Ministry of Gender and Development Partners Gear Up for Day of the African Child.

The Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, through its Children’s Directorate, today held its fourth coordination meeting with development partners in preparation for the 2025 commemoration of the Day of the African Child. The meeting, convened at the Ministry’s headquarters in Freetown, brought together leading child protection organizations and advocacy groups including YACAN, SOS Children’s Village, World Hope International, and the Community of Practice (COP), among others.

Assistant Director of the Children’s Directorate, Daniel Albert Gbow, outlined key activities for this year’s observance, calling on development partners to support with essential resources such as funding and dignity kits. “We highly need support from our donor partners,” he urged, while highlighting the planned activities including a national media engagement, a children’s conference, and a national advocacy day.

During the deliberations, partners such as the Community of Practice proposed complementary activities to align with the national celebration. Several organizations raised advocacy concerns, emphasizing the urgency of engaging Parliament to expedite the enactment of the revised Child Rights Act.

Representatives from UNICEF and other child protection agencies reaffirmed their commitment to support the Ministry’s plans. They pledged logistical and technical support to ensure the successful observance of the Day of the African Child and to advance the broader child protection agenda.

The meeting concluded with a roundtable discussion on next steps, including district-level coordination, engagement of community-based structures, and strategic communications aimed at amplifying children’s voices across the country.

Kelvin Mark Kargbo

SLENA Correspondent

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