By: Ilyasa Baa
First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Her Excellency Mrs. Fatima Bio will on Thursday 19th May, serves as a key panelist on the theme: The future of children in the 21st century, to be organized by the National Commission for Children.
The First Lady’s statement is expected to centre around what the Office of the First Lady has done for children and what are the plans ahead to better the lives of the children of Sierra Leone. She is going to present the successes in the Hands off Our Girls campaign and how it has impacted society.
This Child Rights Governance seminar, according to the Advocacy and Communication Coordinator, National Commission for Children, Hardy Valcassel, will also attract statements from the Chief Justice who will throw light around juvenile justice, the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Child Rights Coalition and UNICEF who is also going to play key role in the upcoming seminal.
She informed this medium that their maiden program will be inclusive although key institutions are targeted to take part in this program. She said the seminal will help bring children’s issues to the public domain adding that it will be moderated by Mrs. Joyce Tejan Kellahalongside the President of the Children’s Forum Network. “We are expecting these institutions to take time and explain their various roles towards making the lives of children better in the country”, said Ms. Valcassel.
In Sierra Leone, over 48% of the populations are children and there is no comprehensive list or data base pertaining organizations working on children issues. Apart from numerous challenges; children do not benefit from the Prerogative of Mercy exerciser by the President.
The National Commission for Children was established to monitor and coordinate children’s affairsin line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child and the Child Rights Act of 2007.
