Songpa-gu Wins 'UNICEF Awards' Grand Prize... Leading Nationwide in Child Policy Implementation

December 13 '2024 UNICEF Awards: Better Change for Children' Ceremony
124 Teams from Local Governments and Schools Nationwide Participated... Songpa-gu Selected as 'Grand Prize' Winner
Recognition for Efforts to Develop Policies for Children and Youth in the 8th Elected Administration

Songpa-gu (District Mayor Seo Gang-seok) won the grand prize, ranking first nationwide, at the '2024 UNICEF Awards' held on December 13th at the UNICEF Korea Committee's first-floor experience center.

The 'UNICEF Awards' is a recognition system designed to discover and spread positive policies for children implemented by local governments and schools, and to share excellent child-friendly city policy cases with other local governments and countries abroad.

The UNICEF Korea Committee evaluates projects based on themes such as ▲ordinances and policies ▲child participation ▲child rights education ▲administrative services ▲child-friendly spaces. This year, 124 teams nationwide applied, and six teams, including Songpa-gu, were selected as finalists.

The district was highly evaluated for newly establishing or expanding various projects for children in the ordinances and policies category.

These include the establishment of the 'Ordinance on Prevention of Digital Sexual Crimes and Support for Victims (’23.12.28)', the operation of the first 'Native English Classroom for Daycare Centers and Kindergartens' among Seoul's autonomous districts, the creation of a 'Smart Youth Sports Complex Cultural Space,' and the first-ever children's and elementary school students' drawing contest, all aimed at supporting children to grow up safely and healthily.

In addition, the district is preparing for re-certification as a child-friendly city next year by introducing the child rights advocate 'Ombudsperson' system and conducting 'Visiting Child Rights Education.'

District Mayor Seo Gang-seok stated, "Winning this grand prize fills us with joy as the top child-friendly city nationwide, along with a heavy sense of responsibility," and added, "We will continue to promote policies that children and youth can truly feel from their perspective to create 'better changes for children.'"