Inter-generational dialogue on urban fragility and resilience – evidence from the city

This event presents two pieces of research by World Vision and Plan International respectively, from seven countries with a focus on urban fragility and resilience within the triple nexus (humanitarian, development and peacebuilding) from the perspectives and experiences of children and youth. The countries are: Uganda, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Kenya, Philippines, Honduras and Lebanon. The wide geographical reach enables reflection on what urban fragility and resilience mean in diverse urban contexts and allows us to provide examples of community-led solutions by co-organisers Dreamtown and Slum Dwellers International. The event will showcase short, pre-recorded video-messages from children and youth living in fragile urban contexts and be led by youth acting as co-moderators, interviewers and discussants during the event, capturing questions and comments from the live and online audience.  

In 2021, in partnership with academic research institution UCLA, World Vision conducted research to examine child vulnerability in urban fragile settings, and the impact of the triple nexus on the inclusion or exclusion of urban residents (including citizens, IDPs and refugees, as well as returnees) in receiving services. Conducted in Lebanon and Central America, the research was grounded in lessons learned from World Vision’s Fragile Contexts Programme Approach (FCPA) pilots and the Stronger Cities Initiative’s Urban Context Analysis Toolkit. The case studies covered barriers to Nexus programming and enabling factors, and recommendations and asks from different stakeholders.

Between 2018-2021 Plan International implemented the Safe and Inclusive Cities programme, which aimed to address and mitigate issues of urban violence that youth may be exposed to, foster skills and capabilities of youth to enter local labour markets, and enhance youth participation in urban governance and civic participation. By tackling these three inter-related drivers of urban fragility, the programme worked with youth that are otherwise marginalised and exposed to violence to build their resilience. Programming emphasised the use of a gender-transformative and rights-based approach, working with youth, communities and local stakeholders to change patriarchal social norms and empower young people to access services targeted at them.

Plan International and World Vision seek to contribute to the global evidence base on urban child and youth programming. Through evidence-based research and the voices of children and youth, this session will explore their challenges and opportunities in fragile urban contexts, provide key recommendations for community-led solutions and specific calls to actions for policy, academic and practitioner stakeholders.