Day 1 - UNICEF CFCI Team Visit to Surabaya City - Strengthening Child Protection System through Interactive Dialogue Surabaya, March 25, 2024

In effort to strengthen and learn good practices in child protection systems, UNICEF's Child Friendly City Initiative (CFCI) team consisting of:

1. Ms. Shema Sen Gupta, Director, Child Protection Section, UNICEF Headquarters, New York
2. Ms. Rachel Harvey, Child Protection Adviser, UNICEF Regional Office, Bangkok
3. Ms. Millen Kidane, Chief of Child Protection Section, UNICEF Indonesia
4. Ms. Astrid G. Dionisio, Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF Indonesia
5. Ms. Kinanti Pinta, Communication Specialist, UNICEF Indonesia

accompanied by the Chairperson and the UNICEF Team for the Java Region, paid a special visit to Surabaya City. Warmly welcomed by the Regional Secretary of Surabaya City and staff from the Surabaya City Government, as well as the Head of the Surabaya City Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the visit was an important part of UNICEF's global program to advocate for and support the development of child-friendly cities. Surabaya, as a growing metropolis, has demonstrated its commitment to the fulfillment of children's rights and protection, making it an ideal location for this study visit. This visit is part of Surabaya's assessment process to become a global CFCI member.

Day One: Exploring Surabaya Square and Dialoguing with Surabaya's Great Children

On the first day, the UNICEF CFCI team visited Surabaya's Alun-alun area, one of the city's child-friendly public spaces. The team explored the Surabaya City Children's Friends Information Center (PISA), the Women's Friends Information Center Room (PRISMA), and the Si Arek FAS (Surabaya Children's Forum) Podcast Room.

At PISA, the UNICEF CFCI team learned about the various information and education services provided to children, including information on children's rights, health, education, and child protection. The team also visited the PRISMA Room, which focuses on empowering women and girls. PRISMA contributes to building a safe and supportive environment for all children in Surabaya.

Next, the UNICEF CFCI team witnessed the performance of CAS (Chamber Acoustic Spensabaya) from SMPN 1, who brought passion and positive energy into the room. Through music and art, CAS managed to showcase the extraordinary expression and creativity of Surabaya's children.

Interactive Dialogue: Exploring Good Practices of Surabaya City's Policies

An interactive dialogue held by the UNICEF CFCI Team with Surabaya's children was a crucial moment during this visit. The interactive dialogue was guided by a moderator and attended by children from various communities in Surabaya. The children enthusiastically expressed their questions and opinions on various issues related to child protection.

UNICEF's CFCI team provided comprehensive and informative answers to these questions. The team also explained the various programs and policies that UNICEF has implemented to protect children around the world.

Through these discussions, the team was able to explore and understand the various perspectives, expectations, and challenges faced by children in their daily lives. The dialogue not only provided valuable insights for the UNICEF CFCI Team in understanding the local context of child protection in Surabaya but also strengthened children's voices as an important part of the policy-making process and child-friendly program implementation.

This visit marks an important step in a concerted effort to understand and replicate good practices in child protection in cities around the world. Through initiatives such as PISA, PRISMA, and Forum Anak Surabaya, the city has demonstrated how children's empowerment and their active participation in social life can contribute to inclusive and sustainable urban development.

The UNICEF CFCI team is committed to continuing working with the Surabaya City Government and various stakeholders to strengthen and expand these good practices. The dialogue and collaboration established during this visit will be the foundation for the further development of effective and inclusive child protection systems, not only in Surabaya but also in other cities in Indonesia as well as around the world.

Day 2 - UNICEF CFCI Team Visit to the Open City School for Excellent Adolescent (OCSEA), Nginden Disabled Children’s Home for Achievement and Dialogue towards Bright Future

Surabaya, March 26, 2024

Building a Better Future for Surabaya's Children - Second Day Visit of UNICEF CFCI Team

The second day of the UNICEF Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) team's visit to Surabaya was an inspiring adventure that reflected the city's passion for child-friendly cities. From innovative schools to caring communities, the UNICEF team was presented with evidence of Surabaya's commitment to protect and empower children.

Looking at Good Practices at MTSN 1 Surabaya

Being curious about the Open City School for Excellent Adolescent program, the UNICEF CFCI team visited MTSN 1 Surabaya. There, they were greeted with the enthusiasm of the students who proudly explained various OCSEA activities, such as poetry musicalization, storytelling, presentations of Sanmar Insan Ambassadors from SMPN 1 and MTSN 1 (OCSEA Good Practices), film screenings, and preventive actions #jagabarenglawanOCSEA. The UNICEF CFCI team highly appreciated the commitment of MTSN 1 Surabaya in realizing a child-friendly school. A warm interactive dialogue ensued between the UNICEF team and the students, discussing various issues related to children's rights and child protection. The spirit and enthusiasm of the students showed that OCSEA has succeeded in creating a child-friendly school environment and supporting the development of their potentials.

