UNICEF UK wants to improve children’s rights in the UK. We’re doing this by working with organisations who involve children and young people, including local councils, schools and local charities, to develop a new award scheme called Child Friendly Communities.
What is a Child Friendly Community?
• Children’s rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child are known and understood by the general public and those working with children and young people.
• Children are valued as citizens and their best interests guide decisions.
• Children and young people’s ideas and opinions are taken into account.
• Children of poorer backgrounds or ethnic minorities are given fair treatment and equal opportunities.
Child Friendly Communities works alongside the Rights Respecting Schools Award and Baby Friendly Initiative. All are aimed at improving the understanding and application of children’s rights and how this can in turn improve wellbeing for children and young people. Our work involves working closely with local councils, schools and health services to set standards and award achievement in the area of working with children and young people. We also work with and learn from UNICEF’s Child Friendly Cities programme which has been established in other cities and communities worldwide.
We have appointed six young people to represent and communicate the rights of young people across the UK called ‘Article 12 Advisers’.
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