Govt. & Partners Convene High-Level Panel Ahead of June 16 Celebration.

In commemoration of the upcoming Day of the African Child on June 16, Joining Forces, in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs and key development partners, hosted a high-level stakeholder panel discussion at Brookfields Hotel, Freetown, on June 13, 2025.

The event convened representatives from Plan International, Save the Children, SOS Children’s Village, World Vision, the National Commission for Children (NCC), the Children’s Parliament, and other civil society organizations. The discussions focused on advancing child's rights, with a strong emphasis on child-responsive budgeting, education, and child protection policies.

Mrs. Kadiatu Bakarr, Head of Programs at Plan International, opened the event by outlining their efforts in rural education, institutional safeguarding, and gender-responsive programming.

She emphasized the importance of funding child-centered initiatives and advocated for increased child participation, particularly for girls, in development planning.

Gabriel Junior Kallon of the Children's Forum Network (CFN) earlier on, welcomed attendees, citing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and commending development partners for their support.

Henry Sheku, Deputy Commissioner of NCC, called for sustained investment in children, emphasizing that their agency monitors the government’s free education and healthcare programs to ensure child welfare.

Morrison Bockarie, Vice President of CFN, recalled the 1976 Soweto uprising and called for resource mobilization and innovative partnerships to promote children's rights and education.

Madam Boi Jeneh Jalloh, Chairperson of the Child Rights Coalition, highlighted their collaboration with government agencies to influence legal and policy reforms, especially the Child Rights Act (CRA) and equitable budgeting for children.

Charles Vandi, Deputy Chief Director at the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, expressed gratitude to partners and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to child protection. He noted the introduction of key strategies such as the Alternative Care Policy, the Child Protection Management System (CPMS), and Gender-Based Violence Information Management (GBVIM), alongside the establishment of one-stop centers for survivors of violence.

Mr. Vandi reiterated government's strategy under the Alternative Care Policy to support children without parental care.

The forum set the tone for this year’s Day of the African Child, highlighting the need for sustained collaboration, policy innovation, and financial commitment to ensure the protection and empowerment of Africa’s future generations.

The event concluded with an interactive Q&A session where children questioned government representatives about tangible policies protecting their welfare.

Contact:

Kelvin Mark Kargbo

SLENA Correspondent

mkelson367@gmail.com  078104964