Part One : Understanding Children's Rights and Development
1 The Convention on the Rights of the Child = 4
A brief history of the Convention on the Rights of the Child = 5
The provisions of the Convention = 6
Some questions raised by the Convention = 10
The obligations created by the Convention for local and urban government = 15
2 Children's Development = 18
The significance of supportive environments for children's development = 19
The developmental experience and requirements of children at different ages = 26
Children who face special developmental challenges = 32
3 Stable Families = 36
Changing social realities = 37
Adequate and secure housing = 41
Basic municipal services = 47
Other critical supports = 52
Part Two : Working for Urban Children's Rights
4 Prenatal and Birth Environments = 60
The intrauterine environment of the child = 61
Environments of childbirth = 62
Follow-up after birth = 66
The larger context = 66
5 Housing for Children = 68
The significance of the dwelling for children's development = 69
Working towards homes that support children's rights = 70
Residential care for children = 87
6 Community Health = 93
The health problems of the urban poor = 94
Assessment and analysis = 96
Creating healthy and livable neighbourhoods = 96
The provision of comprehensive, integrated health services = 100
Adequate nutrition for all = 111
Health care education = 115
The special needs of adolescents and older children = 117
7 Neighbourhoods for Children = 121
How supportive communities affect children's development = 122
Community insecurity and social fears = 124
Responding to traffic = 133
Opportunities for play and recreation = 134
Children's positive involvement in the community = 142
Moving beyond the local community = 151
8 Child Care = 152
The role of local authorities = 153
Some models for child care provision and support for early child development = 157
9 Schools = 164
The role of local authorities in fostering school-community links = 165
Making education truly universal = 167
Education that promotes children's rights = 170
Schools and health = 175
The Physical Environment of schools = 177
Access to information : libraries and resource centres = 182
Teacher resource centres = 183
Secondary schools = 184
Non-formal education = 186
10 Working Children = 188
The implications of work for children's development = 189
The challenges facing local authorities and their partners = 191
Creating a framework for action = 192
Making constructive use of laws and regulations = 196
Finding practical alternatives for children and their families = 200
Supporting children in the workplace = 206
11 Street-based Children = 212
The responsibilities of local authorities and their partners = 214
Supports for children and adolescents on the street = 216
12 Juvenile Justice = 225
The role of local authorities = 226
Common violations of the rights of children in conflict with the law = 226
Some basic principles and models for action = 228
Part Three : Governance for Children's Rights
13 The Context of Local Government = 236
The relationship of local government to community governance = 237
The relationship of local government to the national level = 239
The global context = 240
The challenges facing local governments = 244
14 Practical Implications for Local Government = 248
Institutionalizing the Convention for sustained action = 249
Raising awareness of children and their rights at every level = 251
Improving the quality of information and communication = 253
Effective government structures and processes = 256
Supporting community action and building citizenship = 261
Monitoring, evaluation and enforcement = 267
Working with other municipalities to affect national policy = 269
Participatory democracy - the basis for children's rights = 271
Resources = 273
Bibliography = 286
Index = 298
1 The Convention on the Rights of the Child = 4
A brief history of the Convention on the Rights of the Child = 5
The provisions of the Convention = 6
Some questions raised by the Convention = 10
The obligations created by the Convention for local and urban government = 15
2 Children's Development = 18
The significance of supportive environments for children's development = 19
The developmental experience and requirements of children at different ages = 26
Children who face special developmental challenges = 32
3 Stable Families = 36
Changing social realities = 37
Adequate and secure housing = 41
Basic municipal services = 47
Other critical supports = 52
Part Two : Working for Urban Children's Rights
4 Prenatal and Birth Environments = 60
The intrauterine environment of the child = 61
Environments of childbirth = 62
Follow-up after birth = 66
The larger context = 66
5 Housing for Children = 68
The significance of the dwelling for children's development = 69
Working towards homes that support children's rights = 70
Residential care for children = 87
6 Community Health = 93
The health problems of the urban poor = 94
Assessment and analysis = 96
Creating healthy and livable neighbourhoods = 96
The provision of comprehensive, integrated health services = 100
Adequate nutrition for all = 111
Health care education = 115
The special needs of adolescents and older children = 117
7 Neighbourhoods for Children = 121
How supportive communities affect children's development = 122
Community insecurity and social fears = 124
Responding to traffic = 133
Opportunities for play and recreation = 134
Children's positive involvement in the community = 142
Moving beyond the local community = 151
8 Child Care = 152
The role of local authorities = 153
Some models for child care provision and support for early child development = 157
9 Schools = 164
The role of local authorities in fostering school-community links = 165
Making education truly universal = 167
Education that promotes children's rights = 170
Schools and health = 175
The Physical Environment of schools = 177
Access to information : libraries and resource centres = 182
Teacher resource centres = 183
Secondary schools = 184
Non-formal education = 186
10 Working Children = 188
The implications of work for children's development = 189
The challenges facing local authorities and their partners = 191
Creating a framework for action = 192
Making constructive use of laws and regulations = 196
Finding practical alternatives for children and their families = 200
Supporting children in the workplace = 206
11 Street-based Children = 212
The responsibilities of local authorities and their partners = 214
Supports for children and adolescents on the street = 216
12 Juvenile Justice = 225
The role of local authorities = 226
Common violations of the rights of children in conflict with the law = 226
Some basic principles and models for action = 228
Part Three : Governance for Children's Rights
13 The Context of Local Government = 236
The relationship of local government to community governance = 237
The relationship of local government to the national level = 239
The global context = 240
The challenges facing local governments = 244
14 Practical Implications for Local Government = 248
Institutionalizing the Convention for sustained action = 249
Raising awareness of children and their rights at every level = 251
Improving the quality of information and communication = 253
Effective government structures and processes = 256
Supporting community action and building citizenship = 261
Monitoring, evaluation and enforcement = 267
Working with other municipalities to affect national policy = 269
Participatory democracy - the basis for children's rights = 271
Resources = 273
Bibliography = 286
Index = 298