City takes steps toward supporting children's rights with initiative
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — El Paso City Council approved the initial steps to join the ranks of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)-recognized child-friendly cities, which is a global initiative focused on empowering children's rights in urban and community settings, the City of El Paso said in a press release on Monday, April 28.
The City says the child-friendly cities initiative is structured around five key outcome goals, which are the following:
Ensuring every child is valued and respected
Providing children with a platform to be heard in public decisions
Guaranteeing access to quality services
Fostering safe environments
Encouraging family life, play, and leisure
The City says it will submit a 'comprehensive readiness assessment' to UNICEF and 'establish a synthesis action plan to outline priorities and actions for improving the lives of children in El Paso.'
'The City is also dedicated to eliminating discrimination and ensuring equity in all policies and actions,' the City said.
The initiative, launched in 1996 by UNICEF and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), aims to build environments where 'children's voices, needs, and rights are prioritized and integrated into public policies and governance structures,' the City said.
The City is now working toward UNICEF's Child-Friendly City designation, which would officially recognize the community's 'commitment to fostering environments that promote the safety, well-being, and participation of children in every aspect of public life,' the City said.
'The resolution to pursue this designation will lead to the formation of key initiatives, including a Youth Advisory Board and a 40-member steering committee, 'Para Niños,' which will guide the City through the application process,' the City said.
The City says it will officially launch the Youth Advisory Board on Thursday, May 1, and will be holding an event from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. that Thursday at La Nube, 301 E. Main Drive.
'Supported in part by the El Paso Community Foundation, the Youth Advisory Board will serve as a platform for young people in El Paso to provide input, share their perspectives, and actively engage in shaping policies that impact their lives. This board will play an essential role in ensuring that children's voices are heard throughout the process of becoming a Child Friendly City,' the City said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
After lengthy restoration project, Rochester's Pont de Rennes bridge ‘isn't holding strong'
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — After a lengthy restoration project, the Pont de Rennes pedestrian bridge isn't holding strong. After walking down the bridge, News 8 noticed damage and spoke with the community about how they feel. 'When the surface of the bridge is deteriorating, people say 'Well, was this a waste of money?' and we're still trying to get answers on that,' Rochester's Kathryn D'Amanda said. Walking along the bridge, News 8 noticed nearly 40 areas with damage just like this. Now, this project went over budget at $18.7 million. 'When you do a big project like this, you hope that the public is going to have a joyful experience,' D'Amanda said. 'It was a long time coming and you don't want people being disappointed and sometimes I think that the City doesn't take… they invest a lot… but they don't in the end invest enough to make the difference that we need to have.' D'Amanda told News 8 the damage is upsetting after the time and money the City put in. The Pont de Rennes pedestrian bridge restoration project included repairs to the bridge's structural steel and the addition of a new deck railing. The project started in July 2023 and the bridge reopened in December 2024. But D'Amanda said even before this damage, the City could've done better with beautification. 'They invested a lot and they did a lot of work under the bridge which is very important but they didn't take the final step in painting it which makes it look to the public as if the work wasn't done,' D'Amanda said. But a few Rochesterians, like Gary Silco, say it's a cosmetic issue, so it's not much of a bother. 'I don't feel that it's dangerous,' Silco said. 'I think it might be a hazard for people stepping on it perhaps but I don't think it's a danger to the bridge.' Ultimately, locals like D'Amanda and Silco told News 8 they love their city. 'I'm so excited to live in the city and I hope that the city will take the time and the money that it takes to invest properly,' D'Amanda said. According to a spokesperson for the City of Rochester, City employees are aware of the chipping of the non-structural concrete deck coating on the bridge. They are waiting for a report to figure out why this happened and they say the bridge surface will be redone, at no cost to the City, after they have determined the cause of the issue. In the meantime, the City says the contractor is set to do some patch work. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Forbes
Key Club Leaders Inspired By UNICEF Programs In Zambia
Three high-school student leaders with Key Club International, a youth-led service organization and UNICEF partner for over 30 years, recall meaningful interactions with children, caregivers, community volunteers and youth child rights advocates during a recent trip with UNICEF USA to see UNICEF programs in Zambia. Children, caregivers, volunteers and early childhood development specialists gather with visitors from UNICEF USA staff and Key Club International outside the UNICEF-supported Kasunbanya Early Childhood Education Insaka (Hub) in Zambia. Key Club International, the world's largest student-led service organization, supports Start Strong: Zambia, a project through which club members around the world help raise awareness and money to support UNICEF programs for young children in the southern African nation. Three Key Club International trustees — Nicole Bunag of Indiana, Aspen Hess of Central Florida and Ethan Schmidt of Alabama — recently traveled to Zambia with UNICEF USA for a firsthand look at UNICEF's impact in the country, particularly in early education and early childhood development (ECD). They visited ECD centers, health facilities and hospitals and met with government officials and UNICEF program staff. In this Q&A with Cristina Shapiro, UNICEF USA's Chief Strategy Officer and President of the Impact Fund for Children & UNICEF Bridge Fund, the students reflect on the experience. The conversation has been edited and condensed. CRISTINA SHAPIRO: It was such a pleasure to travel with you in March, and to see the impact of the fundraising Key Club has done to support ECD programs in Zambia. Let's start with each of you saying a little bit about yourselves and your involvement in Key Club. Key Club International trustees meet with young change makers supported by UNICEF Zambia, who share how they advocate for the protection of child rights in their community. ETHAN SCHMIDT: I am based in Birmingham, Alabama, and I am a graduating senior this year. Working with Key Club for the past four years — and for the last two as an international trustee — I've been able to work pretty