from the young people. I just wanted to share my experience from the Ghana project, which we are working. The title is Resilient City for Adolescents Project under the Healthy City Program funded by Bontner Foundation. Practically, I think the lessons we've been learning for the past three years basically has to do with the model that we piloted called the Adolescent Parliament, and I think the discussions on creating meaningful participation can be achieved through the adolescent parliament, where we are looking at the local influence in local government policies and then municipal decision making. So the adolescent parliament basically is a selection of young people that are representing their colleagues within the city, and they are being trained to lead advocacy, evidence generation, to what we call the intercity dialogue platform, where your stakeholders of decision making comes together. Young people are leading the evidence, bringing them to authorities at the local government level. And the main aim is also identifying the policy gaps, what we call the local government policy. Ghana, we run the decentralization system. where local government leaders lead development projects within the cities. So young people are able to identify issues that affect them and then push for these issues to be captured into their policies. We have the medium-term development plans, which are captured. And for the past three years, we've seen a lot of influence and recognition for young people as key partners that have been institutionalized. The parliament is now being institutionalized and will be working closely with the local government system as part of their influence or creating those spaces for their participation in decision making. Thank you.

Thank you so much. And I will move on to the next person.

Good afternoon, everyone.

I am Omar Ewazli. I am also the member of the Child Ambassadors Council. As my fellow ambassador Fatima mentioned, for us, for children, cities are not just the buildings, infrastructure, roads. It's something much bigger than that. It's an environment where a person feels safe, can spend time with his family and friends. and grows up every single day. In Azerbaijan, wide opportunities are being created for young people and children. Their voices are being heard. Their ideas are taken into account. And we are fortunate that we grow up in a country that values, listens to, and develops its youth.

We believe that this forum, with its international standing, will be the next step.

Toward creating even more favorable and greater opportunities for children around the world.

And I would like to thank everyone again for giving this opportunity to talk at this roundtable. And thank you for everyone, and I wish you the best forum and best of the day.

Thank you, thank you so much. And we have a child speaker, so I'll allow the person to take the floor.

No.

Thank you. So I will come back to the floor again. Anybody else that wants to make an intervention or any question?

Hi, once again, I'd like to emphasize or to say that or call to this action that says housing the world, safe resilient cities and communities. We should ask all ourselves here, what is the root for safety resilient cities? Is it the youth? Is it the government? Is it the children? When we find that question or where the unsafe cities start from, is it from the informal settlement? Is it from the urban sectors? Is it from lack of employment? I add the government and the local authorities or partners Please kindly look into that. Most of these youth are unemployed, reason being you go to an office, you are told to give your resume of an experience of 5 years. How can a youth just from a school come and ask for a job with an experience of five years? I think they should look into that. And when that is solved, is when we are going to have resilient cities and safe cities. Without that, the youth will be into crime, and when the youth are into crime, we cannot have cities that are safe. Kindly, kindly, kindly, with this call to action in Baku of safe cities and resilience, look into the youth kindly. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Any other?

Because we can change the world.

Tell my story, you're the writer. You're the star.

Because we can change the world.

Change your world.

Change your world.

Why?

Still, it's like to make it right together.

We can change the world. Why?

Still, but the fall is never start to make it right.

And you and I, my friend, no one can be for your help.

♫ ♫ Thank you, thank you so much. Thank you for that wonderful performance. Much I heard in the music is about the fact that we can do it together. As children and young people, we can't do it alone. We want to learn from the older people. So help us do it together. Thank you so much. And with that, I'll invite about three more interventions from the floor. Any more intervention?

Hello. Hello. Hello, good afternoon, everyone.

My name is Murtaza Haideri and I come from Afghanistan. And I'm a humanitarian and development professional. The city I come from, many children are living and working on the street, and they are facing challenges like hazardous labor, interrupted education, poor health, psychosocial distresses, exploitation, and abuse. And they're often driven by poverty, conflict, displacement, migration, and debt. Therefore, a child-friendly city is not only about the spaces that we built, it's also.

About whether we keep the cities safe, healthy, and protected for children. The key message is that.

For many children back in Afghanistan, the most important infrastructure is not the building or the roads. It is food, health, education, and water. Thank you.

Thank you. One more or two.

I have a question.

Can I ask a question?

So how do we make sure that kids are safe in an environment, especially?

In this, how can we make sure that kids are safe, especially disabled or kids that are in marginalized communities?

How can we make sure that kids are safe?

