Editor's note
Children are the hope of the motherland and the future of the nation. It is the common wish of the whole party and the whole society to let every child thrive.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has attached great importance to the growth of children, emphasizing that "the whole society must understand children, respect children, care for children, serve children, and provide children with a good social environment. ".
In October 2021, the National Development and Reform Commission and other departments issued the "Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Construction of Child-Friendly Cities", proposing that by 2025, by 2025, by carrying out 100 pilot projects for the construction of child-friendly cities across the country, the concept of child-friendliness will be deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Child-friendly requirements are fully reflected in social policies, public services, rights protection, growth space, and development environment.
At present, what explorations have been carried out and what experiences have been accumulated in the construction of child-friendly cities in my country?
How should we continue to make efforts to comprehensively protect children's rights and make the flowers of the motherland bloom?
On the occasion of "June 1st" International Children's Day, we invited four "flower caregivers" to tell their personal stories, and invited scholars to analyze and make suggestions.
Be a good "pioneer" for the smiling faces of children
Narrator: Peng Yuan, first-level chief staff member of Shenzhen Women's Federation
【One-line narrative】
In recent years, the construction of child-friendly cities has been gradually promoted across the country.
As a participant and witness to this work, I am deeply inspired and proud.
Recalling that when I first came into contact with the concept of "Child Friendly City (CFC)" proposed by the United Nations, I deeply felt that my country, which has about 300 million children, should work hard for this; Shenzhen, a city full of reform and innovation, is more It should be first and foremost to be a first step in building a child-friendly city.
Therefore, under the leadership of the Municipal Women's Federation, our Women and Children's Working Committee Office became the "pioneering force" to promote this work.
This is a huge system engineering.
After sufficient preliminary research and study of advanced experience at home and abroad, we have gradually clarified the requirements, goals, tasks and advancement paths of child-friendly cities.
Gradually, the shelf was erected.
We put forward the concept of "seeing the city from a height of 1 meter", introduce the perspective of children in urban construction and governance, and formulate a special work plan to establish the leadership of the party and the government, and all departments will work together to build the city, district, street, and community. A working mechanism of linkage and implementation at various levels; build a co-construction platform for the participation of enterprises and institutions, social organizations, families, children, media, and the public.
At the same time, the preparation of a strategic plan and an action plan was initiated.
We started pilot construction from communities, schools, libraries, hospitals, and mother-infant rooms that are closely related to children's study and life, and expanded to 9 major areas such as parks, travel, participation, and practice bases, and launched construction guidelines in various fields to guide the city. Global advancement.
For example, Futian District has carefully built a child-friendly neighborhood of Baihua, and opened up a strip-shaped theme community park in an old and narrow area, so that children living in the city's "steel jungle" can find a playground for games; Luohu District is in the shed reform and old In the urban renovation, the construction of child-friendly space has been implemented, and a pedestrian bridge designed by children in the jurisdiction has also been built.
Children walk on the pedestrian bridge designed by themselves every day, and feel the happiness and pride of being the little masters of the city; Nanshan District takes advantage of scientific and technological innovation to establish the "Nanshan Children's Science Alliance" to build a platform for children to contact cutting-edge technology and learn scientific knowledge ; Longhua District promotes the innovation of reading space, and creates a children's mobile library sharing book project. Buses full of books circulate in various communities and schools, which facilitates children in the area, especially children in urban villages, to travel in the sea of books.
Today, child-friendly Shenzhen innovation practices have spread across districts, levels and fields.
Going forward, we still have a lot to do for the smiling faces of our children.
The city's "little master" unleashes "big power"
Narrator: Wang Huifang, member of the party group and deputy director of the Natural Resources and Planning Bureau of Changsha City, Hunan Province
In 2014, the "Changsha 2049" strategic plan was launched.
We explore encouraging children to speak for urban development and voice in urban planning through cognitive maps, questionnaires, and in-depth interviews.
