As urbanization continues to reshape societies, the concept of child-friendly cities (CFCs) has emerged as a rights-based approach to support the well-being of children in urban environments, particularly as increasing numbers of children grow up in rapidly expanding cities. While international frameworks provide general guidance, effective implementation requires contextual adaptation. Despite Jordan’s commitment to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, limited research has examined how CFC principles translate into urban policy and practice. This study explores the conceptualization of CFCs in the Jordanian context by identifying and prioritizing key stakeholders, urban features, barriers, and evaluation indicators. A structured Delphi methodology consisting of iterative rounds was used to gather cross-sectoral expert perspectives and establish areas of consensus. The findings reveal disparities in resources and efforts across governorates and cities while highlighting the recognized role of municipalities and local governments alongside a limited acknowledgement of non-traditional actors such as media. Prioritized features emphasize clean and climate-responsive environments, while funding limitations were identified as a major constraint and child safety as the most critical indicator. This study provides a consensus-based reference for understanding the key dimensions of CFCs in Jordan and contributes to the discussion on localizing CFC frameworks.
Alshawawreh (Thu,) studied this question.