Is Your City Child Friendly?

05/31/2007

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
Jimmy Dean

The central theme of the 2007 World Forum was children's rights. Upon return from the World Forum, Neville Dwyer from Australia let us know about UNICEF's Child Friendly Cities initiative. The web site for this initiative makes the following declaration:

A Child Friendly City is actively engaged in fulfilling the right of every young citizen to:

Influence decisions about their city
Express their opinions 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.

The Child Friendly City web site (http://www.childfriendlycities.org/) contains advocacy tools for individuals seeking to make their cities more child friendly.

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For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.