intimately with UNICEF as the co-chair of the Programs and Partners Committee, working on fundraising campaigns such as Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF and Start Strong: Zambia. Outside of the classroom, I am a huge language nerd, and I am also a very amateur runner, something I'm trying to build my endurance for. To summarize Key Club, I'd say it's an international service organization that works to foster student leadership and volunteerism across the globe. ASPEN HESS: I am based in Central Florida, and am also a graduating senior. I am very passionate about civic engagement and political science, which I intend to study in college. NICOLE BUNAG: I am from Indiana, and I'm a graduating senior. I plan to go to Purdue University to study engineering. Fun fact about me: I am a triplet. CRISTINA SHAPIRO: The way that you all showed up in Zambia — how you led all the conversations we had, asking incredible questions — gives me hope for the world, with you as our future leaders. So now that you have all been home for a little bit, and you've had a chance to process and reflect, tell me: what was the most meaningful part of the trip for you? ASPEN HESS: One of the top ones was definitely our experience at the community-based ECD center, or Insaka. I didn't realize how holistic the work is that is being done at these centers. I actually got to sit down with some of the maternity care volunteers in the stimulation room, some of whom walk an hour or longer every day to get there. I observed them with the infants, making sure they were getting the stimulation they need. It was so heartwarming. I also met a young girl named Anaya who is benefiting from UNICEF support through the foster care system. I had so many inspiring experiences every single day, but these are the moments that I truly cannot stop thinking about. Key Club International trustee Aspen Hess helps out during a stimulation session with an infant at a UNICEF-supported early childhood development center in Zambia during a program visit with fellow trustees Ethan Schmidt (standing far left) and Nicole Bunag (standing next to Ethan) and Cristina Shapiro and Nicole Brown from UNICEF USA. CRISTINA SHAPIRO: Yes! It's not just seeing the program in action, but getting to interact with the key staff and the volunteers who make it possible, and the incredible children and family members who are benefiting — that's what brings this all to life. And while we were there, we were really excited to learn that the government of Zambia is planning to expand this program to more communities. What do you think the government saw in these centers that made them want to do that? ETHAN SCHMIDT: I think it's the breadth of services that they provide. They are kind of a one-stop shop for enrichment. Mothers can come in from the surrounding communities with their children, access educational services and medical services, learn about nutrition. Then they go back to their communities, bringing all that important information with them, and share it with their peers. CRISTINA SHAPIRO: And we learned the government plans to expand from three Insakas — the ones Key Club's support helped power — to 200, all across the country. This is a great example of a demonstration project, showing what works, and then the government stepping up to bring that impact to many more families in need. ETHAN SCHMIDT: Yes! The scalability is great. Young students work together at a UNICEF-supported school in Zambia. CRISTINA SHAPIRO: Nicole, what will you take away from your experience in Zambia and apply in your role as a student leader in the U.S.? NICOLE BUNAG: Before I was an international trustee, I served as a UNICEF champion, where I truly got to learn and understand Key Club's work with UNICEF and our Start Strong: Zambia campaign. And getting to see firsthand how families and children in Zambia are positively impacted was definitely exciting. It was incredible! It was so cool to see adults and youth [in the places we visited in Zambia] invested in making sure child rights are protected, and their development and education prioritized. That's what I hope to do in my own school and community. International trustee. But more than that, we got the chance to talk with other student leaders in Zambia for a couple of hours, and to see the work that they do to help their community. I think we were all intrigued by what they had to say about how they help a variety of people, from 7-year-olds to 25-year-olds, and about how they tackle different topics, from drug abuse to nutrition to gender-based violence and so much more. These youth leaders create awareness for child rights. It was so cool to see adults and youth invested in making sure child rights are protected, and their development and education prioritized. That's what I hope to do in my own school and community. Related: Cristina Shapiro on Bending the Curve for Children in Zambia Investing in early childhood generates massive returns for society — up to $17 for every $1 invested in children living with disadvantages. Every year, millions of children, their parents and families benefit from UNICEF's ECD work. Learn more about UNICEF's work in early childhood development. High-school students and Key Club International trustees Ethan Schmidt, left, Aspen Hess, center and Nicole Bunag during their UNICEF program visit to Zambia in March 2025. Help UNICEF reach more children in need. Please donate today.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Can you imagine Hagerstown in 1775? This event brings it to life
The Jonathan Hager House Museum offers new tours this summer. According to an announcement, the 'Jonathan Hager: The Patriot' tours will run Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. now through the weekend of July 4. Visitors can explore the museum and learn about the founder of Hagerstown and his family's role in the American Revolution. In addition to the tours, a new living history event titled '1775: Hager's Town Revolts' is set for Saturday, June 7. This event will feature living historians portraying local figures from the Revolutionary era. Attendees can learn about militia enlistment, weapon-making and community preparations for war. Scheduled activities will begin at 11 a.m. with black powder demonstrations at noon, 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. This family-friendly event is free and open to the public. The Jonathan Hager House Museum is at 110 Key Street in Hagerstown. Visitors are encouraged to explore the original 18th-century homestead filled with period artifacts. No appointment is needed for tours on Fridays and Saturdays. Private tours can be arranged during the week by calling the City of Hagerstown Parks & Recreation office at 301-739-8577, ext. 170, or emailing hagerhouse@ Appointments should be made at least 48 hours in advance. For more information on upcoming programs, go to This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@ with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at or share your thoughts at with our News Automation and AI team. The Herald-Mail is growing its local news: Send your news to us This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: New Hager House tours reveal the patriot who founded Hagerstown
