The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO), has called for increased Government investment in children as Sierra Leone prepares its 2027 National Budget, stressing the need to prioritize essential services that support children’s welfare, protection and development.
The call was made on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, during a parliamentary engagement at Country Lodge Hotel in Freetown, attended by Members of Parliament serving on committees responsible for finance, education, lands, legislation, gender and children’s affairs.
The engagement focused on strengthening parliamentary oversight, protecting budgetary allocations and ensuring that approved funds are released and utilized effectively to improve education, healthcare, nutrition, sanitation and child protection services.
Delivering the welcome address, Director of the Parliamentary Budget Office, Ibrahim Jimissa, emphasized that investing in children must remain a national priority because budgetary decisions directly influence the country’s future development.
Ibrahim Jimissa encouraged lawmakers to use available legislative and oversight mechanisms to ensure that public resources are allocated responsibly and reach their intended beneficiaries.
UNICEF Country Representative, Mariko Kagoshima, expressed concern over inadequate funding for children’s welfare, revealing that children constitute approximately 41 per cent of Sierra Leone’s population, while two out of every three experience deprivation in at least one basic necessity.
Mariko Kagoshima disclosed that annual Government expenditure on child protection amounts to approximately US$0.66 per child, describing the allocation as insufficient to address the challenges confronting vulnerable children.
She further highlighted Sierra Leone’s fiscal constraints, noting that debt servicing accounts for nearly 29 per cent of Government expenditure, exceeding the education budget by more than twofold and the health budget by approximately six fold.
Mariko Kagoshima urged Parliament to safeguard investments in education, healthcare, nutrition, sanitation, social protection and child protection while ensuring timely disbursement and accountability.
She reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting Parliament and relevant Government institutions through research, technical assistance and policy engagement.
Representing the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Director Daniel Gbao highlighted persistent challenges involving child marriage, teenage pregnancy, child labour, violence, neglect and exploitation.
Daniel Gbao disclosed that Government funding for child protection remains below one per cent and advocated increasing the allocation to more than three per cent to strengthen prevention, protection and response programmes.
He also reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to collaborating with UNICEF and other stakeholders to improve children’s welfare nationwide.
Chairman of Parliament’s Finance Committee, Hon. Keikura Christopher Vandy, commended UNICEF for its continued support and acknowledged the Parliamentary Budget Office’s contribution to strengthening legislative scrutiny of public expenditure.
Hon. Keikura Christopher Vandy assured participants that Parliament would continue monitoring the allocation and utilization of resources intended for children.
However, Hon. Keikura Christopher Vandy acknowledged that limited fiscal space, revenue shortfalls and delays in external financial assistance continue to affect Government operations and the timely release of approved allocations.
He consequently encouraged stronger collaboration between Parliament, UNICEF and relevant Ministries to ensure that children’s priorities receive adequate attention throughout the budgetary process.
The engagement also featured presentations on Sierra Leone’s macroeconomic outlook and child-related investment priorities, followed by discussions among participating lawmakers.
Director of Parliamentary and Public Relations, Sheku Lamin Turay, who moderated the programme, emphasized Parliament’s responsibility to promote children’s rights.
The meeting concluded with renewed commitments to stronger oversight, improved funding and sustained institutional cooperation to ensure that the 2027 National Budget delivers meaningful improvements in the lives of children across Sierra Leone.
