The
Child Protection Alliance (CPA), in partnership with Save the Children
International on Saturday, held a consultative meeting with children and
child-led groups on law review relating to the prohibition of Physical and
Humiliating Punishment of Children (PHP) also known as Corporal Punishment.
The
seminar, which took place at the CIAM hall in Kanifing funded by Save the
Children International, was aimed at informing participants on the various
forms and effects of child punishments and a review of the legal instruments
both at national and international level geared towards its prohibition.
Speaking
at the seminar, the youth coordinator of Child Protection Alliance, Lamin .K.
Saidy, said the seminar was a demonstration of the Gambia’s stance to also join
the rest of the world in adding their voice towards the prohibition of Physical
and Humiliating Punishment of Children (PHP).
‘’We
also join the rest of the world in adding our voice as an institution on the
issue of corporal punishment,” he said, noting that the discussion would also
be used to have a review of the laws related to PHP.
They
also intend to have a review on the laws related to PHP and see how best they
could task the state to ensure there are measures that would prohibit such
practices, he said.
Mr
Saidy noted that there are various forms of violence and punishments against
children across different settings which have adverse effects that need to be
outlawed.
He
said The Gambia was one country that has not legally prohibited physical and
humiliating punishment in any of the settings, hence the need for the gathering
to see how best they could map out a way forward.
Lamin
Fatty, Program Officer at Child Protection Alliance, said The Gambia as a
signatory to the United Nations on the Convention of the Rights of the Child
(UNCRC) and other legal instruments has a mandate to ensure that they create an
environment totally free from any form of violence, abuse or corporal
punishments against children.
‘’The
one day consultative meeting aims to bring young people to reflect on the need
for the prohibition of corporal punishment, review and compare our laws with
other legal instruments to protect the welfare of children in the country,’’ Mr
Fatty said.
Mariama
Touray and Dawda D. Sylva, youth activists and participants, said the seminar
would enable them to draw an action plan to make sure that Physical and
Humiliating Punishment of Children (PHP) also known as Corporal Punishment is
banned in The Gambia.
Junkung
Jobarteh, a seasoned lawyer and former chairperson of the Children’s Court, was
the guest speaker, who took them through on the laws related to corporal
punishment.
The
Child Protection Alliance (CPA), formed on 26 April 2001, is the first
inter-agency institution in The Gambia whose focus is solely on child rights
promotion and protection.
