KOTA KINABALU: Sabah will look at a proposal to implement a Child-Friendly City (CFC) initiative by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), says Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

       He said the state government welcomes the move to better protect the rights of children, but has yet to decide on whether the state will implement the CFC initiative.

       He said the state government will however look into the proposal first before making any decision.

       Unicef representative for Malaysia Dr Rashed Mustafa Sarwar said during a briefing on this matter to Hajiji here on Monday (Feb 21), the proposal was aimed at realising children’s rights as articulated in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

       “In practice, a CFC is a city, town or community in which the voices, needs, priorities and rights of children are an integral part of public policies, programmes and decisions,” he said.

       He said it is to among others, see that children are protected from exploitation, violence and abuse; have a good start in life and grow up healthy and cared for; have access to quality social services and live in a safe, secure and clean environment with access to green spaces.

       “It is also a place where they meet friends and have places to play and enjoy themselves and to have a fair chance in life regardless of their ethnic origin, religion, income, gender or ability,” Dr Rashed said.

       Other matters discussed were the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS)-Unicef Communication for Development (C4D) Research Unit, which was a follow-up to the meeting between C4D director Dr Latif Lai and Hajiji in December last year.

       According to Dr Rashed, many Unicef programmes need the C4D or Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC).

       The Unicef entourage led by Dr Rashed also briefed the Chief Minister on the findings of their studies on the Impact of Climate Change on Children, which was presented at UMS earlier.