Editor's note: 

Recently, due to some well-known social problems, the topic of protecting children's rights and interests has become a hot topic again. As an advocate and practitioner who has long been committed to promoting the construction of child-friendly communities, Zhou Weiyan, the chairman of Beijing Yongzhen Public Welfare Foundation, accepted an interview with reporters from the Southern Metropolis Daily. The following is the actual record of the interview. 12th and 19th edition) 

As early as ten years ago, the Office of the Women and Children's Working Committee of the State Council and UNICEF and relevant UN agencies advocated “child-friendly communities”, hoping to transition from “child-friendly communities” to “child-friendly cities” or “child-friendly villages” ", And finally reached a" child-friendly society. " It now appears that the frequency of various child accidents and accidents is also warning us how important and urgent it is to build a "child-friendly society."

In this regard, Nandu commented on an exclusive interview with Zhou Weiyan, director of the China Child Friendly Community Promotion Program Office and director of Beijing Yongzhen Public Welfare Foundation. The China Child Friendly Community Promotion Plan is a nationwide series of actions initiated by the Women and Children's Working Committee of the State Council and jointly initiated by the China Community Development Association and the China Children and Teenagers' Foundation. "China's Child-Friendly Community Ecosystem" enables communities with children to become child-friendly communities.

Not paying enough attention to children's public safety 

Nandu Review Reporter (hereinafter referred to as "Nandu"): In many times, especially during the winter and summer vacations, it is common to see various types of children suffering injuries, such as being run over by cars, being pinched by revolving doors or elevator armrests, etc. Whenever this time, parents and the general public generally only reflect on the responsibilities of properties, shopping malls, etc., and the issue of guardians, but no one thinks about how to build a child-friendly community environment. In reality, people and vehicles are mixed in the community, and children have no space for activities. So why has society so neglected the issue of child-friendly environment for a long time? 

Zhou Weiyan: This is a relatively complicated social issue. First of all, parents do not have relevant training before becoming parents. In the first three years after becoming a parent, you may be busy with early childhood education, taking care of your child ’s diet, and when you encounter a cold or fever, you are in a hurry, and then you enter kindergarten. Therefore, there is a common misunderstanding in understanding. The child's first guardian, what professional knowledge and skills he needs to have.

Although China has a family education association and a special platform system for family education, the work done in this area is far from enough. I think one of the important reasons for this is that family education is not integrated with the community.

Because parents have different social identities, parents can only be linked together through the bond between community and family. However, the current family education work is out of touch with the community. Although there are also relevant government functional departments taking the lead, the family education is implemented in such a way that there is a substantial, systematic and systematic nationwide support for parents. There are few projects, which is why we launched the "Child Friendly" project.

Nandu: Actually, about ten years ago, the Office of the Women and Children's Working Committee of the State Council and UNICEF and relevant UN agencies advocated "child-friendly communities", hoping to reach a "child-friendly society" in the end. With the establishment of the China Child Friendly Community Working Committee in 2016, what substantive progress has been made today?  

Zhou Weiyan: The concept of a child-friendly community was first proposed by the Women and Children's Working Committee of the State Council after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. After the disaster, it was discovered that these children did not have a space and place for activities, so the concept of a child-friendly community was proposed. It is more like a "child-friendly home" or work from the perspective of child rights protection. Later, some conferences of child-friendly cities and child-friendly communities were held in Nanjing and Guangdong, and some ideas were formed. Basically, the local women's federation was the main force to take the lead in promoting the activities of providing minors with a space in the community as the main body. Service space.

In order to promote actionable industry action guides, a feasibility and systematic approach is needed to land and mobilize the participation of all sectors of society. China Children and Teenagers' Fund and China Community Development Association launched China Child-friendly community promotion plan project, jointly carry out this child-oriented, community-based social work, specifically how to build a platform, how to interface with government, public welfare, business, and ensure its sustainable development, and finally do There are teams, projects, outputs, and evaluations. 

