Initiatives
Explore Child Friendly Cities initiatives around the world
Beyond the playground: repurposing urban spaces
Beyond the playground: repurposing urban spaces
Best practice - Play & leisure, In 2023, Cardiff became the first UNICEF Child Friendly City in the UK. During its journey to recognition, Cardiff Council prioritised play by running its play street scheme, closing residential streets to traffic for a few hours a month to allow children to play close to home. Yet with children suddenly restricted to the few streets around them…
Prioritising play
Prioritising play
Best practice - Play & leisure, In the London Borough of Redbridge, where the council is being supported by the Child Friendly Cities & Communities programme to reach thousands of children to hear what they want changed in their local area, play consistently tops the list. This is as true for the borough’s youngest children as it is for older age groups, who frame play as “…
Learning by playing
Learning by playing
Best practice - Play & leisure, On 1 June 2024, more than 130 boys and girls from the Local Children's and Adolescents' Councils of the Valencian Community met in La Pobla de Farnals (Spain) for the 8th Regional Meeting of Children's Local Councils to claim their right to play and reflect on the links with non-discrimination, climate action and protection against violence for…
Andorra
Andorra
The Parròquies Amigues de la Infància (Child Friendly Parishes) initiative in Andorra was launched in 2013. Unlike in other countries, in Andorra this Child Friendly Cities initiative is implemented at the regional level. As of 2023, all the seven parishes in the country are involved in the initiative, reaching almost 14,000 children, making a…, List of child friendly cities in Andorra, 7 Parishes with child friendly recognition, • Andorra la Vella • Canillo • Encamp • Escaldes-Engordany • La Massana • Ordino • Sant Julià de Lòria CFCI Andorra CFCI Andorra CFCI Andorra
Austria
Austria
The Kinderfreundliche Gemeinden (Child Friendly Communities) initiative in Austria has been active since 2013. The objective of the initiative and the Child Friendly Community recognition is to underline the importance of making child-friendly decisions at the local level, where children are most affected. The Austrian Child Friendly Communities…, Gabersdorf – the first recognized child-friendly municipality in Austria, The municipality of Gabersdorf in Styria was the first to be recognized as a ”child-friendly community” by UNICEF Austria. Harmonious relationships between the generations are a top priority in Gabersdorf. Mayor Franz Hierzer expressed his satisfaction with the community’s development of needs-based measures: ”The audit process is an innovative…, List of child friendly cities in Austria, 273 recognized child friendly cities, Absdorf Adlwang Alland Alpbach Altendorf Altenmarkt an der Triesting Altenmarkt bei Sankt Gallen Althofen Ampflwang im Hausruckwald Amstetten Arriach Aschau im Zillertal Auerbach Ausservillgraten Bach Bad Erlach Bad Fischau-Brunn Bad Hofgastein Bad Ischl Bad Vigaun Bad Vöslau Bad Zell Bergheim Blumau-Neurißhof Böheimkirchen Breitenbach am Inn…
Belarus
Belarus
UNICEF first launched the Child Friendly Cities initiative in Belarus in 2007. Since then, it has expanded widely around the country to bring an explicit child focus to the traditional, adult-oriented local governance system. 30 cities to date have joined the initiative including the capital, Minsk, as well as 4 regional centres, such as Homiel,…, List of child friendly cities in Belarus, 24 recognized child friendly cities, Baranovichy Barysau Brest Dobrush Homiel Horki Hrodna Kastsyukovichy Lida Mahilyow Maladzechna Mazyr Minsk Navagrudak Navapolatsk Orsha Pinsk Polatsk Pruzhany Salihorsk Shklow Slutsk Vawkavysk Zhodzina, 6 candidate cities, Masty Braslau Vileyka Shchuchyn Svetlogorsk Babruysk
Belize
Belize
