Denmark
Child-Friendly Cities Initiative
The Danish Committee for UNICEF piloted the Child-Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) in Denmark from 2018 to 2023. The overall aim of CFCI is to support Danish municipalities in becoming better at realizing the rights of all children. The initiative will help put children at the centre of decision making and will rethink the way municipalities organize themselves to include a child perspective across their work.
The municipalities in Denmark play an essential role in the implementation of child rights and the day-to-day contact with children and their families. Still, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child continues to have concerns about the municipalities’ ability to ensure child rights in reality, for instance related to their capacity to detect child abuse, decide on the need for alternative care and ensure child participation.
The pilot with the first recognized municipality was officially launched on 16 September 2020.
Since then, Aalborg the 4th biggest city in Denmark was recognized on the World Children’s day 20th November 2022.
The Danish Committee for UNICEF worked with 3 municipalities in a pilot project to bring the CFCI to Denmark. The first part was a learning phase with the municipalities, with the aim of modifying the international CFCI framework to make it relevant to the Danish context. A specific effort was done to develop a strong child participation approach by the cities.
From 2023, the Danish Committee for UNICEF plans to end the pilot phase and consolidate CFCI by strengthening and upscaling the initiative with a stronger and more digital concept and take in more cities to the program.
We are proud to join and be part of the international movement of Child-Friendly Cities.
COUNTRY FACTS
Population: 5,800,000 (2020)
Pop. under 18: 1,300,000 (2020)
CONTACT
Mette Kim BOHNSTEDT
mbohnstedt@unicef.dk
+45 53 53 28 73
LINKS
List of child friendly cities in Denmark
3 recognized cities
- Billund Kommune
- Aalborg
- Gladsaxe