Nandu: Relatively speaking, the construction of child-friendly communities in cities is better than that in rural areas. How can we promote the construction of child-friendly communities in rural areas? Is it different from the city? 

Zhou Weiyan: Many people are questioning why we have been doing it in the city. My answer to this is whether it is in the city or in the countryside. Both children and parents need help. There are so many resources in the city that are not ready. How can we do it in the countryside? China is too big, it must be divided and ruled.

For most public welfare projects, I feel that we can go first in the countryside. Only in this case, I insist on doing it first in the city. Imagine that today, the first pilot is set in Shanghai, and then promoted to the whole country. Assuming that the first pilot is set up in a poor township and then promoted to the whole country, how will people react psychologically? What do you think as a parent and a nonprofit organization?

Combining urban experience with the service system of these mature social organizations in the countryside, it is possible to survive and develop in the countryside. But it is difficult to graft rural experience to cities. Of course, we also support and encourage that if organizations are willing to try to establish child-friendly communities in rural areas, we can go hand in hand, which will be the best model. But with limited energy and resources, we can only start with cities. Because child-friendly communities are more about ecosystems, the input of local governments, the operation of social organizations, and the participation of business organizations. This model may not be feasible in rural areas at present, and rural areas can have solutions that are more suitable for the current actual environmental background.

Local community residents' participation is particularly important 

Nandu: From the perspective of the community itself, is it possible to play more roles? For example, are there some owners' committees waiting to carry out some promotion work? 

Zhou Weiyan: Absolutely. In fact, the easiest thing to mobilize is the parents of the children's community. Parents want their children to be helped and make him feel that participating in community activities is a meaningful thing. I found an organization and a team. stand by. Therefore, the owners 'committee and the residents' committee are actually representatives of the community residents, and the parents are some of the important members. This is why we have repeatedly emphasized that the social workers in the child-friendly communities we cultivate are grounded and in the community. Such a group of people who have grown up, possess certain skills and have the concept of social work.

They have basic social service genes, master certain methods and methods, and our support, this is the most important force and the largest increase in China's social work talent. Compared with social workers, and even many early teachers, the genes of these social workers are social responsibility and altruistic spirit, and they have more bottom-line ethics.

Nandu: If it is promoted at the whole social level, the power of business is definitely a relatively important part. Why the current pension industry has not been able to develop because the commercial capital segment wants to enter, but I do not know how to make money. Will this happen in the future? If we rely solely on society and government, our power is very limited. 

Zhou Weiyan: We firmly believe that as long as it has social value, there will be continuous support and participation from people, because there are many people who pursue social value in a civilized society. If this social value meets the current market demand, it will have commercial value and a corresponding new business sector will be spawned, which also meets the needs of supply-side structural reform. This section may be because the public interest organizations acted first, and commercial capital saw and participated in market value mining.

Compared to the early education market, which is now easier to profit, many businesses may not start here. This is the role of social organization. When business models and public welfare models are unclear, social organizations have the responsibility and obligation to figure out this model.

Nandu: Last question, some places have done some work for child care services for infants aged 0 to 3 years old, and some problems have also appeared. What do you think? 

Zhou Weiyan: The education and upbringing of children, especially the 0 to 3 years old preschoolers, is very important. Compared with Europe or Japan, there is still much room for improvement in the support system for infants and young children aged 0-3 in China and the United States.

The Shanghai Municipal Government is at the forefront of the country. The 0-3 year old community childcare project is a good effort and attempt. It is doing good things for the people, but it is still in its infancy.

From my personal immature point of view, the fundamental problem is the lack of sufficient professional talents to meet the childcare needs of a large number of parents. At present, the gross enrollment rate of Chinese kindergartens is about 80%, and surveys show that by 2021, the gap in Chinese preschool teachers will reach 3 million. The field of 0-3 years old is basically dominated by early education companies, which is very dangerous.