Tag Archives: child-friendly city

Civil societies committed to child-friendly city

During the first leg of the Child-Friendly Cities Initiatives, some civil societies in the city were not very enthusiastic about the initiative. In fact, few NGOs never turned back. After making several attempts to clarify the concept of CFCI, they started to develop more interest in the emerging possibilities for children.

The CFCI team called several organisations working for children and human rights to a seminar on the concept of Child-Friendly Cities Initiative. Some participants showed interest in the idea. Others seemed to be interested in the possible funding connected to the initiative. However, the team members continued to pursue with the CSOs as they were aware that without them the CFCI initiative could not be sustained.

While the efforts to pull the civil societies on the board were on full-swing, the crime rate was also increasing in the country and also in the city. In the month of January, 2019, a stepfather who was intoxicated had burned the thighs of a 7-year-old girl child. Last year, a 6-month-old girl was raped by a man. Issues like these changed the mind of people. People realised that there was the urgent need to have a system which could help children from any kind of violence. And they started to show interest in the concept of CFCI and started joining in the conversation on assuming their share of responsibility in protecting the children in the city. Moreover, they started to conduct meetings voluntarily involving various other NGOs in the city. We can happily say that the Child Friendly Cities Initiative, Rajamahendravaram has taken off at last.