Child Friendly Cities Initiative
The Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) was launched in 1996 by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), acting on the resolution passed during the second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) to make cities liveable places for all.
Led by UNICEF, the initiative aims to support municipal governments in realising the rights of children at the local level, with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as its foundation.
It is also a network that gather government and other stakeholders including civil society organisations, the private sector, academia, the media and, most importantly, children themselves who want to make their cities and communities more adaptable to their needs.
From UNICEF’s perspective – and based on experiences of cities who have implemented this initiative over the past few decades – a city that is child friendly takes account of the voices, needs, priorities and rights of children as integral in developing public policies, programmes and decisions.
Generally, a child friendly city, town or community ensures that children:
- Are protected from exploitation, violence and abuse;
- Have a good start in life and grow up healthy and cared for;
- Have access to quality social services;
- Experience quality, inclusive and participatory education and skills development;
- Express their opinions and influence decisions that affect them;
- Participate in family, cultural, city/community and social life;
- Live in a safe, secure and clean environment with access to green spaces;
- Meet friends and have places to play and enjoy themselves; and
- Have a fair chance in life regardless of their ethnic origin, religion, income, gender or ability.
Encouraging Child Participation in Urban Development
CFCI highlights the importance of enabling children to participate actively in the development of their cities and communities.
It is first and foremost, as UNICEF points out, their right to voice their opinions on matters concerning their well-being while having the right to receive information, express their thoughts, and take part in the decision-making process in various ways in numerous settings.
This means they should have the opportunity to do so safely and effectively whether as an individual or in groups at home, in school as well as the community, with the support of schools, communities and cities.
By engaging with these children and incorporating their understanding of their lives alongside their skills, creativity and goals, adult stakeholders will be able to develop and implement programmes, services, policies and practices that are more relevant, sustainable and inclusive.
Giving children the right and space to speak up and be heard is especially crucial in combating discrimination, violence, exploitation and injustice in an environment where cultures and practices of abuse towards them is – unfortunately – taking place.
It is important to note that when they are provided avenues to report such abuse to prevent any recurrence, children should find them accessible and safe enough to believe that their complaints will be taken seriously and action is to follow suit without fail.
In the long term, participatory opportunities are effective ways for children, more so adolescents, to improve their skills and relationships with their peers and communities. Adults can also benefit from child participation in that they have the chance to witness these children thriving and potentially boost their own well-being through inter-generational interactions.
Above all, children can have a better understanding of democracy and accountability when it comes to development planning and implementation by schools, communities and local governments.
As they interact with policymakers, they can assert their rights and influence decision-making, promoting an all-encompassing involvement among a wide range of stakeholders of which they are a part of in shaping policies.
“Moreover, when well executed, child participation at the school, community and municipality levels is especially important because it allows all children from different walks of life to reflect on and influence decisions affecting them,” UNICEF adds.
References:
Child Friendly Cities and Communities Handbook. (2018, April). Child-Friendly Cities Initiative. https://www.childfriendlycities.org/reports/child-friendly-cities-and-communities-handbook
Effective, representative, and inclusive child participation at the local level. (2022, August). Child-Friendly Cities Initiative. https://www.childfriendlycities.org/documents/effective-representative-and-inclusive-child-participation-local-level
The Child Friendly Cities Initiative Guidance Note. (2022, November). Child-Friendly Cities Initiative. https://www.childfriendlycities.org/reports/child-friendly-cities-initiative
What is a child friendly city? (n.d.). Child Friendly Cities Initiative. https://www.childfriendlycities.org/what-is-a-child-friendly-city
