Children Participate in Local Administration
All activities are undertaken with an understanding of "with children for children." Besides activities aimed at children, the project also includes one-to-one work with the municipality personnel.
The European Union is financing the one-year project that began in December.
Evaluating whether services comply with the rights of the child
An Advisory Board, which was established under the project and participated by children too, will evaluate whether the services by the Cankaya Municipality comply with the rights of the child and make proposals to the Municipal Board.
The Advisory Board will also define what kind of a town the children desire.
Under the projects, various activities will be held to spread the notion of "child-friendly," and to produce information and experiences about this notion.
This is how the project executives define the notion of "child-friendly":
"To be child-friendly means to accept the basic rights of the child to participate in the decision-making mechanisms, to influence those mechanisms, to express his/her view, to benefit from all services, to be in a clean and healthy environment, to be protected from bad treatment, to play safely and peacefully, and to have an active, colorful life, and to act accordingly."
The idea of "Child-Friendly Towns" becoming institutionalized through UNICEF
Oz-Ge Der said the 1996 Habitat 2 Conference in Istanbul had led to the conclusion that "the prior indicator of a healthy, democratic society and good governance is the welfare of children." It added that the Child-Friendly Towns idea is becoming institutionalized through UNICEF.
According to Oz-Ge Der, there are over 800 child-friendly towns all over the world; "Turkey is planning to participate in this project with UNICEF, within the framework of 2006-2010 Cooperation Program," said Oz-Ge Der.
(KO/TK/EA/YE)