By Foday Moriba Conteh
During the commencement of the commemoration of UNICEF at 75 years on the theme: “Re-imagine the Future of Every Child” at an auspicious ceremony held on Monday 22nd November, 2021 at the Freetown City Council Auditorium in Freetown, the UNICEF Country Representative in Sierra Leone, Dr. Suleiman Braimoh reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment towards supporting children in the country.
Speaking during the ceremony, the UNICEF Country Representative extolled the Government of Sierra Leone for taking progressive actions to reduce mortality rates , increase school attendance, improve on the protection of children, and tremendous improvements in making clean water and sanitation accessible in the country.
Dr. Braimoh thanked the Government of Sierra Leone for hosting UNICEF since 1985 and for also prioritizing frameworks that support children’s development in the country including the ongoing Child Rights Act which seeks to protect children in the country in tandem with international best practices.
UNICEF, also known as the United Nations Children’s Fund was established in 1946 to provide humanitarian and development aid to children worldwide. So far, many of the challenges for which the agency was set up including to advocate for children’s rights and well-being and the rights of those who are mandated to advocate and work for them have been met, Dr. Suleiman Braimoh disclosed during the event.
Dr. Braimoh committed to reinforcing the organization’s ambition for children, focusing on innovative solutions to support every child within the shores of Sierra Leone, despite the ‘unprecedented challenges’ in accessing quality healthcare, education, protection services, and gainful employment amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. He said despite illnesses, deaths, despair, the hope for a better future is still very much alive for every child growing up in Sierra Leone.
On his part, the Deputy Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Buakai Bindi Hindowa said the Ministry, in collaboration with UNICEF, has been working to ensure that the legal frameworks, strategies, and the overall development of children in Sierra Leone are met, making the county a safe haven for child development.
Hindowa reported that the Government of Sierra Leone has domesticated both the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children and the African Union Charter on the Rights and Welfare of Children to ensure the welfare of children in the country.
He added that the Government has also put into force legal reforms for the protection of children in the country including the enactment of the Child Rights Bill in 2007 which he said is under amendment as the ‘Child Rights Bill, 2021’, reassuring the country’s commitment to continue creating the enabling environment for the growth and welfare of children in the country.
Climaxing the event was a panel discussion on the “Past, Present and Future of Childhood in Sierra Leone” which was an opportunity to reflect on the journey they have traveled to protect and promote children’s rights in Sierra Leone.
