By mohamedj.bah@awokonewspaper.sl
Freetown, SIERRA LEONE – Children and young people across Sierra Leone are collectively urging the government to expedite the review of the Child Rights Act No.7 of 2007. The unanimous call emerged during a national consultation organized by Defence for Children International Sierra Leone, in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs and other partners. The consultation aimed to gather the perspectives of children and young people on child justice reform to inform the revision of the Child Rights Act.
Deputy Minister of Justice, Mr. Alpha Sesay Esq., provided an overview of the government’s plan to reform the public and justice sector as part of its five-year agenda. In response to the participants’ appeal, Mr. Sesay assured that children and young people would be actively involved in the mentioned reform processes.
Today’s consultation is part of the planned activities by the government, civil society, and UN partners to review the Child Rights Act of 2007. The objective is to incorporate up-to-date and adequate legal provisions aligned with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
Key outcomes from the consultation include children and young people’s call for the government to expedite the review process, emphasizing specific provisions such as a digitized child justice system and ensuring access to information for children. They also advocated for the harmonization of the age of criminal responsibility at 14 for all offences.
Additionally, the participants proposed regular interactions between children/young people and senior government officials and justice institution heads to discuss child justice issues. They urged the inclusion of sufficient alternatives to detention and diversion options in the revised Child Rights Act to prevent unnecessary deprivation of liberty and criminal prosecution for children in conflict with the law. The children also called for increased opportunities for their participation in the access-to-justice process and broader state governance.
The government and its partners are now tasked with incorporating these concerns into the ongoing review process, aligning Sierra Leone’s child protection legislation with international standards. MJB/15/2/2024
