Abstract
This article summarizes the findings of a four-site study of children’s needs and priorities, part of the process to transform Greater Johannesburg into a child friendly city. Applying the Growing Up in Cities model, it presents the voices of 10 to 14-year-olds from four diverse but representative areas of the city. For each of these areas, boys and girls describe their use of their local environments, the places they value or fear, the problems they face and their own priorities for making Johannesburg a better city. Based on these children’s experiences, a number of programme and policy responses are recommended, many of which will be relevant to other cities as well.