Because in our opinion, listening to children's dreams and absorbing children's wisdom can make the planning closer to the thoughts and thoughts of the future owners of the city, and promote the high-quality development of the city.
We found that "little masters" have "great power", and the participation of children has added vitality to the city. We also feel that more work should be done for children.
In 2015, the Changsha Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government formally proposed to create a "child-friendly city"; from the following year, the construction of a "child-friendly city" has been included in the work report of the Changsha Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government for many years.
In a questionnaire survey involving nearly 10,000 people, more than 90% of the participants said they were willing to accept changes in the city for "child friendly".
As a result, the first love zebra crossing in the country was unveiled in front of the Changjun Bilingual Experimental Middle School, and the love zebra crossings around other campuses also landed one after another.
In 2018, we released Changsha's first "Child-Friendly City" three-year action plan; in 2019, we released an official white paper with the theme of "Child-Friendly City"; in 2020, Changsha City "Child-Friendly City" "The creation work leading group was formally established.
Today, a number of child-friendly school districts, communities, demonstration "children's homes", love zebra crossings, and standard mother and child rooms in public places have been built one after another...
In my work, I deeply feel that to achieve "child-friendly", bold creativity, professional consideration, full cooperation, and gathering public opinion are indispensable.
For example, we cooperated with the Urban Planning Society to translate UNICEF's "Child-friendly Urban Planning Manual", held "Little Planners" activities in the community, and launched the "Children's Space Micro-Renovation Design Competition". The Height of Meters” found the inadequacies of community planning and made suggestions for improvement.
With the continuous gathering of forces from all parties, the level of space friendliness, policy friendliness and service friendliness has been continuously improved. It can be said that "child friendliness" has become an urban value in the hearts of Changsha people and an important part of "Changsha-style happiness".
Facing the future, we will continue to advance our work to extend the child-friendly concept to the countryside, to the industrial chain, and to other cities.
I believe that living in such an environment, children will surely meet a better future.
Escort the recovery and growth of children
Narrator: Niu Jun, Director of the Social Work Department of Shanghai Children's Hospital
The predecessor of our hospital, Shanghai Nantong Children's Hospital, was born in the war of resistance against Japan and was the first children's hospital in the country.
On June 1, 1998, with the support of the Shanghai Women's and Children's Working Committee, the hospital opened a study and entertainment place for children with leukemia - Sunshine Cabin.
The Youth League Committee of the hospital often organizes youth league members to play games and tell stories with the children in their spare time. I often participate when I just started working.
Especially in 2002, after I worked on the Youth League Committee of the hospital, I made it an important task to accompany the children in the sunshine cabin.
In early 2006, I established the first Sunshine Love website in China to provide volunteer services for children with leukemia, and built a bridge between the hospital and social volunteers.
Many volunteers signed up to join, and the Sunshine House became a base for them to dedicate their love.
In 2012, our survey found that once a child suffers from a serious illness such as leukemia, his mood and personality will change greatly, and some will give up on themselves and refuse to cooperate with treatment.
Therefore, I put forward the concept of "children's growth support". By cultivating children's interests and hobbies and restoring children's self-confidence, sick children can better communicate and interact with children of the same age.
With the support of all parties, we have also organized a series of professional volunteer services such as "Ward School", "Mr. Nuomi's Painting Class" and "Music Classroom".
Especially the "ward school", teachers from 16 schools around the hospital come to the hospital in turn once a week as volunteers to teach children.
In 2014, the hospital began to build a "child-friendly hospital", and the concept of child-friendly gradually took root in more people's hearts and was integrated into the construction of the new hospital area.
For example, we have embodied the concept of "1-meter world" in the design of public spaces and public facilities - considering the height of children's visual recognition, all cartoon images are kept at a distance of 90 cm to 150 cm above the ground, which is convenient for children to observe , identify.
We have also designed and produced a "Children's Painting Display Wall" to display the paintings of children and social caring children together with the cartoon-themed paintings of caring volunteers, so that the children have more intimacy.
