By: Saidu Jalloh
On November 20, 2024, the United Nations International Children Fund [UNICEF] celebrates World Child’s Day with the theme ‘’ Listening to the Future,’’ where children from across Sierra Leone gather to share their hopes and dreams for a brighter future.
The UNICEF Sierra Leone Representative, Rudolf Schawk, expressed gratitude and happiness to be there with the children of Sierra Leone, celebrating World Child’s Day with them, and it is also special. He mentioned that they are working with youth organizations to make sure that the voices of the children are heard and that they heard from a lot of children on their aspirations, fears, and wishes, and that would be presented to key decision-makers and make sure those adults are listening to what the children want, to what the children aspire to and it is their duty as duty bearers to protect the children’s right.
He highlighted that that day was the 45th anniversary of the Conventional Rights of the Child. For 45 years, they have had a convention that has ratified the rights of the children of all countries in the world, and they are working to ensure that those rights enshrined in the convention are fulfilled for children in all countries globally.
Schawk explained that UNICEF had been in Sierra Leone for over a decade and had programs for education, nutrition, water, and sanitation in child protection in many areas.
He revealed that they had been working with the government as key stakeholders and had the responsibility to make sure that children’s rights were protected.
He added that sometimes it is not easy because of a capacity deficit, and that is where UNICEF would come in to help with not only financial resources but also technical expertise. He commended Sierra Leone for adopting good laws to protect child rights, especially the criminalization of child marriage and the implementation of the Child Rights Act.
He underscored that they want to make sure that no child is left behind, and it is tough for children with disabilities. Most are the ones who need help, and what UNICEF is doing for them is to help them with research, psychology, and technology we would provide for them. He commented that it is an opportunity for them to see children with disabilities do a presentation on their needs, fears, and aspirations.
Kankoday Samura, a student from Falaba District, also gave a speech and asked the Ministry of Basic Education to provide children with adequate learning space and also asked the ministry to provide more inclusivity in the schools because a lot of disabled children were out of schools because of the disabled-friendly of the schools.
The Deputy Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Mrs. Emily Gogra, assured the children that they would provide many school facilities and also assured them of saving learning space. She commented that they had provided inclusivity in their schools since 2021 when the then Minister of Basic Education launched the Radical Inclusion policy, which was enacted in parliament, and that they would do more to see more inclusion in schools.