By Arret Jatta
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), commemorated World Children’s Day with a photo exhibition at the Alliance Francaise Friday.
The portraits were created by school children from LRR featuring prominent personalities including the First Lady, Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow.
World Children’s Day is Unicef’s global day of action for children, by children, marking the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is ratified by the Gambia.
The commemoration was held under the theme; “Listen to the future.”
Speaking at the event Unicef country representative, Nafisa Bin Shafiq, recognised and expressed gratitude to the children for their incredible photography skills which represents not only their successes, but also their dreams for a better future.
She added that behind each portrait “there is a voice that deserves to be heard.”
“These young photographers are showing us the future where every child has the chance to reach their full potentials, where no child misses education, faces harmful practices- gender-based violence, FGM and where every right is realised for all children,” Shafiq stated.
First Lady Fatoumatta Bah Barrow said despite the CRC’s emphasis on rights of children to education, health, protection, and participation, millions of them across the world remains voiceless in matters that affect their lives, to which the Gambia is no exception.
Abdoulie Sallah, a student from LRR who was crowned best photographer, thanked his teachers for their support and Unicef for giving him the opportunity to be part of the initiative.
