The 17th edition of the Observatório das Autarquias Familiarmente Responsáveis (OAFR) has recognized an increase from 110 municipalities in 2024 to 115 this year, awarding them the green flag as “Autarquia + Familiarmente Responsável”.
The national survey conducted by OAFR identifies 14 of the 20 most populous municipalities in Portugal for their “effective family support practices”. These municipalities will receive the green flag in a ceremony on Wednesday in Coimbra. They include Lisbon, Sintra, Cascais, Loures, Braga, Amadora, Matosinhos, Oeiras, Odivelas, Coimbra, Maia, Vila Franca de Xira, Santa Maria da Feira, and Vila Nova de Famalicão.
OAFR highlighted that six municipalities have consistently received this distinction over the past 17 years, marked by a flag featuring four clovers, each representing four years of recognition. These municipalities include Angra do Heroísmo, Cantanhede, Torres Novas, Torres Vedras, Vila de Rei, and Vila Real.
This year, six municipalities will be recognized for the first time for their family-friendly policies: Chamusca, Chaves, Mafra, Matosinhos, Viana do Castelo, and Vila do Conde, according to a statement from the organization.
The district of Coimbra has the highest number of recognized municipalities (15), followed by Porto and Lisbon (12 each), Aveiro (11), Santarém (nine), and Braga, Faro, and Guarda (eight each). In contrast, Bragança and Madeira have no municipalities recognized in this year’s OAFR edition, which reflects data from the previous year.
According to OAFR, in this edition, 104 municipalities (90%) offer the Family Water Tariff, 106 (92%) provide the Social Water Tariff, and 111 (97%) implement the Family Municipal Property Tax (IMI).
Awarded municipalities also demonstrate significant efforts to address the housing crisis, with 104 supporting the rehabilitation of degraded homes, 63 focused on new construction, and 102 involved in renting.
Regarding maternity and paternity support, “77 municipalities (67%) promote the creation of childcare banks,” while 112 municipalities declare home support for families caring for chronically ill, disabled, or elderly members.
“Support for informal caregivers is on the agenda of 77 of the recognized municipalities,” with 80 declaring “the provision of on-demand transport as a supplement to the public transport network” and 56 offering “ticketing policies for cultural, leisure, and free time offers,” the note informs.
“Supporting people in socially vulnerable situations is a core focus for 100% of the recognized municipalities,” OAFR emphasized. This support includes food donations by 112 municipalities, medication donations by 94, and covering expenses such as water, electricity, or rent by 113.
“The continuation of family support reflects the current situation and the municipalities’ response capacity, confirming the closeness as a decisive factor in public policies,” stated Filipa Baker, OAFR coordinator, in the note.
However, she acknowledged, “many challenges remain, including ensuring that the concept of equity is always embedded in new measures’ design and existing measures’ reformulation.”
OAFR was established in 2008 by the Associação Portuguesa de Famílias Numerosas, and in this 17th edition, 155 of the 308 municipalities responded to the survey, 14 fewer than last year.
