context: The National Development and Reform Commission and State Council’s Office for Women and Children issued guidelines to promote a child-friendly society, reported China News on 17 March 2026. The goal is to integrate child-friendly as concept into all areas of social governance and urban planning.
The guidelines to promote a child-friendly society
- encourages cities as the basic unit of implementation; encourage all regions to deepen government coordination, inter-departmental collaboration, and social participation
- includes incorporating a ‘1-metre height perspective’ in urban and spatial planning to represent the child’s point of view
- promotes construction of child-friendly public spaces
- promotes improving policies on free or preferential public services for children
- proposes free HPV vaccinations for girls aged 13
- proposes gradual free preschool education
- proposes child-friendly reforms in hospitals, transportation, public parks and digital platforms
- emphasises safety and protection
- stricter enforcement of juvenile protection laws
- stronger food and product safety supervision
- prevention of online harms
- expansion of support for orphans, left-behind and migrant children
- crack down on illegal and criminal acts against children
- strengthens publicity of child-friendly policies, conduct regular public service announcements
- provides support for child-friendly renovation projects
- frames child-friendly construction as ongoing, institutional task rather than a short-term initiative
The new initiative signals a shift from city‑level pilots toward a nationwide framework.