Gwanak-gu Officially Launches Child-Friendly City Development Initiative

A total of 16.5 billion KRW invested this year, 55 child-friendly projects underway... In the first year of Child-Friendly City certification, Gwanak-gu will create a happy and respectful environment for children

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) has officially launched efforts toward becoming a "city where children are happy and respected" as it marks the first year of its 2020 Child-Friendly City certification.

The district has made the creation of a "Child-Friendly City" a pledge of the 7th local government administration and has undertaken various efforts to establish a foundation for promoting a child-friendly city.

By establishing a dedicated organization, enacting ordinances, conducting child surveys, and analyzing child-friendly budgets, the district has built child-friendly systems and frameworks. It has also worked to enhance children's participation in local governance and awareness of children's rights through a children's rights monitoring group, open forums, and children's rights education.

As a result, on the 9th of last month, Gwanak-gu was certified as a "Child-Friendly City" by the UNICEF Korea Committee. This certification will be maintained for the next four years.

In 2020, Gwanak-gu will invest 16.5 billion KRW in projects, an increase of about 2.8 billion KRW from last year, and will actively implement 55 strategic projects across seven promotion areas under the vision of "Gwanak where children are happy and respected."

◆ Gwanak Where Children Enjoy (Play and Leisure)

First, the district will create "Gwanak where children enjoy" by expanding play and leisure spaces free of charge. Last year, the 'Ppeon (Boldly) Fun Youth Hangout' was established at the Gwanak Youth Center, and by 2022, five additional youth hangouts will be created.

Instead of playgrounds standardized from an adult perspective, the "Miracle Children's Playground," designed and built by children themselves, will be increased by two locations annually until 2022. Utilizing urban forests, "Infant Forest Experience Centers" and "Infant Nature Learning Centers" will also be expanded by one location each year.

In particular, to allow safe and cool water play during the hot summer, water play areas will be installed in two school playgrounds, and a new "School Children's Water Playground" with fun water play programs will be operated starting this summer.

◆ Gwanak Where Children Participate Together (Participation and Civic Awareness)

Second, the district will build an environment where children can propose policies and participate in decision-making. Every November, an "Open Forum" is held to collect diverse opinions from children and reflect them in local governance. Last year, 122 ideas proposed through the forum were incorporated into 50 projects, leading to the establishment of a "4-Year Child-Friendly City Plan."

Additionally, the "Children's Rights Monitoring Group," where children independently discover and monitor local policies and projects, operates to promote children's rights.

◆ Gwanak Where Children Are Safely Protected (Safety and Protection)

Third, efforts are made to create a safe living environment for children. Improvements include installing new sidewalks around schools, designating child protection zones, and building smart crosswalks to enhance pedestrian safety near schools.

Regular safety inspections are conducted on over 300 children's play facilities, and safety education is provided on-site to children in daycare centers, kindergartens, and elementary schools to prevent accidents and foster safe living habits.

◆ Gwanak Where Children Grow Properly (Health and Social Services)

Fourth, the district supports children in need of protection and assistance through various social services and establishes a reliable care system where parents can entrust their children with peace of mind. The Gwanak-style Mother Center "I-rang," a rest space for parents and children, opened its first branch in Nanhyang last year, followed by branches in Nakseongdae and Boramae this year, with plans to expand to six locations by 2022.

The nation’s first community-led children's restaurant "Happy Mama Restaurant," which provides warm home-cooked meals and care support to local children on behalf of busy working parents, is being promoted. The "Clan Hands" project, which supports tattoo removal procedures for low-income at-risk youth who impulsively got tattoos, is also being expanded.

Other initiatives include operating support centers for out-of-school youth, expanding Dream Start programs, and establishing new neighborhood care centers to support children's healthy and happy growth.

◆ Gwanak Where Children's Dreams Grow (Educational Environment)

Fifth, the district will create an educational environment where children's dreams can grow. The "SAM Mentoring" program, where Seoul National University students mentor elementary, middle, and high school students with tailored mentoring and education, will be expanded to 320 mentors and 1,200 mentees by 2022.

Customized educational programs utilizing local resources, such as youth engineering camps and the 175 Education Support Program, will be expanded, and themed libraries will be increased to improve the educational environment.

◆ Gwanak Where Children Live in a Pleasant Environment (Living Environment)

Sixth, efforts will be made to create a clean and pleasant living environment. Last year, real-time fine dust monitors were distributed to all 246 daycare centers, and this year, additional monitors will be provided to local children's centers and welfare centers. Indoor air quality measuring devices will also be supplied to national, public, and private daycare centers.

Furthermore, continuous inspections of food sales businesses around schools will be conducted to lead efforts in ensuring children's food safety.

◆ Gwanak Where Children Are the Main Agents (Child-Friendly City Foundation)

Finally, continuous efforts will be made to build a foundation where children are the main agents. Annual child impact assessments will be conducted, and child-friendly budgets will be identified and analyzed to strengthen child-friendly laws and systems through the preparation of child-friendly budget reports.

To protect children from abuse and other harms, a systematic child rights protection system will be operated. One "SOS Child Rights Keeper" will be newly appointed in each neighborhood, and a rapid child abuse reporting system will be established.

Mayor Park Jun-hee stated, "This year is the first year after receiving certification as a Child-Friendly City from the UNICEF Korea Committee, and we will accelerate the promotion of child-friendly policies," adding, "We will create an environment where over 40,000 children in Gwanak-gu can grow up safely, without discrimination, happily, and healthily."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.