A PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH DEVELOPED IN SOUTHERN EUROPE. Measuring children’s right to the city through urban design.

Abstract

Today public spaces have become fragile environments highlighting socio-spatial inequalities. This PhD research intends to investigate whether it is possible to define more inclusive urban programs, considering children as determinants of inclusive urban design. It will do so by measuring children’s right to the city and systematising an urban toolkit as a child participation assessment tool to make knowledge reproducible and adaptable. PAR - participatory action research - is the selected methodology. It was developed through implementing urban diagnostic workshops in two social housing neighbourhoods in Porto, Portugal, and through analysing three successful international policy programs that share common values and guidelines in Southern Europe. The research's scientific merit is to understand how to promote equitable, inclusive and caring neighbourhoods through urban and participatory design that enables residents to co-create alternatives targeted to children in contexts of social exclusion. In doing so, making it inclusive to all.

Keywords: participatory action research, children’s rights, public spaces, urban policies.