Bucheon City in Gyeonggi Province announced on January 14 that it has renewed its UNICEF Child-Friendly City certification. This renewal maintains the city's qualification following its initial certification in December 2019, and the validity period extends until December 30, 2029.
The UNICEF Child-Friendly City certification is granted by the Korean Committee for UNICEF to local governments that guarantee children's rights and create a child-friendly environment.
Mayor Jo Yong-ik of Bucheon (fourth from the right) is taking a photo with officials to commemorate the UNICEF Child-Friendly City certification. Provided by Bucheon City
Since its initial certification, Bucheon City has spent the past four years reviewing policies from the perspective of children across the six major areas of child-friendliness: play and culture, participation and respect, safety and protection, health and welfare, educational environment, and family environment. The city has also implemented a variety of policies and initiatives to expand children's participation.
In particular, in 2024, the city promoted the "Let's Play at School" project through collaboration among the public sector, private sector, and academia. It transformed unused spaces in elementary schools into play areas designed according to children's preferences, which was selected as an exemplary case of a child-friendly space in UNICEF Child-Friendly Cities.
Mayor Jo Yong-ik stated, "Every child in Bucheon has the right to be respected and to grow up happily," adding, "We will continue to identify and implement policies that can bring about real changes in the lives of children."
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