Jiewen Li

Creating a New Framework for Building Child-friendly Cities in Planning and its Application in the Chinese Context

Name: Jiewen Li
Primary Supervisor: Dr. Manuela Madeddu
Year: 2
Discipline: Planning
Presentation type: Academic Poster
Project Title: Creating a New Framework for Building Child-friendly Cities in Planning and its Application in the Chinese Context

Abstract:

In response to growing urban inequalities that threaten the health and wellbeing of children, the concept of Child-Friendly Cities (CFC) was introduced in 1997 and has since gained global attention. Despite increasing research and policy efforts, achieving truly child-friendly cities remains challenging. From an urban planning perspective, a key gap lies in the absence of a context-sensitive, adaptable planning framework. This research begins by examining how CFCs are defined and interpreted in both theory and practice. It critiques the persistent binary between children as ‘becomings’ and adults as ‘beings,’ and proposes reconceptualizing children as nascent beings—framing both childhood and adulthood as continuous processes of learning and growth. Based on this, a new planning framework for CFCs is developed. Empirically, the study applies this framework to China’s national CFC program across three spatial levels: national, city, and neighborhood. The research aims to offer new theoretical and practical insights for advancing CFCs in China and beyond.