By Aisha Tamba
Celebrations marking the 31st anniversary of the UN convention on the rights of the child were staged at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara Conference Centre.
The universal children’s day is commemorated annually on 20th November. The goal is to improve child welfare worldwide, promote and celebrate children’s rights and promote togetherness and awareness amongst all children.
In The Gambia this year, the Child Protection Alliance, Child Fund-The Gambia in collaboration with the ministry of children and others joined to organise a grand commemoration on Friday.
Children from various schools attended the celebration with a series of activities like drama and poetry competition.
Lamin Fatty, National Coordinator Child Protection Alliance lamented the lack of comprehensive legislation on child protection.
“After all, the well-intended laws in this country on children’s act, we still have children begging in the streets and being sexually exploited. Which means those laws are not effective.”
He urged government to invest heavily in the welfare of the children.
Child Fund country director Musu Kuta Komma, said the UN Convention on the rights of the child, sets out the legal obligation of the national governments to realise children’s economic, social, political and cultural rights to the maximum extent of their available resources.
Bintou Fatty, director of children and social welfare, said the coronavirus crisis is a child rights crisis, stating that the cost of the pandemic for children, if unaddressed, may persist throughout their lives.
Representative Save the Children International, Gabriela Matei said their organisation has a strong commitment to the advancement of all children’s rights, for every child, everywhere and in every context.