[Past initiative] The Sustainable and Child Friendly Municipalities initiative (SCFM), which started in 2014, is a collaboration between the Belize Mayors Association, the Ministry of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development, UNICEF and UNDP. The initiative was created to raise awareness and promote activities at the subnational level aimed…, List of child friendly cities in Belize, 9 recognized child friendly cities, • Belize City • Belmopan • Benque Viejo del Carmen • Corozal • Dangriga • Orange Walk • Punta Gorda • Santa Elena/San Ignacio • San Pedro
Brazil
Brazil
#AgendaCidadeUNICEF , #AgendaCidadeUNICEF is the initiative of UNICEF in Brazil to promote children’s rights while preventing and reducing violence against children and adolescents in urban centers. To achieve the established goals, #AgendaCidadeUNICEF will enhance public policies and work along with the municipalities. In the first edition 2022-2024, the initiative is…, of the cities and, for the cities of Brazil for children and adolescents. The 8 capitals cities are the key-elements for a community of solutions to share lessons-learned and practical interventions to implement children’s rights in Brazil, and at the same time they are members of the world commitment to build cities protecting children and adolescents while…, UNICEF SEAL (Selo UNICEF) , The UNICEF Seal is an initiative to promote the rights of children and adolescents in Brazil – reaching in the 2021-2024 edition 2,023 municipalities in the Amazon and Semiarid regions, where over 15 million boys and girls live. Implemented since 1999, UNICEF Seal has been supporting the guarantee of rights, advocating for equality, and…, List of municipalities enrolled in Brazil, 8 municipalities enrolled in #AgendaCidadeUNICEF, Belem Fortaleza Manaus Recife Rio de Janeiro Salvador São Paulo São Luís , 2,023 municipalities enrolled in SEAL UNICEF, AMAZON REGION: 676 municipalities enrolled SEMI-ARID REGION: 1,347 municipalities enrolled See the complete list on https://www.selounicef.org.br/participantes-2021-2024 CFCI Brazil
Bulgaria
Bulgaria
[Past initiative], The Child Friendly Municipalities initiative (“Община – приятел на детето”) in Bulgaria was launched in 2009 as a joint effort between UNICEF and a civil society organization “Association Parents”, member of the National Network for Children, in partnership with the National Association of Municipalities in Republic of Bulgaria and the State…, LIST OF CHILD-FRIENDLY CITIES IN BULGARIA, 20 RECOGNIZED CHILD-FRIENDLY CITIES, • Sofia • Plovdiv • Varna • Veliko Tarnovo • Vratza • Shumen • Dimitrovgrad • Gotze Deltchev • Gorna Oriahovitza • Dobritch • Vidin • Stara Zagora • Sliven • Pavel Banja • Chirpan • Tundja • Kozlodui • Kazanlak • Radnevo • Valchi Dol
Canada
Canada
The Municipalités amies des enfants (MAE) (Child Friendly Municipality) initiative in Canada has been active in the French-speaking province of Québec since 2009 and is led by the NGO Espace MUNI in partnership with UNICEF Canada . The aim of the initiative is to assess and recognize the work and achievements of municipalities in equitably…, List of child friendly cities in Canada, 85 recognized cities, 85 municipalities (see the list here )
Colombia
Colombia
Territorios Amigos de la Niñez (TAN) is an initiative that started in Colombia in 2016, and arises from the need to advance processes of technical accompaniment, as well as to value and stimulate the management efforts carried out by the territorial entities sustainably, accelerating progress in the protection of the rights of children and…, List of child friendly cities in Colombia, 54 child friendly municipalities, Andalucía Arauca Arauquita Arjona Barranquilla Bogotá D.C. Buenaventura Cali Caloto Carmen del Darién Chía Cúcuta Cumbal Dibulla Floridablanca Guamal Inzá Fortul Ipiales La Jagual del Pilar Maicao Malambo Manaure Medellín Páez Pasto Pereira Providencia Pueblo Rico Puerto Santander Puerto Wilches Quibdó Riohacha Rio Quito Riosucio Sabanagrande San…, 26 child friendly cities departments, Arauca Antioquia Atlántico Bolívar Boyacá Caldas Caquetá Casanare Cauca Chocó Córdoba Cundinamarca Guainía Huila La Guajira Meta Nariño Norte de Santander Quindío Risaralda San Andrés Santander Sucre Valle del Cauca Vaupés Vichada CFCI Colombia
