On May 18, 2024, the municipality of Vaduz received the UNICEF "Child-Friendly Community" label.
The award was preceded by a lengthy process that began with an assessment of the current situation. Due to the extensive certification process, the municipality of Vaduz set up a working group consisting of the following people
- Councillor Priska Risch-Amann
- Councillor Natascha Söldi
- Patrick Kaufmann
- Andrea Vogt
- Iryna Gartlacher
- Sarah Frick
- Roland Ospelt, Municipal Chancellery
The results of the assessment showed that the municipality of Vaduz is already performing key aspects of a child-friendly municipality. However, there is room for improvement, for example in the areas of early support, participation culture, spatial development and work-life balance.
In a second step, workshops and surveys were held with children, young people and parents:
- A "join-in morning" with kindergarten and primary school children,
- a world café in the Vadozner Huus,
- a questionnaire was sent to families with children not yet of school age and
- a survey was conducted among young people at the Camäleon youth club.
The focus was on the views of children and young people, who were able to contribute their ideas for a child-friendly Vaduz through these participation processes.
The collected results were recorded in an action plan with concrete measures in the fall of 2023, approved by the municipal council and submitted to UNICEF. The application process was concluded with an evaluation day attended by people from educational institutions, UNICEF and the working group.
Action plan 2024-2027
Now that the municipality of Vaduz has been awarded the "Child-friendly municipality" label, the comprehensive action plan will be implemented step by step until 2027. This is based on four objectives, to which a total of 24 specific measures are subordinated.
- Child-friendliness in the municipality of Vaduz is implemented across all administrative departments. Children and young people are comprehensively protected, supported and involved.
- The municipality of Vaduz is expanding the range of early support services and facilitating low-threshold access to early childhood services.
- The municipality of Vaduz creates exemplary framework conditions for the compatibility of family and career.
- The municipality of Vaduz provides children and young people with suitable outdoor and indoor spaces for healthy development.
In the coming months, the following measures will be implemented:
- Expand child and youth participation
- Implement child-friendly communication
- Support early intervention
- Create additional meeting places for children and young people
- Expand leisure activities and infrastructure
- Promote child and youth-friendly administration
- Expanding the compatibility of family and career
- Appointment of a family coordinator