Thank you. So this one, I think I'll pick the person to answer. I will come to you, Sarah. Save the Children.

Thank you very much. I think this is, first of all, a whole of society approach for children to be safe, but also governments need to incorporate a whole range of policies, for example, child protection, you know, hotlines that children can call if they're facing certain problems. And this is why, you know, when I was saying we need a children's focal point in every city government, because it's about having all stakeholders collaborating to make children safer in cities. It's about policies, it's about ensuring that all children are in school. If there are particular marginalized neighborhoods where a lot of children have dropped out of school, it's kind of mobilizing stakeholders to ensure that they're integrated back into education systems and so on. So it's a whole society approach that has to be led by a coordinating force in every city government. That's my point of view. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Sarah. Should I ask any of them to answer? Any, I'll take just one more intervention or question.

Okay, I'm Mirabel from Cameroon. A youth-led organization, AJEC, is an umbrella organization we deal with youth and children. So my question is, where we are coming from, youth and children are really marginalized. They don't even have a voice. And one of our projects that we work on is children going back to school because in our communities, they are plagued with conflict. It's a conflict zone, and children are not even being protected. Children are not even being protected with basic needs, like birth certificates. They are not even registered. Born in the slum, you are not even registered. like basic needs, birth certificate, food, and even shelter. So as JEG, we have been taking care of these children for the past three years now in a project. So we left Cameroon and we came here to see if we could have partners that could partner with us to better the lives of these children in Cameroon. So our question now is, how can children in Africa How can children in Africa, in slums that can't even express themselves, even feed, talk less of having access to internet or modern facilities, be protected? Thank you.

Thank you so much. And I will take a very final intervention, very last one.

Thank you for the platform. My name is Ruchi. I come from India and represent an organization called Humankind. I come to the World Urban Forum with a solution done by a classroom of nine-year-olds in India. They have created India's first school street. and the Delhi government, university, IIT Delhi, everybody has supported this. It's a living, breathing street now that 9 years, 7 years ago, children had drawn. The project has expanded to all districts of Delhi. And the government is actually taking interest in monitoring it, building visions of children to reality. My question to the roundtable here is, how can the roundtable pick such solutions and with interdevelopmental organizations when such social proof is existing in one part of the world? How can it be taken to other parts of the world without a lot of bureaucratic hurdles?

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you so much for the question, and I will open it for any of the panelists to answer this.

Maybe just on school streets programs, there is a massive growth of school street programs around the world, especially in Europe. I think the city of Paris has been leading on that. Milano has also incorporated out of every school, there is a school street. What we've been doing at the Global Alliance Cities for Children is documenting these great practices on our website to inspire other cities. But I think there's a space for city-to-city learning on what works and how this is done and how this starts as kind of a tactical urbanism and is then scaled up after consultation with local communities, because it has to be done differently sometimes in different places. So hopefully, you know, with our potential initiative of 100 cities for children where we're hoping to facilitate this cross-city learning, this can be a topic, school streets. It's a fantastic intervention, I agree, Ruchi. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you, Sarah. Any other panelists to take this? No? Okay. Thank you so much. Thank you, everyone, for your inputs, contributions, and interventions. And I will now move on to our high level people in the room, excellencies. As a young person with disability from Africa, and hearing all the comments, interventions, all the solutions and call to action from our panelists and also from the room, I believe, and I know, understand that infrastructure is never neutral. It reflects whose lives are valued. And so, for it to be safe and affordable for all young people and persons living in vulnerable conditions, hearing from all of us in this room, I will give the floor to the excellencies, high level people in the room, to give us some pledges to young people, children, and youth in the room, 30 second pledges from all of you to ask what you promise to do after the conversation ends here in Baku.

