SPRI Global is providing technical support to UNICEF Malaysia and selected local councils in Sabah to advance the Child-Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI). This assignment involves conducting a comprehensive Situational Analysis (SitAn) of children’s wellbeing and developing a Costed Plan of Action for each locality. The project aims to operationalise the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child at the local government level, ensuring that urban planning and budgeting effectively address the needs of children and adolescents.

The Child-Friendly Cities Initiative supports local governments in realising children’s rights. In Malaysia, the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UNICEF, while councils in Seberang Perai, Kota Kinabalu, and Sandakan have signalled their commitment to the initiative. To achieve formal CFCI recognition, these local authorities must identify specific bottlenecks to child wellbeing within their jurisdictions. This requires a shift from general commitment to evidence-based action, addressing issues such as child rights awareness, inclusive participation, and the creation of safe, accessible physical environments. Current governance structures require clear, localised data to bridge the gap between federal intent and municipal implementation.

SPRI Global’s support objectives include:

• To increase access to disaggregated data and evidence on the current status of children’s rights in the two localities and the causes of shortfalls and inequities;
• To strengthen an intersectional child-sensitivity and equity-focus within local councils’ socio-economic development planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation;
• To document existing innovations and good practices;

• To provide sufficient evidence to inform the CFCI Action Plan; and
• To establish a baseline that will allow objective measurement of progress required for CFCI.

The situational analysis (SitAn) is intended to provide a comprehensive overview of the status of children’s rights in Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan, in alignment with the principles and provisions outlined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the National Child Policy 2024. The SitAn will address all aspects of children’s rights, encompassing survival, development, protection, and participation.