LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA), in a first-of-its-kind initiative, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UNICEF Pakistan on Monday to transform Lahore into a safer and more inclusive city for children.
The MoU was signed by LDA Director General Tahir Farooq and UNICEF Pakistan Representative Pernell Ironside during a ceremony attended by Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmed Khan, Provincial Minister for Primary Health Khawaja Imran Nazir, LDA Vice Chairman Mian Marghoob Ahmed, Chairperson Punjab Women Protection Authority Hina Pervaiz Butt, Chairperson Child Protection and Welfare Bureau Sarah Ahmed, and Chairperson Punjab Social Protection Authority Jahan Ara Wattoo.
Under the agreement, children’s rights, equality, and inclusion will be integrated into urban planning. The initiative also focuses on safe public spaces, road safety, environmental sustainability, climate resilience, and improvements in housing and WASH infrastructure.
The partnership will promote collaboration with civil society, academia, the private sector, and media, while a joint working group will monitor progress through a results-based framework.
Speaking on the occasion, Malik Ahmed Khan termed Lahore’s first step towards becoming a “Child-Friendly City” a historic development and stressed the importance of transparency, accessibility audits for special needs, and public timelines for the project.