In recent years, the significance of developing child-friendly cities has been increasingly recognized. Child-friendly encompasses not only providing children with safe, healthy, and nurturing environments but also respecting their rights, listening to their voices, and helping them achieve their full potential. However, focusing exclusively on children is not enough. Ultimately, true child-friendly must extend to family-friendly. This perspective impacts not only the future of each child and the high-quality development of the population but also the overall progress and prosperity of society.

1. The Concept of Child-Friendly: A Multi-Faceted Approach

The concept of child-friendly covers a broad range of areas, including education, healthcare, mental well-being, and social participation. A truly child-friendly environment is one in which every child has access to necessary resources and support, including quality education, accessible healthcare services, attention to mental health, and a safe living environment. However, children’s well-being depends not only on their immediate environment but also significantly on their family life. As the first environment for growth, families provide children with security, belonging, and foundational values. Therefore, a society that is truly child-friendly must inherently be family-friendly.

2. Defining Family-Friendly

Family-friendly refers to providing support that enables families to better care for and nurture their children. This support encompasses multiple aspects:

1. Emotional and Psychological Support: Mental well-being and emotional support among family members form the foundation of family-friendly. Families should nurture mutual care, share experiences of joy and sorrow, and confront life’s challenges together.
2. Healthy Family Relationships: Respect, understanding, and trust are the pillars of strong family relationships. Such relationships provide children with a sense of security and stability.
3. Accessibility of Resources and Services: Families require access to resources and services, such as education, healthcare, and social support, which enable them to effectively fulfill their responsibilities toward their children.
4. Community Support Systems: Communities serve as vital support networks for families. By organizing activities, offering resources, and creating supportive networks, communities extend a broad framework of assistance for families, enabling them to better face challenges.

3. Child-Friendly Cities: A Path to Both Child and Family Well-Being

Developing child-friendly cities is a key strategy for achieving both child and family well-being. Such cities focus on providing safe, healthy, inclusive, and participatory environments for children through a comprehensive range of policies and measures. Child-friendly cities prioritize the needs and rights of children and promote their holistic development. Four key components are integral to this effort:

1. Policy Support: Governments should implement policies and laws that support children’s development and ensure that their rights are respected and protected. These policies should span multiple areas, including education, healthcare, and social welfare, and should be outlined in specific action plans that detail goals and implementation pathways for advancing child-friendly city initiatives.
2. Infrastructure Development: A child-friendly city must ensure the availability of safe play areas, green spaces, a healthy living environment, and convenient transportation for children. Such infrastructure is vital for meeting their living and recreational needs and supporting their healthy development.
3. Provision of Educational Resources: Equal access to quality education for all children, including preschool, compulsory schooling, and extracurricular opportunities, is essential. The fair distribution of educational resources is a key aspect of child-friendly city development.
4. Creation of Participation Mechanisms: Providing children with opportunities to engage in social affairs and decision-making is essential. Mechanisms that allow children to voice their opinions and suggestions cultivate a sense of responsibility and co-creation, contributing to their overall development.

4. The Strategic Imperative of Child-Friendly

It is essential to recognize that child-friendly is not merely a moral duty but a strategic imperative for societal development. A society that values both child-friendly and family-friendly fosters the growth of a healthy, confident, and responsible next generation while promoting social harmony and stability. Child-friendly and family-friendly are mutually reinforcing. A child-friendly environment enables families to support their children more effectively, while a family-friendly environment provides a stable, nurturing setting for children’s growth. Together, they create a comprehensive social environment conducive to children’s holistic development.

On this International Day of Families, we should reflect on how to better integrate child-friendly and family-friendly. By enhancing support for families, providing more resources and services, and advancing the construction of child-friendly cities, we can build a better future for every child and family.