Sierra Leone News: UNICEF, NCCED Engage Children Ahead of CRC at 30
By Emmanuel Okyne
The United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the National Council for Civic Education and Development (NCCED) on Friday July 5, 2019, engaged students from secondary and primary schools across Freetown ahead of the 30th anniversary of the convention on the Rights of the Child with the theme “The Sierra Leone We want”.
The drawings and paintings of students depicting the Sierra Leone they want were done in the conference room of UNICEF Country Office in Freetown.
Chairman of the National Council for Civic Education and Development, Kalilu Totangi said, as part of activities to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, they are having series of arts creation sessions with children across the country.
He said the children would work with professional artists to create art pieces with the theme: “The Sierra Leone We Want”, to depict children’s aspirations for good health, quality education, and protection and clean environments.
The chairperson said the artworks will be exhibited during the main event in November.
The Country Rep of UNICEF, Dr Hamid El- Bashir Ibrahim said that on November 20, 2019 ( World Children’s Day ) will mark 30 years since the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was globally adopted.
He noted that the instruments contained in the CRC are some critical rights for children which support their survival, growth, development and participation with zero obstruction in actualizing each one of them for equal existence of every child.
The country rep said in the 1990, the government of Sierra Leone signed the CRC and later ratified the treaty in 1991, adding that this was a show of the country’s pledge to improve children lives and further establish the consent to be bound by the treaty.
Dr. Ibrahim said the government together with partners has shown commitment to the CRC by adopting concrete and measurable policies, laws and action to support the survival of every child, their development, their protection and participation in decision concerning their lives.
He said that this is an opportunity to meet the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals since promoting children’s rights has an add-on effect on the country’s economic and social progress.
Samuel Kargbo, a student of the Albert Academy, said his painting depicts a community where children are exposed to all sorts of alcohol abuse, and urges the government to protect children against harmful drugs in communities.