Thank you very much. First of all, I would like to say that we are very much delighted to have had this conversation so far. We have witnessed very fruitful discussion. We have shared a lot of positive experiences, positive cases. And towards the end of the discussion, of course, we heard some suffering stories about the children. And of course, some solutions are required from our side. I guess this is really a responsible issue. for us to address. And as I heard from the answer from Save the Children, I believe that this cities exchange of ideas from each other is a very fruitful approach, and I believe that this is very important for building partnerships through – across different continents. And I guess this kind of exchange of learning has taken place, but I believe that Those countries' experiences, as well as the official governments of those countries, and also political parties which are running for the power in their countries, should have some funds in place, and the funds, development funds, and also activists, as well as civil society organizations, should be mobilized to understand the specificities of their particular regions and to have their own initiatives in place. And I guess that there has to be political will and also the rulers who are responsible for the economic governance growth should have this kind of agenda to seek out partners internationally. I believe that this is a very fruitful platform, and considering the fact that we need to have a call at the end, which will identify what actions we will implement in the future, I guess we need to document everything for the monitoring purposes and evaluation purposes, and also UN-HABITAT, as well as the leadership of the UN-HABITAT, should undertake, should assume the role of the coordinator in this particular specific issue, because we need to ensure that people all around the world will have the same needs and the same needs covered at the same level, both moral needs, social needs, economic needs, and educational needs. We need to also understand that opportunities are not matching the expectations. So we need to match these expectations with the needs. We need to ensure that that these UN organizations have big responsibility to coordinate this matching, and I believe that very much depends on how much we want to commit ourselves to fulfill these actions, to fulfill these promises. And I know that development, international development organizations can be very fruitful platforms for us to support us and also We need to have a grassroot level communities to understand the community levels, community needs in order to incorporate them into the policy agendas and political agendas. And we need to have this kind of projects in place, especially how can we incorporate these grassroot level expectations into the urban planning agendas. Now, of course, we need to give priority to the kids, to the children. We as Azerbaijan, as a country, we have increasing partnership with African countries, and probably you have been watching Azerbaijan's international development, that we are trying to support those countries which have liberated themselves from colonization recently. We've been trying to support the organizations and the countries that have been under the colonization of different other countries. We have been trying to support them with their social reforms, and we are focusing on African countries especially. At the same time, we have some other partnerships that are based upon some documents that we have signed with those countries. So we have undertaken this role, but I believe that towards the end of this roundtable, there could be a communique for us to take our own commitments that in these future cities or in these informal settlements or in these slums, they will be support for the people who are homeless. I don't know how to define them, but we need to make sure that there is a coordinated effort. So we can have this initiative of coordinated effort, but we need to make sure that we have all the countries joining this process equally so that in the next forum that will take place in two years, we will have some tangible results that we will have to discuss. I would like to say that I would like to call our youngsters to be so active, to be so open-minded, and to be so courageous enough to express themselves, especially in hard circumstances. I want to – I see that we have a Bangladeshi representative who shared two Imtiaz stories. I had the pain of heart. Imtiaz means prerogative, you know, the meaning of the Imtiyaz means prerogative, but one imtiyaz has more prerogatives than the other, so that's why we need to identify these cases and to make sure that the kids have equal chance and access to the resources. This is our commitment, this is our obligation. We need to combine our resources, we need to mobilize our resources to support them. That's it.

Thank you, thank you so much, her Excellency. So we'll take two more pledges from our city leaders, and I will urge all the young people in the room to take notes. If this first pledge comes in from your constituency, you make sure you hold your leader accountable.

Thank you very much, dear Chairwoman. Thank you very much for giving me the floor. In support, I subscribe to what Mrs. Baher said in terms of issues that relate with the children. So decision making, of course, is difficult and challenging because we are dealing with very sophisticated issues. complex issues that need to be delved into in greater details. We need to understand the opportunities that we have. This platform gave us to have these voices heard, and we have documented these voices, and Mrs. Baher also said it. In general, this World Urban Planning Forum documents, as well as today's document. So this kind of mechanism should be incorporated into the future agendas of WUOF. And I would like to say that I have taken special notes of what our youngsters said. Many of these young people emphasize one particular problem that they want to be resolved. They did not talk about themselves. They assumed the responsibility for their peer fellows, peer fellow youngsters. In the earlier session, we also talked about this, that youngsters, probably, they may not have experience, but they have a very great desire. They understand the pulse of the time very well. Especially today's young people are are very pragmatic in terms of addressing problems of today. I would like to say that encourage young people to mobilize their potential and skills, and to make sure that maybe some of you may not agree with me, but today we are in a technological advanced world, and we need to have also technological solutions for the problems in the social field. Today's youngsters are exercising their power in the field of IT. They are trying to -- they need to tap on their potential to become tech-savvy, Generation, and I know that, and I'm sure that in the future, that's true that urban planning form is not just a urban planning form. It's also about street design. It's also about the design of the facilities. It's also about the design of the settlements in a secure and a safe manner. It is also a topic that is about the protection of each and every citizen, but today. Today, we see that there are many threats to humanity, and these threats are there, and we need to There is a historically proven solution to stop these threats. We need to have healthy forces in place to stop these threats. But there was a case, there was a speech that I heard here that what can we do to make safe conditions for children? Today, What can we do for those children who are suffering from lack of safety? Azerbaijan's children have been living in hard circumstances for 30 years, you know. We have had 1 million IDPs, internally displaced people. And they were forced to live, if not in the condition of the slums, but in the very approximate conditions. Who resolved this? Who resolved this? Of course, the state of Azerbaijan resolved it, of course, based on the international best experience, based on the international norms of law. Again, we undertook this. And that's why I'm saying there are two solutions, two ways out. Either we will have healthy governments who will be uniting themselves based on confidence, of course. That confidence should be there, and that confidence can be brought by the young generation. So I'm sure that the youngsters will be the ones who will bring the confidence. I don't want to take more of your time. I wish you good luck to you all, to you and to your countries. I want to wish you all peaceful life in your countries. A peaceful life means that everything else can be resolved after that.

