UN Convention On The Rights Of The Child (UNCRC)

United Nations General Assembly, and State parties celebrated the 30th Anniversary

By Sylvester Samba

Sierra Leone makes remarkable progress on children issues.

Defense for Children International Sierra Leone has commended the efforts of the Government in their strives towards achieving universal access to education by introducing the Free Quality Education Program, the Free Health Care program and recent legal reforms to improve access to justice for children particularly victims of sexual violence in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Sixteen. As the World celebrates the 30th anniversary of the UNCRC, Defense for Children International has called on the Government of Sierra Leone to invest in a program that keeps children away from the justice system.

The 20th November 2019, the United Nations General Assembly and State parties celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in November 1989. Symbolically, 2019 marks the 40th Anniversary of the Defense for Children International Global Movement and the 20th Anniversary of Defense for Children International Sierra Leone.

“In the last three decades, there has been a remarkable improvement in the child rights situation, particularly in the areas of access to education, health care, birth registration, child participation, and policy reforms. The report of the recent UN Global Studies on Children Deprived of their Liberty has also revealed significant reduction of the number of children detained in the criminal justice system from One Million to least Four Hundred and Ten Thousand children every year due to the use of alternative practices such as diversion of cases from the criminal justice systems.”

— Defense for Children International (DCI)

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Mr. Abdul Manaff Kemokai, Executive Director, Defense for Children International, Sierra Leone

DCI is concerned, many children include pregnant girls, children with disabilities, children begging in the street, and other vulnerable groups exclude from the achievements outlined. According to them, the government must implement its commitment towards the SDGs, emphasize that no one should be left behind. Defense for Children International (DCI) coordinated NGO input into the drafting of the UNCRC, and since its adoption in 1989, DCI has fostered ratification, domestication, and implementation of the UNCRC through its national sections in over 40 countries across the globe including in Sierra Leone.

DCI called on the Government of Sierra Leone to make the Free Quality School Education program to benefit every child by adequately providing for all including the excluded vulnerable groups. The government must also introduce community-based programs, educational programs, games, and sports, that can positively engage the minds of children, and youths throughout Sierra Leone.

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