The ambassadors recently visited the UNICEF office at the UN House, where they engaged Ms. Shafique and her team on some of the key challenges confronting children across The Gambia.
The engagement provided the university students, who are actively promoting child rights on campuses and within their communities, an opportunity to highlight concerns affecting children’s safety, inclusion, wellbeing and development.
Discussions centred on the need for stronger and sustained child rights advocacy, particularly efforts aimed at ensuring that children are protected from circumstances that threaten their welfare and are given meaningful opportunities to participate in decisions that directly affect their lives.
The engagement also underscored the importance of creating platforms where young people can contribute to conversations on child protection and influence initiatives designed to improve the lives of children.
The UTG child rights ambassadors have been advancing awareness of child rights among their peers and in surrounding communities, seeking to encourage greater understanding of children’s rights and responsibilities while promoting their protection and welfare.
During the meeting, emphasis was also placed on the need for stakeholders, including young people, civil society organisations, government institutions and development partners, to work together in addressing challenges affecting children.
The ambassadors reiterated their commitment to supporting UNICEF’s mandate and contributing to efforts to advance child protection and welfare in The Gambia.
Their engagement with UNICEF comes at a time when child rights advocates continue to call for stronger mechanisms to protect children and ensure that their concerns are reflected in policies, programmes and decisions affecting them.
The meeting therefore served not only as a platform for dialogue but also as an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between UNICEF and young child rights advocates at the University of The Gambia.
Through their advocacy work, the ambassadors are expected to continue raising awareness about child rights and encouraging their peers and communities to play an active role in creating safer and more inclusive environments for children.
The engagement reaffirmed the importance of placing children at the centre of discussions concerning their protection, development and future, while ensuring that their voices are heard and taken seriously.