The social work department of the hospital has also built a "four-leaf clover" service model, and established a service system with "children's growth support" as the core and "parents' growth support", "volunteer growth support" and "medical staff growth support" as the basis. , carried out projects such as "Case Screening of Children with Domestic Violence", "Pain Relief Treatment" and "Rainbow Bay Ward School".
Over the years, thanks to the efforts of all parties, the child-friendly concept has gained more and more support and recognition.
Across the country, children's specialized hospitals all over the country are striving to implement "respecting children's rights and protecting children's physical and mental health", so that more children can receive social care.
Draw a new picture of civilization under the "1-meter perspective"
Narrator: Li Yue, Secretary of the Party Branch of Lejiang Community, Leyu Town, Zhangjiagang City, Jiangsu Province
In the Lejiang community where I live, there is a place called "Letong Space · Future Star Station".
Xiaolei, an 8-year-old boy, left a deep impression on me.
Xiao Lei used to be very sensitive and afraid of life.
In "Letong Space · Future Star Station", the children's social worker tailored Xiaolei's social integration and ability improvement plan: while guiding him to participate in group activities such as Letong's birthday party and Letong energy, while encouraging his father, grandfather, Grandma participates in the family parent-child education group.
Slowly, the "ice shell" wrapped around Xiaolei's heart was shattered, and he began to actively express himself and participate in activities.
His father also accompanied him more and more, which made Xiaolei look bright every day.
In fact, "Letong Space · Future Star Station" also has an official name: Leyu Town Minor Protection Workstation.
As a kid-friendly pilot community, I've seen many "stars twinkle" moments here.
Now, we are exploring a new model for the protection of minors: a set of working mechanisms, a set of service carriers, a service network, a work list, a co-construction alliance, gathering villages (communities), civil affairs, women's federations and other institutions, doctors , police, lawyers, social workers and other professional groups, as well as the State Grid Zhangjiagang City Power Supply Company's "Electric Engine" party member volunteer service team, etc., to set up a child-friendly implementation path of "synchronization from top to bottom and multi-directional force" in the city.
Lejiang Community has also set up a "Children's Council" to allow children to participate in community governance and city management.
Once, the community carried out a greening action. Under the initiative of the social worker, the children decided to organize a painting competition of "Lejiang Community after the Greening Action".
They used rich lines and bright colors to depict a different Lejiang community, and the parents were deeply infected and joined the community's efforts to restore greenery.
A child drives a family and affects the entire society.
We draw a rainbow on the road, print fairy tales on the walls that change with the seasons, and decorate the pocket park in front of the house with family style and family motto... In the process of creating a child-friendly community, the most moving thing is that everyone's hearts are united. Thinking everywhere and working hard in one place, not only children feel loved, but each of us can feel happiness and warmth.
In the future, we will continue to carry out pilot construction of child-friendly communities, neighborhoods, hospitals, schools, parks, etc., to create more and more friendly urban environments for children to grow up.
Building a child-friendly city also requires "embroidery skills"
【Expert Reviews】
Building a child-friendly city embodies the people's yearning for a better life, and is related to the healthy growth and bright future of the majority of children.
In recent years, with the continuous development of my country's urbanization, the concept of child-friendly city construction has been recognized by more and more people. Some cities have tried first, or incorporated the concept of child-friendly into urban development strategies, or introduced the concept of "child-friendly cities" in the formulation and revision of spatial planning. The children’s perspective of seeing the city from a height of 1 meter” has achieved good results in the construction of child-friendly communities, hospitals, schools, etc.
The establishment of a child-friendly city has depicted us what a modern city should look like: for the majority of children, the city is no longer a cold steel and concrete, but a warm growth paradise.
In cities, children rest, play and learn, and their rights to survive, develop, be protected and participate are fully guaranteed.
