Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD Candidate in Geography and Urban Planning, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

2 Professor, Geography and Urban Planning, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

3 Assistant Professor of Geography and Urban Planning, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

Abstract

 
With the global surge of urbanization and population growth, the well-being of children within modern urban developments has been largely overlooked, necessitating an urgent need for attentiveness towards their needs in cities. Consequently, the assessment of urban neighborhoods in terms of child-friendly city components becomes an essential area of research. This study employs a survey method to evaluate the dimensions and components associated with a child-friendly city. Utilizing a cluster-spatial sampling approach, ten neighborhoods from five regions of Ardabil are selected as representative samples (two neighborhoods per region). A total of 400 researcher-developed questionnaires are then distributed proportionally based on the population of each selected neighborhood. The collected data is subsequently analyzed using one-sample t-statistics in SPSS software, as well as multi-criteria decision-making models to prioritize the neighborhoods according to the research criteria. The findings reveal distinctive characteristics of child-friendly city dimensions and components across the various neighborhoods of Ardabil. Interestingly, when comparing the dimensions, the environmental-physical and organizational-managerial dimensions emerge as the most problematic areas within the studied neighborhoods. Additionally, it is noteworthy that despite the inherent spatial disparities between neighborhoods, Neighborhood No. 1 in District 4 and Neighborhood No. 3 in District 2 of Ardabil Municipality exhibit greater challenges compared to other neighborhoods under investigation.

Introduction

With the rapid global urbanization and population growth, the well-being of children has been largely overlooked in modern urban planning and development. Consequently, there is a pressing need to prioritize the consideration of children in urban environments like never before. Thus, it becomes imperative to conduct an in-depth investigation into the state of neighborhoods within the city of Ardabil, specifically in relation to the key indicators and criteria of a child-friendly city. This study aims to assess and prioritize the neighborhoods based on their adherence to these criteria, aiming to provide an accurate depiction of their current state and identify those in most need of improvement.
To address the research inquiries and establish a logical framework, the following assumptions were formulated:
- The nature of the components that contribute to a child-friendly city varies across different localities within Ardabil city. Of these components, the dimensions pertaining to physical and management are anticipated to pose the greatest challenges in the investigated areas, as evident from comparative examination.
-The ranking of different neighborhoods of Ardabil city are different in terms of the components of a child-friendly city.

Literature Review

Permanasari et al. (2019) conducted a study entitled "Political pattern of public space in creating a child-friendly city in Jakarta," which emphasizes the significance of employing a bottom-up participatory approach in fostering heightened utilization and engagement among children.
In their research titled "Child-friendly city survey focusing on children's health," Brown et al. (2019) underscore the influence of the environment on children's well-being. Accordingly, they assert the necessity for cities to possess comprehensive knowledge concerning the factors that impact children's health. Furthermore, it is imperative to prioritize understanding and promoting interactions between children and their environment, thereby enhancing their overall health.
Examining the role of child-friendly urban structures in neighborhood development, Ahmadi et al. (2018) present their findings in an article entitled "Evaluation of the role of child-friendly city structure in the realization of development: case study of neighborhoods in Yazd city." Their research demonstrates significant variation in child-friendly city indicators within Yazd city, with certain neighborhoods exhibiting a high level of prosperity while others languish at a considerably lower level. Safaiyeh neighborhood emerges as the most prosperous, securing the top rank in the city. Conversely, Fahadan, Mahdiabad, Sajjadiyeh, Amirabad, and Kashtargah neighborhoods are positioned at the bottom, highlighting their limited prosperity.
In their study on "Evaluation of child-friendly city indicators in Mashhad metropolis," Kharazmi et al. (2019) reveal the impact of these indicators and discern a discrepancy between the current state and the desired outcomes. The analysis uncovers a significant gap concerning access to play areas, green spaces, and vital services, suggesting the need for noteworthy improvements in these localized indicators within the context of Mashhad.

Methodology

The present study adopts an applied research design with a descriptive-analytical nature. Spatial cluster sampling was employed to randomly select 10 neighborhoods, comprising two neighborhoods from each of the five regions in Ardabil city, to serve as the sample. The target population for this research consists of households with children residing in the selected neighborhoods. To determine the appropriate sample size for the questionnaire, Cochran's statistical population formula was utilized, considering a 95% confidence level. As a result, 380 households were initially determined; however, to ensure increased accuracy, the sample size was expanded to 400 households. The distribution of the questionnaire was proportional to the number of households in each neighborhood. The evaluation of the problematic conditions of Ardabil city's neighborhoods regarding the components of a child-friendly city was conducted using the t-test. Subsequently, in the Excel environment, various multi-criteria decision-making models, including Topsis, Vicor, Electre, and Copeland integration model, were employed to rank the ten selected neighborhoods from the five regions of Ardabil city based on their problematic status in relation to the components of a child-friendly city. The selection of weights for the criteria was determined using Shannon's entropy method.
 

