‘Sharjah Principles for Child-Friendly Urban Planning’ unveiled at Expo Dubai

‘Sharjah Principles for Child-Friendly Urban Planning’ unveiled at Expo Dubai

Sharjah has set a global benchmark in child-friendly urban planning best practices with the launch of the ‘Sharjah Principles for Child-Friendly Urban Planning’ today (Sunday) at Expo 2020 Dubai. The pioneering design guide which puts children at the heart of urban planning, has been developed by the Sharjah Child Friendly Office (SCFO)’s Child Friendly Urban Planning (CFUP) project in strategic partnership with Sharjah Urban Planning Council (SUPC), UNICEF and UN Habitat. The launch ceremony was held in Expo’s Opportunity Pavilion, at the UN-Hub, in the presence of Dr. Khawla Al Mulla, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA); Dr. Hessa Khalfan Al Ghazal, Executive Director of SCFO; Saji Thomas, Chief of Child Protection, Unicef; Kerstin Sommer, Representative of UN Habitat; and a recorded speech by Eng Khalid Al Ali, Secretary General of the of Sharjah Urban Planning Council (SUPC). Coinciding with the World Cities Day, observed globally on October 31 to raise awareness on sustainable urbanisation, the launch of the Sharjah Principles reflects the emirate’s firm commitment to human-centric, sustainable and inclusive development. The key architect of the 10 principles, Child Friendly Urban Planning (CFUP) project, was instituted by SCFO in 2017 to realise Sharjah’s visionary child-friendly approach