The Kinderfreundliche Gemeinden (Child Friendly Communities) initiative in Austria has been active since 2013. The objective of the initiative and the Child Friendly Community recognition is to underline the importance of making child-friendly decisions at the local level, where children are most affected.

The Austrian Child Friendly Communities initiative is centred around seven thematic areas: 1) child-friendly administration; 2) child participation; 3) health; 4) leisure; 5) family and school care; 6) safety (for example, child and youth protection, traffic, playgrounds); and 7) education.

A municipality that wishes to be recognized as child-friendly conducts a situation analysis through local consultation to assess the existing child rights measures in place. New needs-based measures are then developed by a project group together with representatives from all stakeholders and generations to address needs. In order to be recognized as child-friendly, the municipality must plan to act on at least three measures which fall under the seven thematic priorities, within a timeframe of three years.

The recognition audit process is carried out in collaboration with the non-profit organization ”Familie und Beruf Management GmbH”, which provides guidance and best practices, supports the municipalities during the consultation phase, offers support for public relations activities and assesses the implementation of the measures.

The recognition is granted by UNICEF Austria for a period of three years. The recognition can be renewed for another three years, if the local government commits to improving the implementation of children’s rights in the future.

Today, around 250 municipalities in Austria are participating in the initiative.