MoGCA Concludes Northern Validation Workshop on Child Safeguarding Policy in Makeni

For many children across Sierra Leone, safety is often taken for granted until it is threatened. From cases of abuse and neglect to harmful traditional practices and growing online risks, child protection remains one of the country’s most pressing social concerns.

Against this backdrop, government officials, child protection advocates, and community stakeholders have gathered in Makeni to strengthen a policy aimed at safeguarding the lives and futures of children.

The Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs (MoGCA) has concluded a Northern Regional Validation Workshop on the Child Safeguarding Policy, bringing together key stakeholders from Bombali District and across the Northern Region to review and improve measures designed to protect children from violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

The workshop, held in Makeni, attracted participants from MoGCA, the Ministry of Social Welfare, District Child Protection Officers, Child-Friendly Networks, civil society organizations, and child protection advocates.

Welcoming participants, the Assistant Director of MoGCA in Bombali District, Gassimu Sesay, stressed the importance of the validation process and urged stakeholders to contribute their experiences to strengthen the policy framework.

“This exercise is important because it allows us to collectively shape a framework that responds to the realities facing children in our communities,” he said.

During the sessions, Assistant Director at the Ministry’s headquarters, Bashiru Thullah Esq., presented the background and objectives of the Child Safeguarding Policy, describing it as a key instrument for preventing violence, abuse, and exploitation against children.

“Every institution should have a safeguarding policy,” he stated. “This policy provides a framework for ensuring the safety, welfare, and protection of children in all settings.”

He explained that the policy recognizes the rights of every child under the age of 18 and aims to promote equality by preventing discrimination while ensuring access to education, social services, and welfare support.

Thullah also highlighted the various forms of abuse affecting children, including physical violence, sexual abuse, emotional harm, and neglect, noting that effective child protection requires a coordinated response from multiple actors.

“Protecting children is not the responsibility of one institution alone,” he said. “It requires a coordinated and collective response from government institutions, law enforcement, healthcare providers, families, schools, and communities.”

Participants further discussed emerging threats such as online exploitation and cyber-related abuse, calling for stronger digital protection measures to be incorporated into the policy framework. Other recommendations included improved referral systems, enhanced psychosocial support services, expanded awareness campaigns, and stronger institutional care for vulnerable children.

The workshop also reaffirmed the need for continued efforts to address harmful traditional practices affecting children, including female genital mutilation (FGM), which remains a concern in some communities despite ongoing advocacy and legal reforms.

Closing the workshop, Director of Strategic Planning and Policy at MoGCA, Ibrahim Kamara, commended participants for their contributions and commitment to child welfare.

He described the Child Safeguarding Policy as a timely framework that will help strengthen national child protection systems and ensure children grow up in safe and supportive environments.

“The success of this policy will depend on continued collaboration among government institutions, communities, development partners, and civil society organizations,” he said.

As the discussions concluded in Makeni, stakeholders reaffirmed a shared commitment to strengthening child protection systems, with the broader goal of ensuring a safer and more secure future for children across Sierra Leone.