Jordan Times
Tuesday, July 5, 2005
Queen launches GAM's
'Policy and Priorities for Childhood'
By Ahmad Barakat
AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania on Monday launched the Greater Amman
Municipality's (GAM) “Policy and Priorities for Childhood,” a policy framework
document designed to declare Amman a child-friendly city (CFC) by the year 2010.
A CFC is a city that is committed to fulfilling children's rights and also
entails the development of a child-friendly environment, where the
infrastructure of parks, libraries and IT centres and other facilities will be
upgraded.
Based on nine building blocks, or characteristics that put children front and
centre, the Child Friendly Cities Initiative was launched in 1996, according to
www.childfriendlycities.org, which lists 821 child friendly cities worldwide.
A child friendly city executive commission was created in January as an
independent body tasked with implementing the municipality's programmes on
childhood. Based on GAM's policy for childhood and in cooperation with concerned
authorities, the commission will design an integrated action plan for 2006 by
October. Amman Mayor Nidal Hadid said GAM would allocate funds from its budget
to cover the expenses of implementing the policy document.
He added that the policy document represents GAM's commitment towards the
welfare of children, especially those in disadvantaged areas.
Hadid noted that the municipality has established 38 libraries, 13 IT centres
and over 130 public parks for the capital's children, who constitute
approximately 51 per cent of the city's 2 million population.
Under the policy, the municipality is committed to supporting projects,
programmes and services that provide a safe urban environment for children to
play and for the development of child culture, he added.
Around 25 children, some of those who took part in drafting the policy,
performed a six-minute sketch during the ceremony depicting their life in the
city and their aspirations for Amman.
The policy, prepared with the participation of around 400 children from Amman
and 200 local experts from private and public institutions, has 10 components,
each designed to address a specific issue related to child welfare.
The document is based on the building blocks of the Child Friendly Cities
Initiative, specifically detailing the current gaps within the country's
existing child-related programmes and services.
GAM board member Samar Doudin presented an overview of the components during
yesterday's event: Primary and psychological healthcare and counselling; child
labour and economic empowerment; child safety and protection from violence;
children with disabilities; information technology and personal social
development; culture, art and innovation; urban planning; the child-built
environment; child involvement and community-based planning.