The
Minister of Women’s Affairs, who also oversees the Office of the Vice
President, has disclosed that the government has developed a four-year
comprehensive policy towards the protection of children.
“The
government of The Gambia has developed a comprehensive National Child Protection
Strategy with a resource-based plan of action,” Madam Fatoumatta
Jallow-Tambajang said as she delivered her statement on the eve of the Day of
the African Child, celebrated annually on 16 June.
She
said the strategy, which covers the period 2016 – 2020, seeks to address the
protection of children in a holistic approach and it focuses on creating a
child-friendly environment.
“The
strategy is premised on the fact that everyone has the ability and must be
committed to making the world a better place for children, a place where every
child can grow into healthy, peaceful and dignified adulthood,” she said.
According
to her, most African children experience enormous challenges that affect their
full development and such challenges “must be addressed by all actors in
development”.
“Cognizant
of this, The Gambia government has adopted a four-year National Child
Protection Strategic Plan covering the period 2016-2020 and a National Social
Protection Policy which focuses on advancing the development of children through
reduction of vulnerability of children,” she said.
The
international Day of the African Child has taken place on 16 June annually,
since 1992 when it was first initiated by the defunct Organization of African
Union, now renamed African Union (AU).
On
16 June 1976 in Soweto, South Africa, about ten thousand black school children
marched in a column more than half a mile long, protesting the poor quality of
their education and demanding their right to be taught in their own language.
The
day is celebrated to raise awareness on the need for continuous improvement of
education and development to African children.
This
year’s theme for the Day of the African Child (DAC) is ‘The 2030 agenda for
sustainable development for children in Africa: accelerating protection,
empowerment and equal opportunity’.
Every
country chooses her theme to address the realities of her citizens and as a
result, The Gambia national child protection partners have chosen a local
theme: ‘The role of children in peace building’.