Thank you. Thank you so much. And thank you to everyone for your contribution, your interventions, and being a part of today's roundtable. So I'll come back to my. Okay. So I will give the floor for an intervention from UN-Habitat.

Thank you so much. It's a great pleasure and a privilege to be working with youth and children for so many years at UN-Habitat. I'm the Chief of Planning and Finance, and I very much learned a lot from this session. And just to brief you that at UN-Habitat, this is a key issue that we have been working with. There are a number of projects. across the world where we try and innovate and work with youth and children. There was, I'm sure you heard about how Minecraft's game was used in various public spaces to help redesign some of these spaces very interestingly, because it kind of evens the balance between the older generations and the younger generations, because younger generations are quicker with the games than the senior generation, but they have to work together in designing the public space. So from the project level to the policy level, the issue has been very clear to us to support. Thank you so much for coming to UofL again and raising this issue. And we are happy to work with the community towards a roadmap to Mexico of what else we can achieve. at the next WUF. Thank you so much. It was really inspiring.

Thank you. Thank you so much. And so I will come to my panelists for your closing messages. 30 seconds, please.

Maybe a quick point, it would be great to have one focal point in the Baku call to action summarizing some of the key recommendations made today. So let's make sure that features well. There were some very concrete asks, and I think it would be great to see them there. And also a World Urban Forum focused on child-friendly cities, UN-Habitat, we're going to keep asking you for that. Thank you.

Thank you, Sarah. So I will move to Alina for your final remarks.

Yes, thank you very much. I will keep it very short. But one specific measure, we heard about city youth councils before. In parts of Germany, it's mandatory for cities to have youth council. I think that would be a wonderful measure. I talked about obligations instead of options out of mandatory youth councils worldwide. Thank you.

Thank you, and I will move to Lynecia for your final remarks as well.

Okay, thank you, Esther. So just a quick summary in terms of I would have focused on the mixed-use zoning. innovation centers within communities, uses of spaces such as libraries and schools for economic purposes. And what I would like to say in the end is that the Baku Call to Action, it should go beyond recommending these changes to actually mandating them. And that young people, they're not asking for charity, but young people are asking for cities that are not just designed with them in mind, but are designed by them, and cities where you live do not actually determine the limits of what you can achieve. Thank you.

Thank you. And Rafael, for your final remarks.

As I said at the end of my speech, we are very much looking forward for the common projects and activities that we can do together. And maybe as a, so that's very good initiatives to join certain councils, as you mentioned, and as a maybe follow-up for our roundtable discussion, we can have certain working group or just a platform group of people who wants to collaborate and to contribute to this topic in the future. And we as a National Youth Council, as I mentioned again, we are very much ready to support those initiatives and to hold them either in back or globally. So we are looking very much forward to connect and to stay in touch after the event. Thank you.

Thank you. And Safrina, 30 seconds.

Thank you. For me, I'd just like to say, let's leave back with commitments and not just conversations. Thank you.

Thank you. A very brief one. And finally, John, for your closing one.

Thank you. Let us ensure that after World Urban Forum 13, our conversation become commitments and our commitments become action. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you, everyone, and thank you to all my panelists and everyone that's joined the Children and Youth Roundtable today. We've had a great deal from all of us on what children and youth want. when it comes to feeling safe in our environment and our settlements. Like I mentioned earlier, infrastructure is never neutral. And so let the infrastructures we build right now reflect the needs and the reality of the people, young people that live in it. Thank you so much for joining us today.