The Municipal Plenary of Lucena ratified in its latest session the request for the city to be recognized as a Child-Friendly City. This recognition is based on the approval of the first Local Plan for Children and Adolescents, which will be in effect until 2029. The Councilor for Education and Families, Miriam Ortiz, highlighted that this agreement places children at the center of municipal policies after a process of meeting requirements.
The plan proposes that the attention to children and adolescents involve the entire Lucena City Council and incorporate the opinions of the children and adolescents themselves. Ortiz emphasized the importance of listening to their needs and aspirations, valuing the work of the Local Council for Children and Adolescents, established in January of this year and which meets monthly.
This Council has participated in initiatives such as children's plenaries and the adaptation of spaces, like the one set up for adolescents during the last Feria del Valle. According to Miriam Ortiz, the focus has shifted from 'activities' to 'rights', ensuring that children are heard, have access to necessary services, grow in safe spaces, and receive fair treatment.
The approval of the plan, along with the prior diagnosis and the establishment of the Local Council, completes the steps for Lucena's candidacy. The City Council expects to achieve recognition as a Child-Friendly City in 2027. Council representatives will participate on November 20 in a meeting at the Parliament of Andalusia, and Lucena will host a provincial meeting of children and adolescent councils on November 14.
The objective is to incorporate the perspective of children and adolescents into governance and build a city where they can live, study, play, grow, and feel heard.
