THE MINISTRY OF GENDER AND CHILDREN'S AFFAIRS, MOROCCAN DELEGATION, CHILD RIGHT.

COALITION, AND CHILD-LED ORGANIZATIONS GEARED UP AT THE PLAN INTERNATIONAL HALL TO DISCUSS PATHWAYS AND COLLABORATION TOWARDS ADDRESSING CHILD WELFARE CONCERNS.

FREETOWN Today - 9th June 2025 at the Plan International conference hall, the Ministry Of Gender and Children's Affairs led by the deputy chief director Charles Vandi, director of Children's Affairs Mrs Joyce B. Kamara, Deputy director Daniel Albert Gbow, Assistant Director Laura Kororma, CFN president Philipa Cride-Dole, representatives from the child right coalition Mrs. Boi Jonah Jalloh, Elizabeth Mamusu Sleveng advocacy manager from World Vision,

Moroccan delegates - Hamza Chbihi counsular at the embassy of Morocco, professor Ghizlane Banjellovn, professor of child psychiatry and vice president of ONDE, Mrs. Sonkaina Kacir, executive in charge of the children's parliament at ONDE.

In the opening session of the meeting, Peter Kororma,head of programs at Plan International welcomed the Moroccan delegation and other officials present to discuss pathways and insights toward addressing child protection issues. He spoke about the importance of the meeting and the timely visit of the Moroccan delegates who have come to collaborate with the Ministry and other agencies charged to champion child protection welfare. " This is a fruitful discussion on suggestive recommendations on how to tackle children's Affairs" he spoke.

Led by the Moroccan delegation, professor Ghizlane Banjellovn highlighted the importance of their visit in Sierra Leone and thanked the government for their reception and accommodation. She spoke about their continued experience on Children's rights, the ongoing discussion on the importance of having a child parliament in Sierra Leone, and strategies implemented in Morocco to tackle children's Affairs such as on mental health, education, and other issues affecting children. "We are here to discuss the strides and achievable measures to address these challenges" she stressed.

Mrs. Soukaina Kacir executive in charge of Children's parliament at ONDE rolled out the NATIONAL OBSERVATION ON THE RIGHT OF THE CHILD. She said that this is a national framework developed to tackle children's Affairs through the child parliament in Morocco. In her remarks, she said that Morocco has made significant progress to integrate action plans principal to protect children in Morocco. Kacir highlighted some important achievement develop to tackle these challenges such as; access to healthcare facilities, education, and other pipeline strategies to strengthen child right protection. In her presentation, she said that Morocco is the first country to ratify the UN convention on the right of the Child in 1993. "Protection, participation, and provision are the key elements in our national framework " she emphasized. She also spoke about the children parliament in Morocco as a legal framework developed to empower children to express their concerns on issues affecting them, a child-led advocacy on topics discussed such as education, health, environmental protection, and digital safety. Kacir highlighted the importance of the kids parliament in Morocco which is also composed of 395 Children in total to share their views on these challenges. She ended by sharing the significant landmark achievement made in the establishment of the kids parliament such as empowering a generation of child leaders, institutionalizing child participation, and building a nation where every child can thrive.

Laura Kororma assistant director from the children's Directorate at the Ministry Of Gender and Children's Affairs similarly touched on the legal frameworks implemented to address these challenges that surround children in Sierra Leone. She spoke about principles that help guide the child such as; The domestic violence act of 2007, The prohibition of the Child Marriage Act of 2024, The Alternative Care Policy review of 2014, and other policies design to tackle children's Affairs. She spoke about the collaboration with the FSU and NCC, and protection officers in championing child protection welfare in Sierra Leone. "Child protection partners such as the UN agencies are supporting as we also work closely with local council at district levels" she reaffirmed. Laura also shared strategies implemented to enforce these policies in the country such as holding national coordination meeting, the establishment of one stop centers at district areas, an establishment of a secretariat for the reduction of adolescent child marriage, and other proposed programs initiated to address these challenges. Kororma ended her presentation by reinterating the Ministry's commitments in collaboration with development partners to engage children in capacity building, South-South cooperation and exchange learning visits for child protection partners and children, provision of logistics and sufficient tools to strengthen child protection concerns. "These are our proposed programs initiated to address these issues" she emphasized.

Elizabeth Mamusu Sleveng advocacy manager from World Vision presented the Joining Forces For all children framework as a roadmap for addressing child protection concerns. She spoke about the focus and significant milestone achievements made to tackle children's Affairs by world vision such as focusing on ending all forms of violence against children, prevention from FGM initiations, advocacy for budgeting allocation for children. She encouraged child protection agencies and government to enhance the implementation of policies streamlined to champion children's Affairs, and, encouraged parliament to enact the CRA bill.

The chairperson for Child Right Coalition Boi Jonah Jalloh emphasized the need for initiative programs to discuss pathways toward addressing child protection issues. She said that the coalition is an advocacy-led platform serving as advisors in the executive body, also established to champion children's Affairs. "We are lobbying for the passing of the CRA bill in parliament" she spoke. Mrs. Jalloh the institution is collaborating with the ministry of gender and children's Affairs and other child supporting partners to tackle these challenges of children, and also liaising with district councils so that organizations can carry out similar participation to tackle children's issues.

The meeting ended up with a Q&A session where participants from both the Moroccan delegation and government officials asked questions about future plans and strategies to mitigate childrens challenges, initiatives develop to set the pace for a long-lasting partnership between Morocco and Sierra Leone making a milestone achievement for the two countries.

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