By: Mohamed J. Bangura
President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio, has reaffirmed his Government’s commitment to protecting children from all forms of violence, abuse and exploitation, while calling for stronger collaboration with the United Nations to advance children’s rights and welfare.
President Bio made this commitment when he received the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Violence Against Children, Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, during a courtesy visit at State House in Freetown. The delegation was led by the Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Madam Isata Mahoi.
Dr. M’jid said her visit was an opportunity to recognize and appreciate President Bio’s contributions to the protection and promotion of children’s rights in Sierra Leone. She commended the President and his Government for their efforts to address issues affecting children and reaffirmed her commitment to advocating for children at both national and international levels.
She emphasised that protecting children from violence required collective action, sustained investment and close cooperation between the Government and the international community. She particularly welcomed the inclusion of children’s welfare in President Bio’s national development agenda, describing it as an important foundation for strengthening cooperation between Sierra Leone and the United Nations.
The UN Special Representative also called for increased technical support to strengthen national child-protection systems and advance the President’s child-protection agenda. She encouraged the Government to sustain efforts to address harmful practices, particularly female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage.
Dr. M’jid further expressed appreciation for the opportunity to discuss challenges affecting children with the President and looked forward to strengthening the existing partnership between Sierra Leone and the United Nations.
In his response, President Bio welcomed Dr. M’jid and her delegation and expressed appreciation for the United Nations’ continued support to his Government’s efforts to combat violence against children.
He reaffirmed that child protection remained central to his human capital development agenda, stressing that every child deserved dignity, safety, access to quality education and the opportunity to realize their full potential.
The President highlighted the Free Quality School Education programme as one of his Government’s flagship initiatives and a central promise of the New Direction manifesto. He noted that the programme had significantly expanded access to education for children across Sierra Leone, despite challenges arising from global economic pressures and other international crises.
President Bio stressed that every child had the fundamental right to grow up in a safe and supportive environment, access basic necessities, receive quality education and benefit from laws and institutions that enabled meaningful participation in society.
Addressing the issues of FGM and child marriage, the President acknowledged their sensitivity and seriousness, noting that tackling them required careful engagement and broad-based national consensus. He emphasised the importance of involving Parliament and religious leaders in the discussions while maintaining the Government’s commitment to protecting children.
President Bio also acknowledged the important contribution of the United Nations partnership to advancing child protection in Sierra Leone and expressed his desire to achieve greater progress through sustained cooperation and practical support.
The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of the Government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations to strengthening child-protection systems and ensuring that every child is protected from violence, abuse and exploitation and given the opportunity to thrive.