Mayor Shin Dong-hwa: 'This will be a vital channel to hear children's voices and reflect them in policy'
The city of Guri held an inauguration ceremony Thursday for its first Children's Participation Committee, aimed at strengthening children's rights and supporting their active civic engagement. The event took place at the Guri Women's Happiness Center.
The inaugural committee comprises 15 children selected through an open recruitment process that began late last year, ranging from second-grade elementary school students to first-year middle schoolers. The committee is tasked with protecting children's rights, incorporating children's perspectives into the city's policymaking process and contributing to the development of a child-friendly city.
At the ceremony, Mayor Shin Dong-hwa presented each member with an official appointment certificate issued in his name. Members then introduced themselves and shared plans for their activities and operations over the next two years.
The event also included a children's rights education session designed to help members develop a proper understanding of children's rights and recognize that their rights deserve respect.
"This children's participation committee will serve as an important communication channel through which we can directly hear children's voices and reflect them in city policy," Shin said. "I hope the committee becomes a practical foundation for building a Guri where both children and parents are happy and where raising children is a joy."
Over its two-year term, the committee plans to hold regular meetings and carry out a range of activities — promoting awareness of children's rights, inspecting local environments related to children, and proposing children's policy initiatives — all with the goal of fostering a city culture in which children take an active role.
pjh@heraldcorp.com
