Children’s voice is made even louder in Vaasa: work on the Child-Friendly Municipality model progresses

Vaasa has five concrete goals for making the city more child-friendly by spring 2025. When implemented, these measures will have a major impact on the realisation of children’s and young people’s rights in our city.

Local children in Vaasa have included a target to improve public transport routes and timetables, as well as the maintenance of bicycle paths. The second objective is to improve the opportunities for all children and young people to have a hobby.

– This includes free sport trials, cultural events, and free after-school activities, says Christina Knookala, chair of the Child-Friendly Municipality steering group.

One of the goals is to systematically introduce child impact assessments in decision-making.

– Child impact assessments are used to determine in advance how a particular project can be carried out in a way that is in the best interests of children. We are now working on clear guidelines on this, and will name a team to implement them, says Knookala.

5 goals to be implemented by spring 2025

Vaasa’s action plan has five objectives that are either already implemented or in the process of being implemented:

1. Clear guidelines are in place to support the introduction and systematic implementation of the Child Impact Assessment. Child Impact Assessments are carried out by a team of qualified professionals.
2. Municipal staff and key stakeholders have been trained on children’s rights as part of their induction programmes.
3. The municipality promotes opportunities for all children and young people to participate in hobbies and enjoy meaningful leisure time.
4. Public transport routes, timetables, and maintenance of cycle paths are improved.
5. The municipality has a variety of inclusive structures that consider the views of children and young people of different ages when planning and developing services.

Development work is citywide

The Child-Friendly Municipality model is a tool that UNICEF provides to municipalities.

The model helps municipalities to make the right decisions for children’s wellbeing in their municipal administration and in their everyday services. It helps municipalities to ensure that the rights of children, especially the most vulnerable, are respected.

The development work covers the whole city and all sectors, from urban and traffic planning to early childhood and basic education.

In 2024, the model will involve 59 municipalities across Finland.

These are the milestones of the Child-Friendly Municipality model in Vaasa:

• 2022–2023: Mapping of the current state of children’s rights and consultation and participation of children.
• 2023: action plan and targets established
• 2024-2025: implementation and monitoring of the action plan
• 2025: evaluation and chance to receive the UNICEF Child Friendly Municipality recognition