Athens Among UNICEF's Child Friendly Cities

The Municipality of Athens and UNICEF have joined forces to transform Athens into a city where every child would love to live!

A Memorandum of Cooperation between the Municipality of Athens and UNICEF has been signed which states that the Greek capital is officially participating in the Child-Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI); this is a UNICEF-led initiative that supports municipal governments in realizing the rights of children at the local level.

Athens is participating for the first time in this global program, which aims to put children's needs at the forefront, adjusting its services, facilities, programs, and public spaces to serve this purpose. With the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as their guiding principles, the Municipality of Athens and the newly-established UNICEF office in Greece will work together to ensure the well-being of children and young people living in Greece's capital. 

Through joint awareness initiatives and meticulously planned actions, this program aims to: 

• Reduce child poverty through targeted interventions. 
• Promote access and enhance educational opportunities. 
• Prevent violence against children, including children who are victims of domestic or community violence.
• Promote education through continuous skills development. 
• Promote youth employment.
• Promote the participation of children and young people in decision-making processes.
• Encourage healthy eating habits.
• Promote gender equality. 
• Enhance environmental awareness.

The Child-Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) was launched in 1996. It includes a network of 47 countries that brings together government and other stakeholders such as civil society organizations, the private sector, academia, media, and, importantly, children themselves who wish to make their cities and communities more child-friendly.

The candidacy of the Municipality of Athens marks the beginning of the program in the country with five more municipalities being added to it in the coming months.

---