The Child Friendly Cities initiative as a promoter of children's activism in Spain
Abstract
This study examines whether the Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) promotes child activism in Spain from the perspective of the institutions that implement the programme: UNICEF Spain and municipalities. After a conceptual review of children's participation both in Europe and in Spain, the analysis focuses on whether the CFCI promotes, directly or indirectly, child activism in the municipalities that are part of this initiative. The methodology implemented through semi-structured interviews (both with UNICEF Spain and 7 municipalities), reveals that children demand for the creation and protection of civic spaces, as well as advocating in their communities against climate change and in the prevention of mental health. Furthermore, it finds that children who are part of the CFCI are more likely to remain involved in other youth and political spaces as they get older. Thus, although it is not possible to generalise the results, it seems that the CFCI is able to promote child activism in Spain.
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