Results

The findings indicate significant variations among the localities within Ardabil city concerning the identified issues. Upon comparing the dimensions, it was observed that the organizational-management and environmental-physical dimensions exhibited the highest frequency of confirmation, thus suggesting their prominence as the most problematic dimensions across the studied localities. Moreover, employing multi-criteria decision-making models unveiled that Neighborhood No. 1 in Region 4 of Ardabil Municipality exhibited the highest number of neighborhood issues, primarily associated with concerns related to environmental-physical, cultural-social, and organizational-management aspects. On the other hand, Neighborhood No. 10 in Region 2 of Ardabil Municipality showcased the lowest number of neighborhood issues when compared to the other localities. It is essential to note that the localities examined in this research were selected based on their adherence to the dimensions and components of a child-friendly city.

Conclusion

One of the fundamental factors contributing to the spatial differentiation of localities, as evidenced by research indicators, is social and occupational inequality, which leads to unequal social and structural positions. This inequality in turn influences the access individuals and groups have to scarce social resources and benefits, including wealth, power, and status. Consequently, these factors significantly impact individuals' rights, opportunities, rewards, and social standing. Given the interconnectedness between social and spatial processes, this issue within Ardabil city exacerbates disparities in accessing urban services, opportunities, and amenities, particularly for children. These include aspects such as transportation and independent mobility, access to diverse services and activities, safety and security, friendly green spaces, and environmental concerns. Therefore, addressing social inequalities and enhancing urban infrastructure and facilities constitute crucial steps towards creating a child-friendly city.
Furthermore, based on the authors' personal experiences and feedback from residents residing in localities with a higher prevalence of neighborhood issues, it becomes evident that urban management, particularly the municipality, plays a significant role in the environmental and physical realms. Through wielding influence and exerting power over other involved institutions, the municipality has had a notable impact on the problems faced by such neighborhoods. This influence stems from the limited awareness and economic poverty experienced by neighborhood residents, as well as the functional shortcomings of local institutions. Consequently, existing policies geared towards the development of socially, economically, and physically deprived populations – who predominantly reside in the most problematic areas identified in this study – have been ineffective. Instead, the current conditions have created a situation where high-income groups benefit disproportionately from the existing state of affairs. The lack of specific plans and programs targeting these problem areas, coupled with the failure to delegate approved plans for implementation at lower levels (such as regional municipalities), has exacerbated inequalities between localities. Hence, adopting a justice-oriented perspective in urban management is paramount. By doing so, attention can be directed towards improving conditions in deprived and problematic areas, thereby working towards a more equitable urban landscape.
 
 

