Julie Zerlauth-Disic coordinates the UNICEF France ´Ville amie des enfants´ (A city that's a friend to the children) program. In particular, she establishes and develops relationships between the local authorities involved in the program. She also played a role in the creation of the UNICEF national opinion project in 2013: "Let´s listen to what the children have to say", a study on the social integration of young people, through the voices of young people.

‘Ville amie des enfants’ is a UNICEF international initiative which links cities together through their engagement with the improvement of young people's well-being. The program is one of action and asks the cities involved to present a detailed proposition of their plans and projects with the objective of improving the situation for young people in that area, primarily focusing on developments in security, health, education and the opinions of young people.

The program started in France in 2002 with 12 participants and today has around 240. It allows the participants to benefit from a network of communication and training, and holds an annual conference whose aim is to encourage a dynamic exchange of good practices, ideas and projects.

Could you give us a brief description of the main activities and objectives of the 'Ville amie des enfants' network as well as your principal functions?

Created by UNICEF and developed in France since 2002, the ‘Ville amie des enfants’ network is, above all, a means to service the promotion and implementation of children’s rights in towns and cities - the closest environments to children, young people and their families. Founding its activities and objectives on the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF hopes that the community will put these innovative public policies for children into practice. It focuses its efforts, in particular, on the following areas: well-being and living environment, non-discrimination and equal access to all services, citizen participation, security and protection, parenthood, health, hygiene, nutrition, disability, education, access to sport and leisure, culture, and international solidarity. The network allows different communities to form relationships with each other, an exchange of good practices. It organises meetings and themed publications as well as a guide on local public innovation and teaching targeted towards councilors and territorial authorities. The department of relations between territorial communities, of which I am in charge, upholds this network dynamic and fuels it with shared experiences; sets up communication mediums and training; and organises the meetings between communities.

Is this a worldwide project? How many towns take part in this program and what is their geographical breakdown?

The ‘Ville amie des enfants’ initiative has been developed in more than 50 countries in the world. The global challenge is to make all towns and cities viable places in which everyone can live. The well-being of children should be the principal indicator of a healthy environment, a democratic society and a good management of public affairs. In accordance with its specifics and needs, each country has put a different initiative into place. In France, the partnership is based on the signing of a convention of objectives proposed through municipal mandate. 240 towns are currently part of the program. These 240 towns are located all over France and are linked with UNICEF France departmental committees which help to put joint advocacy actions in place.

 What are the main reasons and strategies behind this UNICEF project?

The first UNICEF objective is that all children, and in particular the most vulnerable among them, victims of poverty and social exclusion, can live and grow up with complete respect towards their rights. In France, we therefore encourage specific advocacy actions so that the International Convention of the Right of the Child might advance, on a national and local scale. The ‘Ville amie des enfants’ initiative responds to this particular objective by encouraging the local authorities to develop innovative actions that will bring about the best adapted responses to situations that children and young people face, especially the most fragile.

What is the necessary procedure for a town to become a member of 'Ville amie des enfants'? How do you evaluate the obtained results?

Towns wishing to join the network or confirm their allegiance after a municipal electoral deadline must fill out an application form. It is made up of proposal cards which address the key areas and allows for a local public action plan aimed at children, young people and their families living in the area. The towns also fill out a quantified scoreboard, a diagnostic tool. We then analyse the data in an evaluation chart. If the result is sufficiently in line with our expectations in terms of respect towards, and correct application of, the Convention of the Right of the Child, we then propose that the community sign a convention of objectives through a municipal mandate (currently 2014-2020).

Through carrying out this program, have you identified, at a local level, any consequences of the economic crisis on the lives of the children? What solutions have been put into place by these towns in order to avoid a lessening in the implementation of children's rights?

Of course! The main thing we have done is to develop a scheme for the network which allows us to measure these impacts: the national opinion group of 6-18 year olds. Since 2013, this questionnaire, which groups 150 issues into 4 topics, has offered us the opportunity to consult children and young people in communities on their perception of whether they can exercise their rights daily. 22,500 children and young people were consulted in 2013, and 11,200 in 2014. Our analysis on the 2013 study brought up issues of inequality experienced by children with regards to social integration and its link with deprivation and hardship. This useful data has henceforth served us as an advocacy tool, both locally and nationally, so that public powers can act based on the children's and adolescents' specific needs. Our network now allows us to identify a large number of solutions and local innovations in the fight against inequality. These are the true political decisions that must be made by the local authorities, and we work to highlight them and replicate this within the rest of France.