July 11, 2006: St. Petersburg announces plans to become a ‘Child-friendly city’
St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, 11 July 2006: St. Petersburg has announced its intention of becoming the first ‘Child-Friendly City’ in the Russian Federation. Launching the initiative today, St. Petersburg Governor Valentina Matvienko and UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman outlined plans to create a city that is genuinely responsive to the needs of its children. The city will make history next week by hosting the first ever meeting between children and the leaders of the G8 Summit on 16 July 2006. However, as Ann M. Veneman pointed out, the city has been making strides for children for some time, supporting programmes for street children and children affected by HIV. “Now the city will take these initiatives to the next level,” said Ms. Veneman. “building on its successes to ensure that children do not fall through the cracks, that children are not left behind.” The initiative, which will begin in 2007, will focus on the most vulnerable: the street children, those separated from their families, those affected by HIV, children with disabilities and special needs, and children who are victims of violence or intolerance. “A child-friendly city is a city where the voices, needs and priorities of children are an integral part of public policies, programmes and decisions,” said Ms. Veneman. “It is a city that sees children and young people as part of the solution, rather than part of the problem. It is a city that is fit for all.” The Child-friendly City Initiative However, cities are also places of opportunity. Population density means that more children can be reached by more services at a lower cost per child. Families can be reached by information and media campaigns and have relatively easy access to information. And urban citizens can congregate more easily than those in rural areas, discussing and resolving shared problems. Several nations and municipalities are making efforts to create Child-Friendly Cities, putting children’s needs and rights at the centre of urban planning. Child-friendly cities include London, Buenos Aires, Munich, and others in countries such as France, Italy, Brazil. For more information please contact:
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