What to know
The Child Friendly Cities Initiative, an initiative from the United Nations Children’s Fund, aims to establish safer, more inclusive communities for children, according to the organization’s website. To gain recognition as a Child Friendly City, communities must develop action plans that promote the best interests of children.
With the help of city leaders, government agencies, service providers and youth, the Mayor’s Office of Education and Youth Engagement led the initiative in Houston and secured the recognition, according to the release.
The backstory
The office conducted a situational analysis on the state of children’s rights in the community, created and implemented a local action plan, and presented its results in an action plan report.
Officials helped address mental health, emergency preparedness, resource accessibility and civic engagement among youth with activities such as mental health and advocacy trainings, an emergency preparation communications campaign, and a podcast on children’s rights.
Mayor Sylvester Turner committed to implementing UNICEF’s CFCI in 2019, when he signed UNICEF’s global Child Friendly Cities Manifesto, becoming the first U.S. mayor to do so.
When the CFCI launched in the U.S. on Aug. 12, 2020, Houston joined six other cities and counties in the nation as pilot communities. Around two years later, Houston became the first UNICEF Child Friendly City candidate in the country Aug. 11, 2022.
Quote of note
“Receiving this national distinction is a humbling moment for the City of Houston,” Turner said in a statement. “We are hopeful this will inspire many other U.S. cities to create awareness of children’s rights, strengthen support systems for youth and include them in the decision-making of their city.”