Lighting Up Hope at Nginden Disabled Children's Home for Achievement

The visit continued to Rumah Anak Prestasi Nginden, a place filled with the joy and spirit of children with special needs. Smiles and laughter greeted the UNICEF team at Rumah Anak Prestasi Nginden. In this place of joy, the team was treated to a variety of mesmerizing performances from children with special needs, showcasing their amazing talents. The parenting classes, which focused on the education and treatment of children with disabilities and the prevention of child abuse, provided valuable tools for parents and caregivers to assist their children. UNICEF and OCSEA teams shared their knowledge and experience with parents and caregivers of children with disabilities, providing them with valuable tools to create learning spaces filled with inspiration and optimism. Activities at RAP also include services for talent and interest development, demonstrating RAP's commitment to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to grow and develop to their full potentials.

Strengthening the Network at Puspaga Balai RW 5 Genteng

At Puspaga Balai RW 5 Genteng, the UNICEF team was greeted with enthusiasm by the residents and volunteers. The spirit of togetherness was strongly felt in various activities, such as parenting classes, sinau bareng, psychological counseling for children with disabilities, and interactive discussions.

The UNICEF team, PKBM volunteers, PPA Task Force, and Puspaga Balai RW facilitators exchanged information and ideas on various efforts to protect children. The discussion strengthened networks and collaboration between various parties, demonstrating a shared commitment to realizing Surabaya as a safe and comfortable city for children.

Dialogue Towards a Bright Future

The Surabaya City Mayor represented by The Surabaya City Secretary, in his presentation, explained the city's good practices and progress in realizing a child-friendly city. An interactive dialogue with UNICEF's CFCI team generated ideas and inputs to further improve child protection efforts in the city. The handover of souvenirs symbolizes the appreciation of Surabaya City's dedication and commitment. Surabaya City Government will disseminate information about the results of the UNICEF CFCI team visit, bringing inspiration and optimism for other cities in Indonesia to follow Surabaya's footsteps in realizing child-friendly cities.

The UNICEF CFCI team's two-day visit to Surabaya provided a clear picture of the city's strong commitment to protect and empower children. From innovative schools to caring communities, the evidence of Surabaya's commitment was clear. The visit is an inspiration for all to keep on collaborating and moving forward to realize a bright future for children in Indonesia, especially in the city of Surabaya.

#SurabayaKotaLayakAnak #CFCI #UNICEF #ForumAnakSurabaya

The signing of the Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) Annual Work Plan was carried out by the Surabaya City Government together with UNICEF Indonesia and the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) at the West Building of Balai Pemuda, Jl. Governor Suryo No. 15, Surabaya, on 14 November 2023. This signing marks Surabaya as the first city in Indonesia to join the CFCI global network.

As a leading city in the implementation of Kabupaten/Kota Layak Anak (Child-Friendly City) in Indonesia and a holder of the “Utama” award for six consecutive years, Surabaya would like to strengthen its efforts to fulfill children’s rights by enhancing meaningful participation and empowerment of the children and young people.

Since 1996, UNICEF’s CFCI framework has helped cities in all parts of the world to fulfill the rights of children, using the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as its foundation. The global network of Child Friendly Cities around the world connects diverse stakeholders who are committed to make their cities and communities more child friendly.

On the other hand, Surabaya City Government has participated in a UNICEF-sponsored CFCI Summit and pledged to support the Youth Manifesto that was declared at the Summit in 2019 and has collaborated with UNICEF ever since to continuously enhance the children’s protection and well-being. Therefore, this signing was carried out because Surabaya always has a commitment to become a child-friendly place. This is linked to the vision of "mutual cooperation towards an advanced, humanist and sustainable world city" which is outlined in the mission of realizing child welfare, educating children as superior human resources, improving infrastructure for children, developing child-friendly public services, and providing legal protection for children.

The Mayor of Surabaya, Eri Cahyadi, expresses his appreciation for the collaboration between the Surabaya City Government, UNICEF Indonesia and Bappenas in the CFCI Program. Eri says that children are the nation's assets and hopes, so they need to be given special attention and protection. Furthermore, Eri invites all parties to participate and synergize to jointly build Surabaya as a friendly, safe and prosperous city.

It is expected that the CFCI program can provide real benefits for children in Surabaya, especially in terms of health, education and participation in Surabaya’s development.

CFCI is a global initiative led by UNICEF to support local governments in realizing children's rights at the local level. The CFCI program aims to facilitate the efforts of the Surabaya City Government in realizing the aspiration of Surabaya as a Child Friendly City, namely a city that fulfills children's rights and protects children from all forms of violence, discrimination and exploitation.

The CFCI program focuses on five priority areas, as follows: (1) Improving the quality of health, education and child protection; (2) Strengthening children's participation in planning, budgeting and monitoring in the city’s development; (3) Increasing capacity and coordination between government, society and the business world in building child-friendly city; (4) Increasing public awareness and contribution for children's rights; and (5) Increasing the availability and utilization of data related to the circumstances of children in Surabaya.