Sustainable & Child Friendly Municipalities Initiative

The SCFMI is a collaboration among the Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour and Local Government, the Mayors’ Association, Department of Youth Services, the National Committee for Families and Children (NCFC), and UNICEF. In 2014 the Mayors of the nine (9) municipalities signed an agreement for the implementation of the Sustainable and Child-Friendly Municipalities Initiative. The Initiative stems from the Sustainable Development Goal 11 which speaks to Sustainable Cities and communities and Article 12 of the UN Convention of the Rights of a Child which is the right to participation.

What is Child-Friendly Municipalities?

A Child-Friendly Municipality is a local system of good governance committed to fulfilling children's rights. It is a municipality where the voices, needs, priorities and rights of children are an integral part of public policies, programmes and decisions. It is, as a result, a municipality that is fit for all. 

The primary objective of the SCFMI is for the development and establishment of the municipalities that are certified as Child Friendly Communities. It must:

• Prioritize and respond to issues and concerns
• Promote and practice evidence-based policymaking
• Mobilize and strengthen public-private partnerships
• Confer accreditation and recognition

Organizational Structure of the SCFMI

Child Advisory Body

Each municipality has established a Child Advisory Body (CAB) that is supported by a Secretariat in each of the Councils. A Technical Steering Committee that is comprised of representatives of stakeholders from Government line ministries and departments, private sector and other non-government entities in the various towns and cities provide direct support to the work of the CABs within the municipal spaces.

A Child Advisory Body:

• Is comprised of children between the ages 8-17 years old
• Is an advisory body to the council and Technical Steering Committee on all matters impacting the lives of children and adolescents living in the municipality; it is however autonomous in its decision- making process.
• Serve as primary child rights ambassadors at the municipal level.
• Advocates for increased municipal investments in child- and family-centered programmes and services;
• To date there are 134 CAB Members country wide.

Technical Steering Committee

A Technical Steering Committee is comprised of representatives of stakeholders from Government line ministries and departments, private sector and other non-government entities in the various towns and cities. Apart from providing direct support to the work of the CABs within the municipal spaces, it also:

• Represents coordinated mechanism for improved delivery of services and system outcome for children, adolescents, and families at the municipal level.
• Oversight body established to offer technical advice to the council on matters impacting the lives of children in the municipality.
• Play a leadership role in the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the Strategic Plans and Annual Work Plans.
• Advocates, promotes, and contributes to the efforts geared to increasing municipal investments in child and family-centered programmes and services.
• Invites to the coordination space all actors who regulate and deliver programmes and services impacting children, adolescents, and families in the municipality.

Local Secretariat

A Local Secretariat:

• Provide technical and logistical support to the CAB and TSC.
• Ensure coordination for the effective implementation of the SCFM Strategic Plans and associated Annual Work Plans.
• Keeping the membership of the TSC duly informed of all ongoing and planned activities under SCFM.
• Prepare external funding proposals for development agencies and the private sector as a key component of the resource mobilization strategy.

SCFM Assessment Framework

SCFM is structured around the following 3 components:

Award Classification for Certification