Freedom from social exclusion, prejudice or discrimination; An environment secure from social harm or violence; An environment sufficiently free from waste, pollution, traffic and other physical hazards to allow them to circulate freely and safely within their local neighbourhood; Availability of rest appropriate to their age and development; Availability of leisure time, free from other demands; Accessible space and time for play, free from adult control and management; Space and opportunities to play outdoors unaccompanied in a diverse and challenging physical environment, with easy access to supportive adults, when necessary; Opportunities to experience, interact with and play in natural environments and the animal world; Opportunities to invest in their own space and time so as to create and transform their world, using their imagination and languages; Opportunities to explore and understand the cultural and artistic heritage of their community, participate in, create and shape it; Opportunities to participate with other children in games, sports and other recreational activities, supported, where necessary, by trained facilitators or coaches; Recognition by parents, teachers and society as a whole of the value and legitimacy of the rights provided for in article 31. B.Challenges to be addressed in the realization of article 31 Lack of recognition of the importance of play and recreation: In many parts of the world, play is perceived as “deficit” time spent in frivolous or unproductive activity of no intrinsic worth. Parents, caregivers and public administrators commonly place a higher priority on studying or economic work than on play, which is often considered noisy, dirty, disruptive and intrusive. Moreover, adults often lack the confidence, skill or understanding to support children’s play and to interact with them in a playful way. Both the right of children to engage in play and recreation and their fundamental importance of those activities for children’s well-being, health and development are poorly understood and undervalued. When play is recognized, it is usually physically active play and competitive games(sport) that are valued above fantasy or social drama, for example. The Committee emphasizes that greater recognition of the forms and locations of play and recreation preferred by older children is particularly necessary. Adolescents often seek places to meet with their peers and explore their emerging independence and transition to adulthood. This is an important dimension for the development of their sense of identity and belonging. Unsafe and hazardous environments: Features in the environment which impact on the rights provided for in article 31 can either serve as protective or risk factors for children’s health, development and safety. In respect of younger children, spaces which provide opportunities for exploration and creativity should enable parents and caregivers to maintain oversight, including by means of eye and voice contact. Children need access to inclusive spaces that are free from inappropriate hazards and close to their own homes, as well as with measures to promote safe, independent mobility as their capacities evolve. The majority of the world’s poorest children face physical hazards such as polluted water; open sewer systems; overcrowded cities; uncontrolled traffic; poor street lighting and congested streets; inadequate public transport; lack of safe local play areas, green spaces and cultural facilities; informal urban “slum” settlements in hazardous, violent or toxic environments. In post-conflict environments, children can also be harmed by landmines and unexploded ordnance. Indeed, children are at particular risk both because their natural curiosity and exploratory play increases the likelihood of exposure and because the impact of an explosion is greater on a child. Human factors can also combine to place children at risk in the public environment: high levels of crime and violence; community unrest and civil strife; drug and gang-related violence; risk of kidnapping and child trafficking; open spaces dominated by hostile youth or adults; aggression and sexual violence towards girls. Even where parks, playgrounds, sports facilities and other provisions exist, they may often be in locations where children are at risk, unsupervised and exposed to hazards. The dangers posed by all these factors severely restrict children’s opportunities for safe play and recreation. The increasing erosion of many spaces traditionally available to children creates a need for greater Government intervention to protect the rights under article 31. Resistance to children’s use of public spaces: Children’s use of public space for play, recreation and their own cultural activities is also impeded by the increasing commercialization of public areas, from which children are excluded. Furthermore, in many parts of the world, there is decreasing tolerance of children in public spaces. The introduction, for example, of curfews on children; gated communities or parks; reduced noise-level tolerance; playgrounds with strict rules for “acceptable” play behaviour; restrictions on access to shopping malls builds a perception of children as “problems” and/or delinquents. Adolescents, in particular, are widely perceived as a threat by widespread negative media coverage and representation, and discouraged from using public spaces. The exclusion of children has significant implications for their development as citizens. Shared experience of inclusive public spaces by different age groups serves to promote and strengthen civil society and encourage children to recognize themselves as citizens with rights. States are encouraged to promote dialogue between older and younger generations to encourage greater recognition of children as rights holders, and of the importance of networks of diverse community spaces in local areas or municipalities which can accommodate the play and recreational needs of all children. Balancing risk and safety: Fears over the physical and human risks to which children are exposed within their local environments