During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the construction of child-friendly cities needs to start from the actual situation in various places, come up with more "embroidery skills", make a fuss about the details, and jointly provide high-quality and suitable conditions, environments and services for the growth and development of children.
In urban renewal, attention should be paid to the child-friendly transformation of urban space.
To build a child-friendly city, we should take the creation of child-friendly blocks as the starting point, and strengthen the child-friendly transformation of various service facilities and venues such as urban blocks, communities, schools, hospitals, parks, public libraries, sports venues, and public transportation. Children's safe travel is fully guaranteed, and children's natural and cultural participation space is continuously expanded.
On the one hand, it is necessary to give full play to the important leading role of urban planning in the construction of child-friendly cities, promote the integration of child-friendly concepts into land space planning, urban planning and construction, and renovation of old communities, and clarify the planning and construction standards for various child-friendly spaces and facilities. Build service facilities and signage systems suitable for children; on the other hand, use digital means to innovate children's working methods and make cities smarter and smarter.
For example, establish an indicator library, project library and evaluation system that reflect the overall situation of child-friendly city construction to provide informatization support for child-friendly city construction.
Promote children's all-round participation and integration into urban social life, and play their due role.
The construction of a child-friendly city is inseparable from the all-round participation of children, and the concept of life-cycle governance throughout the entire process of urban planning, construction and governance is also inseparable from the perspective of children.
In the specific construction process, highlight the whole cycle, and fully cover the growth and development needs of children at different ages such as infancy, early childhood, and adolescence.
The children's perspective of "seeing the city from a height of 1 meter" should be introduced, combined with the actual situation of each city, to create a child-friendly growth space from the macro, meso, and micro dimensions, and guide the construction of child-friendly blocks, communities, and parks; The characteristics of history, culture, resource endowment, human geography, etc., constantly enhance the sense of belonging, honor and responsibility of young people to the city.
For example, Chongqing organizes activities such as "Bayu Youth Talk", "I'm a Little Urban Propagandist", and "Little Urban Planner", inviting children to tell the story of Chongqing's urban development and evolution, participate in urban planning, and let children know about Chongqing's urban development. Past and present, thinking about the future of the city.
It should be noted that in formulating social policies and developing public services, children's independent personality should be respected, and children's rights to know, express and participate in social life, community development, and family affairs should be fully guaranteed.
For example, fostering a discussion organization with children as the main body, carrying out the children's meeting of "children participate in the discussion and building a sister city together", and organize the theme activities such as "a letter to the mayor/district head" and "me and the mayor face to face", etc. Better listening to children's voices.
Adhere to the orientation of public welfare and universal benefit, continuously enrich the supply of public services for children, and fully meet the needs of children's growth and development.
During the construction process, it should actively respond to the actual needs of children in terms of education, education, and medical treatment.
For example, strictly implement the policy of supporting kindergartens in urban communities, narrow the gap between basic education in central urban areas and urban fringe areas, and promote balanced development of basic education.
Actively carry out the construction of child-friendly schools, create a safe environment in and around the campus, and ensure the equal rights of migrant children to receive education.
In response to the growing demand for cultural and sports services for children, all localities should actively promote the free opening of libraries, cultural centers, and art troupes to children, and organize activities such as reading promotion and theatrical performances for children.
Encourage the government, enterprises and institutions, families and individuals to take multiple measures to improve children's well-being, such as opening public welfare projects such as "Colorful Small Classroom" and "Sunflower Sunshine Growth", and carrying out volunteer service activities such as "I am a small traffic policeman" and "Civilized persuasion", so that The concept of child-friendliness has become the consensus of the whole society, making child-friendliness an important symbol of high-quality urban development.
(Author: Du Junhua, professor of Chongqing University Branch Center of Chongqing Research Center for Socialism with Chinese Characteristics)
(Project team: reporters Zhang Sheng, Yan Shenghe, Long Jun, Zhao Jiawei, Yan Weiqi, Su Yan, Wang Simin, reporters Gu Shanshan and Du Kecheng)