Urban planning and child participation: New consensus in the city

Abstract

Participation is a fundamental component of the decision-making process, considering that politics expresses collective interests. Thinking about the city based on these premises, we can assume that, beyond the regulatory frameworks for participation, urban policies and their tools should reflect the will of those who inhabit cities. From the Planning Theory (PT) and the principles of international politics, our objective is to provide supporting elements for the strengthening of the decision-making process in the city, advancing in the design of participatory-based urban policies and plans. This theoretical discussion starts from recognizing the multiplicity of actors that operate in the city and aims to explore the challenges and opportunities involved in the participation of children. The decisions made in the city influence the lives of children, and their voices should be heard.