Online Focus Group
Families and Urbanization
Thursday, 18th November 2021
This Focus Group has been organized in preparation for the World Urban Forum and the 30th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family.
‘Families and Urbanization’ is included in one of the megatrends established by the United Nations Secretariat, including the Department of Economic and Social Affairs to observe the thirtieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family (IYF+30) in 2024. This topic is directly related to SDG 11 and therefore to the Inclusive Cities for Sustainable Families promoted by IFFD and based on the Venice Declaration. Specific areas of research on family-oriented policies to effectively tackle these trends were discussed, along with family-oriented policies for the achievement of selected SDGs, including the analysis of proposals of the Member States, UN entities and the Civil Society.
The World Urban Forum is the premier global conference on sustainable urbanization. The 11th edition will be held in the Polish city of Katowice from 26-30 June 2022, convened by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). The WUF was established in 2001 by the United Nations to examine one of the most pressing issues facing the world today: rapid urbanisation and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change and policies. The first WUF was held in Nairobi, Kenya in 2002 and has been held around the world ever since.
We have gathered a group of experts on this topic. The opinions gathered will derive the central elements to our advocacy work on this topic.
A questionnaire with 9 questions was previously sent to all invited experts. The online meeting consisted of the replies from each expert to each question that were expected not to exceed 2 minutes. Any other participants were welcome to attend in an observer capacity only.
The transcription of the meeting is used to produce a publication, and include final recommendations from IFFD based on the points raised by experts.
Experts
Gabriel Amitsis
Director of Social Administration Research Laboratory
University of West Attica (Greece)
Antonio Franzina
Head of Communications Office
Veneto Region (Italy)
Michal Michalski
Professor at the Department of Economic Ethics
Director of the Institute for Family and Society Studies Foundation
University Adam Mickiewicz in Poznan (Poland)
Zitha Mokomane
Associate Professor in Demography, Health and Society
University of Pretoria (South Africa)
Ignacio Socias
Director of International Relations
International Federation for Family Development
Editor
Wilson Levy
Director of Post-Graduate Studies in Smart and Sustainable Cities
UNINOVE University (Brazil)
Moderator
Jose Alejandro Vazquez
Rapporteur
Coen Vermeij
Questionnaire
1. How can urban families be at the center of social integration strategies to face demographic challenges?
2. What are the best ways to address systemic poverty and inequality in urban settlements?
3. How can help reach smaller businesses, informal workers and at-risk sectors to overcome the crisis, while promoting the transition to a greener, more equitable urban economies?
4. What is the main impact of urbanization on intergenerational relations, regarding care and mental health?
5. How should urban morphologies be reconfigured to enhance their resilience and make them more sustainable and productive through inclusive planning?
6. How can flexible and innovative institutional and financial frameworks be developed through a more integrated, cooperative multi-level governance in a post-Covid era?
7. How can local authorities reduce the risks posed to families due to climate change and demographic challenges?
8. Would you like to raise any other issue or challenge?
