DBKU, Unicef ink MoU on Child Friendly Cities Initiative

Dr Abdul Rahman (standing, centre) together with Junaidi (standing at right) and Noriah (standing at left) witnessing the CFCI initiative signing ceremony between Mohamed Khaidir (seated left) and Sanja (seated right).

By Christopher Lidom

KUCHING, Feb 2: Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (Unicef) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Unicefā€™s Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI).

The signing ceremony was held at DBKU headquarter and witnessed by Deputy Minister of Utility and Telecommunication (Utility) Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi together with DBKU commissioner Datu Junaidi Reduan and Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Noriah Ahmad.

Signing on behalf of DBKU was its director Mohamed Khaidir Abang, while Unicef was represented by Sanja Saranovic.

Speaking during the press conference after the ceremony, Dr Abdul Rahman said the MoU marks a milestone for both DBKU and Unicef in a series of endeavours in identifying problems faced by children.

Apart from that, he said, the initiative will also help to find innovative solutions to those problems to enhance community spaces so that children feel safe and nurtured.

He added this will enable the children to not only strive, but also give them the opportunity to express their opinions and influence what affects them.

DBKU is the third city council in Sarawak to sign the CFCI initiative after Kuching South City Council (MBKS) on Oct 27, 2022, and Miri City Council (MCC) on Oct 31, 2022.

CFCI is a Unicef-led initiative that supports municipal governments in realising the rights of children at the local level, based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The initiative was launched in 1996 to make cities liveable places for all. ā€” DayakDaily