Infâncias e direito à cidade: perspectivas de crianças participantes de projetos sociais sobre a produção do espaço urbano em Ituiutaba-MG

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the Right to the City from the perspective of children, particularly those living in socially vulnerable conditions in Ituiutaba-MG and engaged in social projects led by third sector institutions. The study is part of the research line "Production of Rural and Urban Space" and seeks to understand how children's urban experiences shape their appropriation of the city, their representations, and their social participation. The main objective is to explore how these children perceive the Right to the City, how they engage with urban spaces, and how urban dynamics, which often overlook children as active city makers with specific needs and desires, impose limitations on their experiences. Drawing from the author's experience as a social worker, CREAS coordinator, and former president of the Municipal Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents (CMDCA), the research highlights the gap between public policies and the actual needs of children. The study uses theoretical frameworks by Lefebvre (2001), Harvey (2014), Sarmento (2007), and Aitken (2014), and adopts a qualitative methodology, including literature review, document analysis, and field research conducted at Instituto Avivar. The study focused on mental maps produced by children aged 6 to 11 to uncover their experiences, perceptions, and expectations of the city. Key findings reveal a persistent invisibility of children—especially the socially vulnerable—in urban planning processes, resulting in restricted urban experiences that shape limited perceptions and projections of the city. Therefore, including children in the making of urban spaces is not only a matter of rights but also an ethical and democratic imperative. Listening to them means acknowledging their full humanity and committing to a more just, inclusive, and diverse urban future.