The brains and bodies of babies and toddlers develop faster during the first five years of life than at any other time. When we are little, the foundations are laid for our lifelong physical and mental health and well-being, learning capacity, and earning potential.
The best way to bolster a child’s development is to support the people who care for them and ensure the environments and services around them will help them thrive. UNHCR estimates suggest almost one million babies were born into refugee life in the last three years. Many refugee children will live their entire childhoods in cities. To thrive, refugee children, like all children, need access to the services in their cities, including safe, affordable and healthy housing and access to green space and play areas to move, explore and learn.
UNHCR, Bernard van Leer Foundation, and PHAP will host a discussion to explore the elements that make cities good places for young refugee children to live and grow. We will discuss the promising tools, practices, and leadership examples emerging. We will hear from cities and discuss how cities can be empowered to pledge their support to refugee children and families in the run-up to the Global Refugee Forum in 2023.