BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 21. Azerbaijan has
identified the protection of children, the creation of a safe and
supportive environment for their development, and the strengthening
of inclusive social policies as one of the main priorities of state
policy, Chairperson of the State Committee for Family, Women and
Children's Issues Bahar Muradova said at a roundtable event titled
"Children and Youth" within the framework of WUF13 in Baku,
Trend
reports.


The official noted that Azerbaijan's current legislative
framework identifies the creation of a safe and inclusive
environment for children as a strategic priority.


"At the same time, national policies on urban development and
territorial planning are based on the principles of public
participation and socially oriented planning. This approach creates
an important foundation for a more systematic and sustainable
provision of children's well-being in urban governance," she
explained.


Muradova emphasized that one of the important approaches
presented by Azerbaijan within the framework of the forum is the
human-centered recovery model.


"This approach aims to ensure a safe, dignified, and hopeful
future for children and young people in post-conflict situations.
We believe that child-friendly cities aren't built through
infrastructure alone. This requires integrated policies that
combine strong social protection systems, inclusive urban planning,
community participation, digital security, environmental
sustainability, and intergenerational solidarity.


If we truly want to build inclusive and sustainable cities for
the future, we must first ensure that they are safe, healthy, and
livable for children. We must strengthen the bridge between family
environments and society because cities designed for children
ultimately become better places for everyone," she added.


Today marks the fifth day of WUF13 in Baku.


The first day included a ministerial meeting dedicated to the
New Urban Agenda, a ministerial roundtable, assemblies for women
and civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban
prosperity. An official ceremony marking the raising of the UN and
Azerbaijani flags also took place.







The second day stood out for the inaugural Leaders' Summit,
featuring high-level discussions on the global housing crisis,
urbanization policy, and urban resilience. Concurrently, the
opening of the Mexico City pavilion took place, serving as a
significant platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin
American region and preparing for WUF14.


The third day of WUF13 featured a comprehensive program of
events covering the global housing crisis, the formation of safe
and inclusive cities, climate resilience, artificial intelligence
and urban governance, green urbanization, social equity, and
sustainable transport.


One of the highlights of the third day was the signing of a
sister-city memorandum between the Azerbaijani city of Shusha and
the Turkish city of Trabzon.


The fourth day of WUF13 featured a broad program of events
dedicated to urbanization, climate change, inclusive urban
development, housing policy, and sustainable governance.


One of the important events of the UN Special Programme for the
Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) Cities Forum, held on the fourth
day, was the announcement of Almaty’s official accession to the
“Declaration of Intent on the Establishment of the SPECA Smart
Climate-Resilient Cities Forum.”


Also, for the first time in WUF history and at Azerbaijan’s
initiative, the “WUF13 NGO Forum: Global Partnership and
Decision-Making” was held.


WUF13, which has attracted more than 40,000 registered
participants from 182 countries, will continue until May 22. Held
under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and
communities,” the forum brings together governments, international
organizations, experts, and representatives of civil society to
strengthen global cooperation in the field of sustainable urban
development.