Decatur Achieves Candidate City Status Through UNICEF USA’s Child Friendly Cities Initiative
City of Decatur implementing pilot initiative to create safer, more equitable communities and elevate youth voices
NEW YORK / DECATUR, GA (November 29, 2023) – The City of Decatur is proud to announce its achievement of Candidate City status through UNICEF’s Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI). On Friday, December 1, the city will officially launch its Local Action Plan for Youth - an important milestone toward recognition as a Child Friendly City - which outlines five priorities for centering youth voice and improving child well-being in Decatur. The implementation process will begin for the priorities outlined in the plan.
On June 5, 2023, the Decatur City Commission approved a Local Action Plan for Youth developed by Decatur’s Teen Leadership Team, composed of 30 Decatur high school students. Through the CFCI Framework for Action, Decatur, along with community partners City Schools of Decatur, Decatur Education Foundation, and Decatur Housing Authority, Decatur Youth Council and the Teen Leadership Team, identified five key priorities and action steps to make an impact in the Decatur community.
"Decatur’s achievement of Candidate City status with UNICEF USA’s Child Friendly Cities Initiative is evidence of the progress we are making to shift how we engage our young people,” said Mayor Patti Garrett. “From the Decatur Youth Council to the Child Friendly Cities Teen Leadership Team to youth representation on the Environmental Sustainability Board, we are proud to further expand youth voice and youth participation in our local government and excited to move this work forward as Decatur pursues Child Friendly City status."
The five priorities include making Decatur more environmentally conscious and more equitable and inclusive for all children and young people, increasing trust with law enforcement, improving public spaces for all, and improving access to and awareness of mental health resources for children and teens.
“We are incredibly proud of the city of Decatur for further demonstrating its dedication toward becoming a UNICEF Child Friendly City by launching its Local Action Plan which will focus on safety and inclusion, children’s participation, equitable social services, safe living environments, and play and leisure,” said Tracy Nájera, Vice President of U.S. Programs at UNICEF USA. “In partnership with the city of Decatur, we are committed to ensuring that every child has the right to grow up in a safe and secure community where they are respected and their voices are heard.”
Originally created in 1996, UNICEF’s Child Friendly Cities Initiative uses a child rights-based framework to build a roadmap for establishing safer, more just, equitable, inclusive and child-responsive cities and communities around the world. Since its inception, CFCI has been adopted in over 3,500 municipalities in more than 40 countries. UNICEF USA applauds Decatur for its commitment to using this framework to build a better community for children.
In its pursuit of recognition as a Child Friendly City, government officials and community leaders in Decatur along with pilot cohort cities across the United States will conduct a situational analysis of child well-being in each city. Based on these findings, the communities will implement an action plan that prioritizes the best interests of children and youth within their local policies.
For more information or to share any ideas you may have, email childfriendlydecatur@gmail.com. For more information about Child Friendly Cities Initiative in the United States, visit www.unicefusa.org/mission/usa/childfriendlycities.
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About UNICEF USA
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to pursue a more equitable world for every child. UNICEF has helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization, by providing health care and immunizations, safe water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more.
UNICEF USA advances the global mission of UNICEF by rallying the American public to support the world’s most vulnerable children. Together, we are working toward a world that upholds the rights of all children and helps every child thrive. For more information visit www.unicefusa.org
Contacts:
Nina Marie Costa, Deputy Director, UNICEF USA, nmcosta@unicefusa.org
About Decatur, GA
Decatur, a city in DeKalb County Georgia, was founded in 1823 and named for Commodore Stephen Decatur. Decatur is the county seat of DeKalb County and is 4.7 square miles with a population of 25,000 people. The city, known for its homes, schools, places of worship, diversity, events and festivals, and a thriving business community, is located six miles east of Atlanta. For more information, visit www.decaturga.com.