Vienna Becomes a Candidate Child Friendly City

In May 2026, the City of Vienna officially received candidate status for the UNICEF Child Friendly City certification — a significant milestone for children's rights in Austria. Christoph Jünger, Executive Director of UNICEF Austria, visited Vienna's City Hall to personally present the certificate to Mayor Michael Ludwig and Deputy Mayor Bettina Emmerling.

Vienna's entry into the initiative has an immediate and far-reaching impact: the number of children living in participating municipalities across Austria has more than doubled, now exceeding 600,000 — out of a total of more than 400 municipalities that have taken part in the programme since its launch over a decade ago.

"We warmly congratulate the City of Vienna on this important step and look forward to the implementation of the action plan. It is meaningful and encouraging that Vienna is engaging so actively and in a structured way with children's rights and concrete improvements for children and young people."

Christoph Jünger, Executive Director, UNICEF Austria

A comprehensive action plan, adopted by the City Council

The candidate status recognises Vienna's clear commitment to advancing children's rights through concrete, measurable actions over the next three years. The foundation of this commitment is a comprehensive action plan covering eight thematic areas derived from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child:

• Child-friendly governance and administration
• Child and youth participation
• Child protection and prevention
• Space and public places
• Education and training
• Family and after-school care
• Health
• Leisure

The action plan was adopted by the Vienna City Council on 18 February 2026 and subsequently reviewed and approved by UNICEF Austria. Children and young people were involved in developing the plan and will continue to play an active role in monitoring its implementation — ensuring that their perspectives are heard and taken seriously throughout the process.

A three-year pathway to full recognition

With candidate status now conferred, Vienna enters a three-year implementation phase. During this period, the city's actions will be continuously monitored and further developed. Once the measures in the action plan have been successfully implemented and assessed, Vienna will be formally certified as a UNICEF "Child Friendly City" by UNICEF Austria — a recognition that would make it the largest city ever to achieve this status in the Austrian programme.

This development builds on over a decade of momentum in Austria. Since the "Child Friendly Communities" initiative was launched in 2014, more than 350 municipalities have been certified, reaching over 322,000 children. Vienna's candidacy marks a new chapter — bringing the country's capital, with its 1.9 million inhabitants, into the network for the first time.

For more information about the Child Friendly Cities Initiative in Austria, visit unicef.at.