Mahoi Leads UN Child Protection Envoy on Courtesy Visit to Speaker Thomas
Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Dr Isata Mahoi, has led the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children, Dr Najat Maalla M’jid, on a courtesy visit to the Speaker of Parliament, Segepoh Solomon Thomas, where discussions centred on strengthening child protection in Sierra Leone.
Dr Mahoi said the visit was intended to formally introduce Dr M’jid to the Speaker and provide her with an opportunity to understand the country’s child protection mechanisms and progress made so far.
Dr M’jid said she was exploring ways to strengthen collaboration in protecting children. She noted that Sierra Leone is among 55 countries in the Global Fact-Finding Alliance on Violence Against Children and commended the country for its legislative reforms.
She particularly praised the Sixth Parliament for passing the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, describing it as a landmark piece of legislation that has positioned Sierra Leone as a leader in child protection within the sub-region and beyond.
However, she stressed that legislation alone was not enough to address violence against children, calling for effective enforcement, public awareness, community engagement and support for survivors.
She noted that children face different forms of abuse, including physical, sexual, emotional and online violence, and urged Parliament to maintain its oversight and legislative responsibilities.
Responding, Speaker Thomas welcomed the delegation and expressed concern about the continued cyberbullying of children. He recalled that Parliament had passed the Cyber Security and Crime Act to protect children against cyberbullying and other forms of online abuse.
The Speaker said he was surprised by Dr Mahoi’s account that children continued to experience cyberbullying despite the existence of the law. He assured the delegation that Parliament would continue to enact progressive legislation and work towards ensuring that existing laws were fully implemented.
Dr Mahoi thanked the Speaker for his support and reaffirmed her Ministry’s commitment to working with Parliament, the United Nations and other partners to strengthen child protection systems in Sierra Leone.
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