URBAN95 is BvLF’s global initiative, aims to create healthy, prosperous, and vibrant cities where babies, toddlers and their families can thrive. The initiative is meant to make lasting change in the urban landscape and provide opportunities that can shape the crucial first five years of children’s lives. The goal of this URBAN95 Program is to support healthier, safer, and more exciting urban neighbourhoods for young children, for those who care for them, and for everyone.
URBAN95 Phase-I
Realizing the need to transform its urban built environment into more Infant, Toddler, and their Caregivers (ITC) responsive and ITC friendly, Udaipur in Rajasthan has agreed to be part of URBAN95 Program, and in process has join hands with BvLF via a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The Phase-I of the URBAN95 Program began in June 2019 for a period of 18 months and given the success of the same, has now has moved into larger and bigger phase starting Feb’21, and planned for 36 months.
URBAN95 Phase-II
With the success of URBAN95 Phase-I, Udaipur has now moved into bigger & larger phase, i.e. URBAN95 Phase-II, starting from February 2021, focusing on scaling up and sustainability of various projects through various “lighthouse” projects in neighbourhoods, streets and junctions, parks, and health facilities, incorporating URBAN95 components in policy, enhancing institutional capacities through trainings and peer learning, and build a broad coalition of support by involving relevant stakeholders in projects and other initiatives to be undertaken over the period of 36 months.
In the above context, ICLEI- Local Government for Sustainability, South Asia (also the URBAN95 Phase- I technical partner) in collaboration with Ecorys India Pvt. Ltd. has been engaged as a ‘Technical Partner’ & have setup a PMU which is stationed at Udaipur for planning, designing, implementing various activities proposed under the URBAN95 Phase-II, along with overall overseeing & monitoring of the project activities under the able leadership, guidance and support from Udaipur Municipal Corporation (UMC) and other government stakeholders during the entire project duration.
Parents + Program
Parents+ is the Bernard van Leer Foundation’s initiative that combines early years focused coaching activities for parents and other caregivers – using insights from behavioural science to improve impact – with at least one other service designed to meet a child’s and/or her parents’ basic needs. JatanSansthaan has been engaged as ‘Technical Partner’ for the Parents+ program in Udaipur. To achieve impact at scale in the early years, Parents+ program provisions that the technical partner works in conjunction with government – led services in a cost-effective manner.
Parents+ seeks to engage with policymakers, civil society and other stakeholders to build structures that support all babies, toddlers and caregivers, together with key programs directed at specific vulnerable populations.
The URBAN95 Phase-II& Parents+ Program has a Project Management Support Unit (PMSU) for the entire program duration, acting as local representatives of BvLF and will be managing and coordinating URBAN95 Phase-II Program with strategic and operational requisites.
