While the United States is one of two countries (the other is Somalia) that has not ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Boulder has great potential to become the flagship U.S. city to implement this Convention’s principles and to set a national standard for ensuring children’s rights. Since the City of Boulder has already established many initiatives that follow the recommendations for Child- and Youth-Friendly Cities, it is an ideal place to take the lead role among US cities. Doing so will not only benefit Boulder’s children, youth and their families, it will also retain and attract the work force that is essential to the City’s economic well-being.
History of Child- and Youth-Friendly Cities
The concept of “child-friendly cities” wasdeveloped by practitioners, academics and policy makers interested in implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This Convention is the first legally binding international instrument to spell out the basic human rights of those under 18, including the rights to: 
- survival and development
- protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation
- participation in family, cultural and social life
Creating a Child- and Youth-Friendly City means implementing the Convention at the local level. It means including the voices, needs, priorities and rights of children in public policies, programs, and decisions.
Characteristics of Child- and Youth-Friendly Cities
Child- and Youth-Friendly Cities meet the needs of children and youth and enable them to make their voices heard on matters that affect them. They are essentially communities in which children:
influence decisions about their city;
- express their opinions on the city they want;
- participate in community l life;
- have access to basic health care, education and shelter;
- drink safe water and have access to proper sanitation;
- are protected against exploitation, violence and abuse;
- walk safely in the streets, on their own;
- meet friends and play;
- have green spaces for plants and animals;
- live in an unpolluted and sustainable environment;
- participate in cultural and social events; click on image to zoom in
- are equal citizens with access to every service, regardless of ethnic origin, religion, income, gender or disability
Literature on Child- and Youth-Friendly Cities