Child-Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) Officer

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does - in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, and thrive, so that they develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favouritism. Every child must have an equal chance in life - in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions - and for her or his rights to be protected. The evidence is clear that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens - and by addressing inequity - will not only give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also leads to the sustained growth and stability of countries. As such, the focus on equity is vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), while also supporting the equitable development of nations. UNICEF works with governments and other partners to ensure that all countries fulfil the commitments they made at the UN Convention CRC, that every child can grow and develop to reach their full potential.

UNICEF works in over 190 countries to protect children’s rights and help them reach their full potential. Through the Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI), UNICEF has supported over 3,500 municipalities in 40+ countries, creating safer, more inclusive environments for millions of children. In Trinidad and Tobago, children in urban areas face risks such as violence, lack of safe play spaces, and unequal access to services. The 2022 MICS (Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys) survey found that 69.2% of children experience violent discipline and 60% psychological aggression, often rooted in exposure to violent environments.

Despite these challenges, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago remains committed to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and continues to advance child protection and social policy. UNICEF, in partnership with the Municipality of San Fernando and other UN agencies, is launching the Child Friendly Cities Initiative to strengthen inclusive local governance and ensure safe, supportive urban spaces for children.

As part of this initiative, the Mayor of San Fernando will sign an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with UNICEF, signalling joint commitment to CFCI. In line with global guidelines, local councils will conduct a situational analysis (SITAN) and develop a costed action plan to address key barriers to children’s rights. The national UNV is therefore required to support the SITAN and costed action plan.

Conceptual Approach to Situational Analysis (SITAN) – San Fernando

• Support, under the guidance of the CFCI Specialist, the City of San Fernando, communities, children, and other stakeholders in identifying and responding to child well-being bottlenecks in the city.
• Ensure particular attention to the needs and challenges of the most vulnerable children and adolescents, including migrant children.
• Contribute to the Situational Analysis (SITAN) process aimed at providing a comprehensive overview of the status of children’s rights in San Fernando.
• Ensure the analysis is aligned with:
- the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
- the National Child Policy 2024
• Ensure the SITAN covers all key dimensions of children’s rights, including:
- Survival
- Development
- Protection
- Participation
• Ensure the process follows the UNICEF Guidance on Conducting a Situation Analysis of Children’s Rights.
• Contribute to all stages of the conceptual process related to:
- the Situational Analysis (SITAN), and
- the development of the CFCI Action Plan.

The UN Volunteer will contribute to the situation analysis with the following objectives:

• Enhance access to disaggregated data and evidence
- Support the collection, organization, and analysis of data on the status of children’s rights in San Fernando.
- Help identify causes of shortfalls and inequities affecting children.
• Strengthen child-sensitive and equity-focused planning
- Assist in integrating intersectional child sensitivity and equity considerations into the city’s socio-economic development planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation systems.
• Document innovations and good practices
- Gather and record examples of existing innovations and successful practices within the city that can inform future programming.
• Provide evidence for CFCI action plan development
- Contribute to compiling sufficient evidence to guide the design of the Child-Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) action plan.
• Establish a baseline for progress measurement
- Support the establishment of a baseline that will enable objective measurement of progress required for CFCI Recognition.
• Children and Adolescent engagement and participation
- Facilitate opportunities for children and adolescents to share their perspectives during the SITAN process (e.g., focus groups, participatory workshops, surveys).
- Document and integrate children’s views into the SITAN findings and subsequent action plans.
- Support young people in designing creative and accessible methods of engagement tailored to their peers, ensuring inclusivity and relevance.
- Provide guidance and technical support to adolescents in developing simplified tools or platforms for participation in the CFCI initiative.
- Encourage peer-to-peer learning and youth-led activities that strengthen ownership of the CFCI process among children and adolescents.