Hafnarfjörður, a child-friendly community
The Municipality of Hafnarfjörður will celebrate at the Innovation Centre by the Stream tomorrow, Thursday, becoming a child-friendly community. All welcome at 2 p.m. „We don't make decisions about children without the children themselves,“ says the mayor.
Hafnarfjörður wins child-friendly
Hafnarfjörður has formally become a child-friendly municipality. Work on the implementation has been underway since 2020. The town has changed its working methods and is working in a targeted way in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The milestone will be celebrated at the Innovation Centre by the Stream, tomorrow, Thursday 21 August at 2 p.m. All are welcome.
The town has shown resilience and ambition
Birna Þórarinsdóttir, Executive Director of UNICEF, says that UNICEF in Iceland is particularly proud to award its home town, Hafnarfjörður, the recognition of a Child-Friendly Municipality. „Along the way, the town has shown resilience, creativity, ambition and a will to achieve its set goals for the benefit of children's rights,“ she says.
The town's youth council is now part of the regular administration and staff awareness of children's rights has increased significantly. This is a well-deserved recognition – but it is also a milestone, not a destination, on the path towards rights for all children in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.“
Children's voices matter
Mayor Valdimar Víðisson is proud and pleased that the town has achieved this success. „As a former head teacher, I know that it is best not to make decisions about children without the children themselves. Their voices and perspectives matter.“ He says the knowledge of how to work under the banner of a child-friendly community has seeped in during the implementation.
„We always need to keep our eye on the ball and keep the children's banners flying by standing with them,“ he says, "but the Convention on the Rights of the Child requires that children enjoy both care and protection, whilst also being active participants in society." The Convention on the Rights of the Child was enacted into law here in 2013.
Great value in children's voices
Þórunn Þórarinsdóttir, project manager for the child-friendly municipality, saw the implementation through to completion. „The benefit is that Hafnarfjörður recognises that great value lies in the voices, perspectives and experiences of children and young people. Hafnarfjörður now consults with children and young people in a targeted way and uses their voices to improve the municipality's services.“
Heartfelt congratulations, residents of Hafnarfjörður!