Analyzing the child friendly city indicators in Ahvaz metropolis

A B S T R A C T
Public spaces such as sidewalks, parks and playgrounds are places for socializing children. Preparing the urban space for children both increases their social responsibilities for urban life, makes them more respectful of the urban environment and spaces in the future, and also more diligent in its maintenance. For this purpose, the present study has been compiled with the aim of analyzing the child friendly city indicators in Ahvaz Metropolis.The present Study is applied-theoretical in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of nature and method. The method of data collection is documentary and field. The results of the fit indices of the first-order factor analysis model indicate the confirmation of all indicators (children’s safety and ease of movement; children’s security; children's playground space; access to services, education and culture; and child friendly city).According to the results obtained from structural equations, it can also be said that the path coefficient between safety and ease of children's movement; children’s security; children's playground space; access to services, education and culture; and child friendly city are respectively equal to 0.244,; 176/0; 225/0 and 194/0; And because these values are greater than 1.96; Therefore, the relationship of all indicators with the child friendly city is significant. The results of Friedman test also showed that the significance level obtained from Friedman test is less than 0.05, so there is a difference between the mean rank of research variables at 95% confidence level (p = 0.001); In other words, the priority of child friendly city indicators in the eight districts of Ahvaz was not the same from the perspective of research samples.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Public spaces such as sidewalks, parks and playgrounds are places for socializing children. Preparing the urban space for children both increases their social responsibilities for urban life, makes them more respectful of the urban environment and spaces in the future, and also more diligent in its maintenance. A suitable urban space largely provides security and the presence of the child, and an inappropriate urban space eliminates it and creates all kinds of harms and social problems. In fact, public spaces such as sidewalks, parks and playgrounds are places for socializing children. Preparing the urban space for children both increases their social responsibilities for urban life, makes them more respectful of the urban environment and spaces in the future, and also more diligent in its maintenance. For this purpose, the present study has been compiled with the aim of analyzing the child friendly city indicators in Ahvaz Metropolis.
 
Methodology
The present Study is applied-theoretical in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of nature and method. The method of data collection is documentary and field. The statistical population of the present study consists of residents of the eight districts of Ahvaz, which according to the 2016 census; their number is as shown in the table below. The sample size is calculated using the Cochran's formula. The sampling method was also done randomly with classes proportional to the volume.
Data analysis and answers to research questions were performed using structural equations, one-sample T-test techniques and Friedman test.
 
Results and Discussion
The results of the fit indices of the first-order factor analysis model indicate the confirmation of all indicators (children’s safety and ease of movement; children’s security; children's playground space; access to services, education and culture; and child friendly city).According to the results obtained from structural equations, it can also be said that the path coefficient between safety and ease of children's movement; children’s security; children's playground space; access to services, education and culture; and child friendly city are respectively equal to 0.244,; 176/0; 225/0 and 194/0; And because these values are greater than 1.96; Therefore, the relationship of all indicators with the child friendly city is significant. The results of Friedman test also showed that the significance level obtained from Friedman test is less than 0.05, so there is a difference between the mean rank of research variables at 95% confidence level (p = 0.001); In other words, the priority of child friendly city indicators in the eight districts of Ahvaz was not the same from the perspective of research samples.
 
Conclusion
Indicators of children’s safety and ease of movement, children’s security, children's playground space, access to services, education and culture, child friendly city are the indicators that define child friendly city in Ahvaz. The fit of the model is desirable according to the path coefficients obtained from the relationship of expression of the indicators. There is also a difference between the observed value of the research variables and the mean of the null hypothesis, and the observed value is higher than the hypothetical mean. As a result of the variables of children’s safety and ease of movement, children’s security, urban space and children's play, access to services, education and culture and child friendly city based on stockholders' perspective is in a favorable situation.