Use of public space

Which Convention Articles relate to Public Space Issues?

Article 2: Non-discrimination
Article 12: Expression of opinion
Article 13: Freedom of expression
Article 14: Freedom of thought, conscience and religion
Article 15: Freedom of association
Article 16: Protection of privacy
Article 17: Access to appropriate information
Article 19: Protection from abuse and neglect
Article 31: Leisure, recreation and cultural activities

What are the Human Rights issues in Victoria relating to Public space?

At a time when many societies are (re)constructing young people as'intruders' and a'threat' in public spaces, there is a need to determine the issues and the impact of aggressive social interventions and exclusionary practices on young people's experiences of urban life.

(Malone and Hasluck, 1998)

Through participatory research techniques the UNESCO Growing Up in Cities (GUIC) project has identified four key factors that young people have indicated marginalise and exclude them from public spaces. They are:

The physical form of the neighbourhood

According to Stilwell (1993), the neighbourhood form shapes people's perceptions of society, themselves and the social values they adopt. (Malone and Hasluck, 1998)

Young people generally describe their neighbourhood as boring because there were limited public spaces that catered for their specific needs.

Commercialisation of youth spaces

Young people identified one of the major barriers to them engaging in sporting activities and utilising community and commercial facilities was the cost. Positioning young people as consumers serves to disadvantage and ultimately preclude their access to public spaces as a result of their lack of disposable income.

Restricted mobility

Young people identified the causes of their restricted mobility as: having to stay at home to babysit younger siblings; lack of or expensive public transport; being too young to drive; not wanting to go places with their parents or relatives; streets with high traffic flow; not being able to afford a bicycle or skateboard; nowhere to go; and fears for personal safety.

Personal safety, dangers and fears

The GUIC project identified a number of mediums through which young peoples images of danger and fear have evolved, these included: lived experience; harassment and policing of young people by regulatory agencies; parents projecting fears as a mechanism for scaring young people into containment; media sensationalisation of the problems in the western suburbs and young people being stereotyped as perpetrators of violence; and videos, television and games.

Other issues include:

Police and security guards'moving on' young people who are then forced to find another space.

A comment by a Somalian young person is common:

Police often discriminate against us, they pick on us. Once we were walking on the street with a friend and a policeman in a car stopped and asked me my name and address for no reason. He said to me don't speak bloody African language. This made me feel really angry because he didn't respect my language or culture. He pushed my friend over when he came to help me.

(Youth Newsletter 1997 cited in Malone 1999)

Community needs are currently understood as adult needs not young peoples; public space becomes adult space and young people are forced to occupy the fringes.

Youth specific space needs - limited places meet young peoples needs of no age restrictions, distance, access to transport and financial constraints.

Lack of authentic participation in planning, design and development of urban spaces

While some local councils in the Melbourne area have endeavoured to consult with young people about their use of public spaces, for the most part this has been about'getting them involved' rather than acknowledging their distinct needs. Participation is not about consulting young people about the what colour to paint the youth centre or planting trees in the playground. It's about finding out how young people use public spaces differently and how they would most like these spaces to reflect them and their specific needs. The capacity of young people to contribute to public space planning is often undervalued.

Specific discrimination issues faced by some young people, based on age, race, sex/gender, sexuality, and disability.

Tasks and strategies identified by the workshop

What can non-government agencies and local government do? What does government (State and Commonwealth) need to do?

Address negative perceptions in sections of the community regarding young people in public areas 'hanging around' / congregating.
Assist young people to feel and be safe in public places.
Question perceptions of safety which are often unfounded.
Create youth specific space, to overcome the reduction in play space generally as well as to overcome the increased commercialisation of play / leisure activities.
Advocate to authorities and other institutions such as business against exclusionary practices and for alternatives to increased regulation and uniformity.
Discuss the idea/fact that public space is often a place of safety for young people and others because of the proximity to people.
Work to address the discrimination of minorities occurring as a result of increased visibility.
Improve the participation of young people in the design and control of public space.
Work to address problems of policing and regulation.
Understand that space is gendered.
Interrogate the contradictions and the intersections of private and public space.
Encourage the creative use of space.
Develop information about family friendly public spaces.
Improve safety and security by:
- Harm minimisation / regulation of spaces e.g. playgrounds;
- Perceptions of violence / crime education;
- 50 km rule - traffic calming;
- Rural / city divide difference;
- Providing adequate resources to maintain facilities;
- Safe houses; and
- Designing buildings for multiple and constant use.
Improve and diversify uses and access to public transport:
- Exclusion modes (i.e. skateboarding as a legitimate form of movement);
- Cost, including adult prices for 13 and 14 year olds, off-peak fares, concession cards;
- In rural and regional areas? (links to public transport);
- Regulation of behaviour and policing powers;
- Consult young people about how the public transport systems work; and
- Educate transport companies about the needs of young people.
Ensure young people's access to public space:
- Public events - evaluate cost and age eligibility for entry;
- Conflicts in use of space - ensure that access allows for sharing resources; and
- Ensure multiplicity of use of existing spaces such as schools.
Improve planning and design by:
- Developing a'children' approach to planning contractual requirement and n
- Not designing in deliberate exclusion;
- Ensuring that financial / commercial considerations are not overriding;
- Involving young people in planning and management decisions; and
- Acknowledge diversity of housing, uses and population needs / flexibility.

Policing and regulation

Challenge exclusionary practices until they are abolished;
Educate police / security / community / local business;
Educating young people of their rights; and
Advocate for regulation of'private policing', and an independent complaints mechanism;

Youth Culture

Educate the community, public and parents about youth culture;
Youth rights don't sit in isolation i.e. everyone has rights;
Multi-national organisation need to play a role;
Challenge and educate about stereotypes and community perceptions about young people e.g.: young people are not a homogenous group; risk taking is a normal part of some adolescents development / not all; gangs of young people are not necessarily up to no good; young people are both perpetrators and victims of crime; and
Seed money for business to consult- framework including young people and diversity needs.

Commercialisation

Contractual obligations to include participation of young people in all design tenders;
Funding / resources - projects developed, controlled and managed by young people; and
Ensure performance indicators, evaluation mechanisms and reporting involves young people.