Government Stepping Up Efforts to End Violence Against Children
Sierra Leone is stepping up its national response to violence against children in a conference which brought partners to consolidate priorities and evaluate progress ahead of the Second Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in the Philippines.
The Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, alongside UNICEF and WHO, convened a national preparatory consultation in Freetown.
The forum with UNICEF, WHO and other stakeholders, assessed progress since the inaugural 2024 Global Ministerial Conference in Bogotá, Colombia, while identifying critical gaps in Sierra Leone’s child protection systems.
Dr. Isata Mahoi, Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting children from violence, abuse, and exploitation and highlighted progress in legal frameworks, child protection systems, referral pathways, and community-level positive parenting initiatives.
However, she noted ongoing challenges, including harmful social norms, resource constraints, and gaps in accessing protection and justice services.
She emphasized needing reliable data and evidence-based programming to inform protective measures and accelerate responses to child exploitation, stressing that eradicating violence requires cross-sectoral collaboration.
She underscored the need for measurable outcomes and meaningful participation of children in decisions affecting their lives.
The Freetown consultation marks a milestone toward the September 2026 global summit, formalizing the nation’s pledges and strategic goals.
This initiative comes amid ongoing concerns around child abuse, exploitation, and funding shortages for social and family support services in Sierra Leone.
The Ministry emphasized that these efforts demonstrate Sierra Leone’s resolve to build safe environments where every child can thrive.
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