Integrating children’s rights in spatial planning: legal-geographical insights from Sweden

Purpose Children’s rights have gained increasing prominence in spatial-planning discussions, while research simultaneously reports on a global decline in child-dedicated spaces and in opportunities for children’s independent mobility. In Sweden, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was incorporated into statutory law in 2020, with the ambition of guiding all public decision-making, including spatial planning. Yet, its practical effects remain poorly understood. This paper aims to address this gap by analysing how children’s rights are integrated in municipal planning processes and how ambitions are realised spatially. Design/methodology/approach The study is situated within the interdisciplinary field legal geography and adopts two theoretical points of departure. First, the cartographic concept of scale is used metaphorically to analyse how children’s rights operate on international law (small scale), through national legislation (medium scale), to local planning practice (large scale). Second, law is conceptualised as spatially embedded, examining how legal norms shape the built environment. Against this background, a thematic analysis of 175 spatial planning decisions from Swedish municipalities is conducted. Findings Children’s rights are frequently neglected in planning practice, and child participation is rare. When considered, children’s rights are often treated as negotiable interests, allowing other concerns to take precedence. The analysis reveals a clear disconnect between the UNCRC and local spatial planning. Originality/value This paper offers new empirical and theoretical insights into the relationship between the incorporation of the UNCRC and spatial outcomes for children.