Keywords

Main Subjects

 
ابراهیمی، حمیدرضا، سعیدی رضوانی، نوید و معانی منجیلی، آرزو. (1390)، تدوین اصول و طراحی فضاهای بازی کودکان با تأکید بر گروه سنی 5 تا 12 سال (مطالعه موردی رشت).  فصلنامه باغ نظر، دوره 8، شماره 19، 31-42.
ابوالقاسمی، مه‌لقا. (1396)، تحلیل فضایی ـ کالبدی شهر دوستدار کودک(مطالعه موردی: محله بهار منطقه هفت تهران). پایان‌نامه کارشناسی ارشد جغرافیا و برنامه‌ریزی شهری، دانشکده علوم جغرافیا، دانشگاه خوارزمی تهران.
احمدی، مریم، صرامی، حسین، غیور، حسنعلی و هایراپطیان، واچیک. (1398)، ارزیابی نقش ساختار شهر کودک در تحقق‌پذیری توسعه محلات مطالعه موردی: محلات شهر یزد. فصلنامه شهر پایدار، دورۀ 2، شمارۀ 4، زمستان 1398، 45-31.
حبیبی، محسن. (1392)، آموزش کاربردی نرم افزار Spss. ناشر پایگاه اینترنتی پارس مدیر، ویرایش سوم، پاییز 1392.
حکمت‌نیا، حسن، موسوی، میر نجف، رسولی، محمد و سعیدپور، شراره. (1400)، آینده‌نگاری شهر دوستدار کودک در افق 1401 (مورد شناسی: شهر تبریز). فصلنامه جغرافیا و آمایش شهری ـ منطقه‌ای، سال دهم، شماره 36، 54-37.
خوارزمی، امیدعلی، جوهری، لیلا و خوارزمی، امیرعلی. (1399)، ارزیابی شهر شاخص‌های دوستدار در کلانشهر مشهد. دوفصلنامه جغرافیای اجتماعی شهر، (7) 1، 210-191.
رشید کلویر، حجت‌اله، کریمی‌آذری، امیررضا و پوررضا، سیدهادی. (138)، ارزیابی ایجاد مؤلفه‌های شهر دوستدار کودک در شهر بندرانزلی. دانش شهرسازی، 4(3)، 65-51.
عباسیان، رضا. (1395)، تبیین ارتباط بین اصول شهر یادگیری و ارتقاء خلاقیت کودکان در فضای شهری. پایان‌نامه کارشناسی ارشد شهرسازی، به راهنمایی پویان شهابیان، دانشکده معماری و شهرسازی، دانشگاه آزاد واحد تهران مرکزی.
عبدالله‌زاده، علیرضا، سرورزاده، سید کوروش و محمدی، زهرا. ( 1397)، مطالعه کارکرد امنیت در بافت‌های تاریخی با رویکرد شهر دوستدار کودک نمونه موردی: محله بالا کفت بالا شیراز. فصلنامه مطالعات ساختار و کارکرد شهری، سال 5، شماره 17، 25-7.
غفاری، علیف قلعه‌نویی، محمود و عمادی، خشایار. (1393)، شهر دوستدار کودک؛ ارزیابی و مقایسه چگونگی پاسخگویی به اصول شهر دوستدار کودک در بافت‌های جدید و سنتی ایران.  هویت شهر، دوره  8، شماره 18، 38-27.
فلاحی، علیرضا و گمینی اصفهانی، هدیه. (1396)، برنامه‌ریزی و طراحی معماری فضاهای دوستدار کودک در فرآیند بازسازی پس از زلزله بم. مسکن و محیط روستا، 158، 76-63.
کرمی، مهسا. (1397)، مطالعه شهربازی معاصر ایران با رویکرد شهر دوستدار کودک مطالعه موردی: شهر جدید صدرا در شیراز. پایان‌نامه کارشناسی ارشد مهندسی معماری، دانشکده فنی و مهندسی، دانشگاه ایلام.
کوپایی، گلرخ، نقی زاده، محمد و حبیب، فرح. (1395، تأثیر عوامل کالبدی فضاهای بازی بر خلاقیت کودکان 2 تا ۲5 سال در پارک‌های شهری. فصلنامه مطالعات شهری، 6 (21)، 50-39.
معاونت شهرسازی و معماری شهرداری اردبیل. (1396)، نقشه محلات براساس دستورالعمل محله‌بندی و منطقه‌بندی شهری ابلاغی توسط وزارت کشور.
References
Broberg, A., Kyttä, M. & Fagerho, N. (2013). Child-friendly urban structures: Bullerby revisited, Journal of Environmental Psychology, Vol.35, pp.110-120.
Brown, C., De Lannoy, A., McCracken, D., Gill, T., Grant, M., Wright, H., & Williams, S. (2019). Special issue: child-friendly cities, Cities & Health, 3 (1), 1-7.
Carroll, P., Witten, K., Kearns, R., & Donovan, Ph. (2015). Kids in the City: Children's Use and Experiences of Urban Neighbourhoods in Auckland, New Zealand, Journal of Urban Design, 20(4), 417-436.
Deputy of Urban Planning and Architecture of Ardabil Municipality. (2017). map of neighborhoods based on the instructions of neighborhood planning and urban zoning announced by the Ministry of Interior. [In Persian] Broberg, A., Kyttä, M. & Fagerho, N. (2013). "Child-friendly urban structures: Bullerby revisited", Journal of Environmental Psychology, Vol.35, pp.110-120.
Gökmen, H., & Gülay Taþçý, B. (2016). Children’s views about Child Friendly City: A case study from Izmir. Megaron, 11(4), 469-482.
Holt Nicholas, L., Cunningham, C. T., Sehn, Z. L., Spence, J. C., Newton Amanda, S., & Bal Geoff, D.C. (2009) Neighborhood physical activity opportunities for inner-city children and youth. Journal of Health & Place (15): 1022-1028.Gökmen & Gülay Taþçý, 2016:1
Malone, K., & Rudner, J. (2016). Child-Friendly and Sustainable Cities: Exploring Global Studies on Children’s Freedom, Mobility, and Risk. Risk, Protection, Provision and Policy, Publisher : Springer.
