December 13, 2002—This week in Amman, Jordan, leading Middle East policy-makers and scholars, under the patronage of H.M. Queen Rania Al-Abdullah, have been joining forces to address two significant trends in the region: the rapid growth of its cities and the plight of the children that live in their crowded quarters. A broad coalition of mayors from around the world and development specialists from the World Bank, UNICEF and other agencies have been participating in this summit, which ends today.

Following the Arab League’s declaration of the year 2002 as the ‘Year of the Child in the Arab World’, the conference was jointly organized by The Arab Urban Development Institute (AUDI), the Municipality of Greater Amman (MoGA), and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region of the World Bank. It follows the United Nations Special Session on Children organized in May of this year.

Children and youth hold the key to the future in every society, yet in many areas they are among the most vulnerable citizens who may fall victim to poverty.

"Of the more than 300 million people living in the (MENA) region, well over half are children and youth under the age of 18 years, the majority of whom live in urban areas," said Jean-Louis Sarbib, World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa region at the inaugural ceremony on Wednesday. "Two decades ago, only 30 percent of the MENA population lived in cities. By 2020, an estimated 70 percent of the region’s population will be urban."

Although some of the region's countries have managed to improve their human development indicators consistent with their status as middle income countries, the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) requires the public sector, civil society, and the private sector to reach out to children in both the vulnerable and disadvantaged categories.

The migration of people from rural to urban areas has not always helped to reduce poverty. In fact, poverty experienced in rural communities is often transferred to urban areas. Frequently, migrants lose their strong informal support systems and confront unpredictable employment prospects, particularly given technical skills that are required in the urban workplace. Further adding to their vulnerability are the facts that many are illiterate, have large families, and find themselves living in slums and squatter settlements with minimal basic services.

Although accurate figures are not readily available, there is ample evidence that this vulnerable population is large in MENA cities. Data suggests that 34 percent of urban Tunisia, 60 percent of Cairo, and 70 percent of the Casablanca population live in slum and squatter settlements. Children are clearly among the most vulnerable in these circumstances.

Under conditions of severe economic stress or political conflicts, children from the ‘vulnerable’ population fall into the ‘disadvantaged’ category. This category includes street children; children engaged in child labor; orphans; displaced children or children in conflict situations; children with disabilities and adolescents in conflict with the law. Very limited information and data are available on these children who for the most part have little or no ties to their families. Left to their own devices, these children rarely seek out the basic services available to them.

"With the increase of urbanization in the Arab region, the trend toward administrative decentralization, and the strengthening of local governance, we recognize the greater responsibilities Arab cities and municipalities have in meeting the needs and aspirations of children and youth in cities," said H.E. Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Nuaim, president of the Arab Urban Development Institute (AUDI), a technical and consulting organization whose primary focus is on the various aspects pertaining to urban centers.

Earlier this week, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by AUDI and the MENA Region of the World Bank. The MoU represents a model for other partnerships designed to make all parties involved more effective in the overarching goal of fighting poverty amongst children and youth.

During the signing, Jean-Louis Sarbib said that the World Bank is working with AUDI and communities like the Greater City of Amman to solve problems in the region. "AUDI is a very important organization, whose experience can benefit many," Sarbib commented.

The subjects of the forum themselves, children, were also represented through a videoconference that took place yesterday involving youth from Jordan, West Bank and Gaza, Morocco, Lebanon, Yemen and Egypt. Facilitated by Jordanian youth, the session focused on high priority issues identified by the children and youth in the region.

Jacques Baudouy, Human Development Sector Director for the MENA region, highlighted vulnerability as the critical issue facing children: "in a region where poverty does not appear to be very high, it can be easy to dismiss the situation of children and youth as far better than it really is. However, when we examine the circumstances more closely and apply criteria other than poverty --- it is evident that a significant share of the population is vulnerable. This vulnerability makes them far more susceptible to shocks and less able to cope."

The conference concludes today with discussions on population, urban environment and gender issues. It will also see the issuing of the Amman Declaration for Childhood, signed by all participating mayors of the conference. Mayor of Amman, Nidal Al Hadid, said that the Declaration will set the stage for all countries to ensure continuous follow up on principles and ideas discussed during the conference sessions.

Few successful outreach programs have taken place in the MENA region, therefore the Conference aimed to highlight successful international examples that MENA mayors and other relevant local officials could learn from, and hopefully implement.

Useful links: For more information on the conference, please visit: http://www.araburban.org/childcity/

To read the op-ed cosigned by Jean-Louis Sarbib and H.E. Abdullah Al Ali Al Nuaim, please click here.

Inaugural ceremony of the Children and the City Conference

World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa region Jean-Louis Sarbib and President of the Arab Urban Development Institute (AUDI) H.E. Abdullah Al Ali Al Nuaim at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding Signing

Maartje Van Putten, President, European Network on Street Children Worldwide and member of the Bank's Inspection Panel chairs a session on responding to the needs of 'disadvantaged' children

Elaine Wolfensohn (left) well known education specialist chairs a session on Early Childhood Development, Bona Kim (right) Operations Analyst and Child Labor Specialist is the rapporteur of the session

Dr. Naheed Aziz, Deputy Regional Director, UNICEF (left) chairs a session on tracking basic health and education issues in MENA cities and town. Ekta Kothari World Bank consultant in the MENA Region and conference coordinator is rapporteur for the session

Christine Allison (left) gives a presentation on "The Multi-sectoral Approach Towards Improving the Lives of Poor Urban Children Through Community-based Programs: Learning from Global Experiences". Donald Bundy (right) gives a presenation on "Promoting Health, Education and HIV/AIDS Prevention in Urban Schools: The FRESH FRramework Approach"

H.E. Nidal Al-Hadid, Mayor of Amman (front center row) attends a session on Early Childhood Development

Sr. Education Specialist Arun Joshi and Ektar Khotari from the World Bank participated in the organization of the conference