Helsinki recognised as Child Friendly City

Helsinki is the first Nordic capital to be recognised as a UNICEF Child Friendly City. The recognition is given to cities that promote the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child with their activities and development work.

The Child Friendly Municipality model is a UNICEF-supplied tool that supports municipal governments in their effort to secure a good childhood for its residents, especially those in vulnerable positions. The initiative is founded on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Child Friendly Cities Initiative.

Helsinki’s goals for the first period of the Child Friendly Cities Initiative were:

• To supply city employees working with children and young people in fields such as early childhood education, basic education, youth services and child welfare with further education on children’s rights.
• To introduce clear guidelines to support the introduction and systematic implementation of child impact assessments in the city’s operations. 
• To ensure that feedback on the city’s services is collected in a child-friendly, regular and systematic manner.
• To ensure that Helsinki’s services aimed at children work to combat bullying and promote a sense of community, and that children’s emotional and interaction skills are promoted in their growth environments. 
• To strengthen children’s and young people’s sense of security in urban spaces by developing interaction. 

“We are happy to accept the Child Friendly City recognition. We want Helsinki to be a child-friendly city where every child and young person has the right to grow and develop safely. Every child is valuable, and children’s rights apply to all children. We will continue to work for children in cooperation with UNICEF,” said Mayor of Helsinki Juhana Vartiainen.

Helsinki is the first capital of a Nordic country to receive this recognition. The recognition is valid for two years. Helsinki’s Child Friendly City work is part of its promotion of general health and welfare, as well as part of its Welfare Plan.

Children and youth considered in decision-making, city planning

One of Helsinki’s key success in its Child-Friendly Municipality work is its strengthening of children’s and young peoples’ participation. Children and youth are now more widely invited to participate in the development of the city’s services and decision-making.

Examples of this include the meetings and discussions aimed at children and young people that have been organised by the Deputy Mayors of Helsinki. The City of Helsinki, Finland’s largest employer with some 37,500 employees, also offers training programmes on children’s rights to all of its staff. In addition, the city’s employees have access to the Muistinko lapset ja nuoret (Did I remember children and young people?) planning tool, which contains guidelines and tips on listening to and involving children and young people in matters related to the city.

Helsinki’s new architectural programme also includes the promotion of child-oriented design as one of its tenets.

“Child-oriented design means taking the perspectives and ideas of children and young people into account, not only when planning services and places that are aimed at them, such as parks, schools and day care centres, but also in all urban planning. One concrete work tool used in child-oriented design is pilots in urban space placemaking that are carried out together with the residents. Helsinki has purposefully added these pilots to the planning and renovation of key public places in its suburban regeneration areas. It is very important to take children seriously in urban planning. Ultimately, a city that is good for kids is good for everyone,” said Helsinki’s Chief Design Officer Hanna Harris.

Further information:

The rights of the child are increasingly visible in Helsinki’s work, City of Helsinki

The Child Friendly Cities Initiative, City of Helsinki

Health and welfare promotion, City of Helsinki

UNICEF Child Friendly Cities Initiative

City of Helsinki
Executive Office, Communications
city.helsinki@hel.fi 

Helsinki is the capital of Finland. Population 648 042, metropolitan area 1.2 million. A functional and unique seaside city with strong emphasis to sustainability, tech, design and nature.
www.hel.fi