especially problematic when government programs are absent or insufficient. At the same time, young people in cities find themselves without the social support networks that were traditionally provided by older adults and that are especially important in coping with poverty.
Estimates suggest that 60 percent of the world’s population will live in cities by 2030 and that as many as 60 percent of urban dwellers will be under the age of 18. Most urbanization will occur in cities in the low-income countries, where already 30 percent of the population lives below official poverty lines (Ruble et al. 2003, p. 1). Many urban dwellers have limited or no access to basic services, employment, and adequate housing. The challenges arising from this urban growth exceed the capacity of most cities to meet even the most basic needs of large proportions of the urban population (see UN-HABITAT 2003, 2004; Jack n.d.). For this reason, investing in urban children and youth is not only a question of human rights and social justice. It is also about potential economic benefits and increasing citizen security, as young people are supported to become integrated members of society (Ruble et al. 2003). Indeed, much of the literature on the implications of the so called “youth bulge” focuses on economic consequences and opportunities, national and international security concerns, and the purported relationship between them (e.g., Chaaban 2008; Lam 2007).
In addition to these policy perspectives, there are also aspects of planning that affect the experience of growing up in cities and access of the younger generation to opportunities for healthy development. These considerations have spurred interest in the creation of child-friendly cities. Such cities are different from most contemporary cities the planning and development of which has supported first and foremost the production and consumption of goods and services. A further goal has traditionally been efficient operation of auxiliary systems such as transportation, communication, and utility infrastructure. The primary beneficiaries of this approach are the chief producers and consumers: paid adult workers and the organizations that