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What is a Child Friendly City?
A Child Friendly City is a local system of good governance committed to fulfilling children's rights.
A Child Friendly City is actively engaged in fulfilling the right of every young citizen to:
- Influence decisions about their city
- Express their opinion on the city they want
- Participate in family, community and social life
- Receive basic services such as health care and education
- Drink safe water and have access to proper sanitation
- Be protected from exploitation, violence and abuse
- Walk safely in the streets on their own
- Meet friends and play
- Have green spaces for plants and animals
- Live in an unpolluted environment
- Participate in cultural and social events
- Be an equal citizen of their city with access to every service, regardless of ethnic origin, religion, income, gender or disability.
- It is a city where the voices, needs, priorities and rights of children are an integral part of public policies, programmes and decisions. It is, as a result, a city that is fit for all.
Where did the Child Friendly Cities Initiative begin?
The Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) was launched in 1996 to act on the resolution passed during the second UN Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) to make cities liveable places for all; in UNICEF terms, for "children first." The Conference declared that the well-being of children is the ultimate indicator of a healthy habitat, a democratic society and of good governance.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
The principles contained in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child set the challenge for cities and all areas where people live, to think about how they are providing for the needs of the people who live there - especially the children. The CFCI publication 'Building Child Friendly Cities: A Framework for Action' puts forward a blueprint for how this can be done.
To see what some cities around the world are doing to become child friendly click here.
For more information on the UNICEF Child Friendly Cities Initiative visit www.childfriendlycities.org
UNICEF Australia aims to advocate for further implementation of the initiative in Australia. For more information about the Child Friendly Cities Initiative in Australia contact UNICEF Australia's Advocacy team on 02 9261 2811 or email advocacy@unicef.org.au