Permanasari, E., Mochtar, S., & Purisari, R. (2019). Political Representation In Urban Public Space In Jakarta Child-Friendly Public Space (Ruang Publik Terpadu Ramah Anak – RPTRA). International Journal of Built Environment and Sustainability. IJBES, Vol. 6, No. 2: 39-49.
UNICEF. (2017). The child friendly cities korea webpage Retrieved from http www.unicef.or.kr/education/korea/choice_city.asp://
Wessells, M. & Kostelny, K. (2013). Child Friendly Spaces: Toward a Grounded, CommunityBased Approach for Strengthening Child Protection Practice in Humanitarian Crises, Child Abuse and Neglect, No. 37, pp.29-40.
Yao, S., & Xiaoyan, L. (2017). Exploration on ways of research and construction of Chinese child-friendly city- A case study of Changsha. Procedia Engineering, 198, 699-706.
References [In Persian]
Abbasian, R. (2016), Explaining the relationship between the principles of the city of learning and promoting children's creativity in urban spaces. Master Thesis in Urban Planning, under the guidance of Pouyan Shahabian, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Azad University, Central Tehran Branch. [In Persian]
Abdullahzadeh, A., Sarvarzadeh, K., & Mohammadi, Z. (2018). Study of security function in historical contexts with the approach of child-friendly city Case study: Bala Kaft Bala neighborhood of Shiraz. Quarterly Journal of Urban Structure and Function Studies, Volume 5, Number 17, 25-7. [In Persian]
Abolghasemi, M. (2017). Spatial-physical analysis of a child-friendly city (Case study: Bahar neighborhood, Haft district, Tehran). Master Thesis in Geography and Urban Planning, Faculty of Geography, Kharazmi University, Tehran. [In Persian]
Ahmadi, M., Sarami, H., Ghayyur, H. A., & Hairaptian, V. (2019). Assessing the role of children's city structure in the feasibility of developing neighborhoods Case study: Yazd neighborhoods. Sustainable City Quarterly, Volume 2, Number 4, Winter 2019, 45-31. [In Persian]
Ebrahimi, H.R., Saeedi Rezvani, N. & Maani Manjili, A. (2011). Development of principles and design of children's play spaces with emphasis on the age group of 5 to 12 years (Rasht case study). Bagh-e Nazar Quarterly, Volume 8, Number 19, 31-42. [In Persian]
Ghaffari, A., Gale-Noei, M., & Emadi, Kh. (2014). A child-friendly city; Evaluation and comparison of how to respond to the principles of child-friendly city in new and traditional contexts of Iran. City Identity, Volume 8, Number 18, 38-27. [In Persian]
Fallahi, A., & Gomini Esfahani, H. (2017). planning and architectural design of child-friendly spaces in the process of reconstruction after the Bam earthquake. Housing and Rural Environment, 158, 76-63. [In Persian]
Habibi, M. (2013), Spss software application training. Publisher of Pars Manager Website, Third Edition, Fall 2013. [In Persian]
Hekmatonia, H., Mousavi, M.N., Rasouli, M., & Saeedpour, Sh. (2021). Futurism of a child-friendly city on the horizon of 2021 (Case study: Tabriz). Quarterly Journal of Geography and Urban Planning - Regional, Year 10, No. 36, 54-37. [In Persian]
Karami, M. (2015). A Study of Contemporary Iranian Amusement Park with a Child-Friendly City Approach: A Case Study: Sadra New City in Shiraz. Master Thesis in Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ilam University. [In Persian]
Kharazmi, O.A., Johari, L., & Kharazmi, A.A. (2020). evaluation of the city of friendly indicators in the metropolis of Mashhad. Bi-Quarterly Journal of Social Geography of the City, (7) 1, 210-191. [In Persian]
Kopaei, G., Naghizadeh, M., & Habib, F. (2016). The effect of physical factors of play spaces on the creativity of children 2 to 25 years old in urban parks. Quarterly Journal of Urban Studies, 6 (21), 50-39. [In Persian]
Rashid Kalvir, H., Karimi Azari, A.R., & Pourreza, H. (2010), Evaluating the creation of components of a child-friendly city in Bandar Anzali. Urban Planning Knowledge, 4 (3), 65-51. [In Persian]
 
 
 
استناد به این مقاله: سلامتی گبلو، شهرام.، قربانی، رسول.، تیموری، ایرج. (1402). سنجش و ارزیابی وضعیت محلات شهر اردبیل ازنظر مؤلفه‌های شهر دوستدار کودک،  فصلنامه برنامه‌ریزی توسعه شهری و منطقه‌ای، 8(27)، 47 -82. DOI: 10.22054/urdp.2023.68751.1454
 Urban and Regional Development Planning  is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License...