A delegation from Liberia’s Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, comprising of the leadership of Liberia Children Representative Forum, led by Deputy Minister for Children and Social Protection, Garmai Tokpah, has concluded a successful South-South Exchange visit to Freetown, Sierra Leone. The visit, from September 3-7, 2024, was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs (MGCA) of Sierra Leone, with support from UNICEF.
The initiative was part of commitments made during the celebration of the Day of the African Child to strengthen child rights advocacy in both countries, and aimed to provide a platform for children from Liberia and Sierra Leone to engage in meaningful dialogue, share experiences, and learn from each other.
Furthermore, a significant outcome of the visit was the resolution between the Liberia National Children Representative Forum and the Children Forum Network of Sierra Leone to form the Africa Children Alliance (AFRICA), a coalition envisioned to include Mano River Union countries and potentially expand to ECOWAS and the African Union.
During their stay in Freetown, the 18-member Liberian delegation, which included two representatives from the disabled children’s community, held a series of experience-sharing meetings with key stakeholders.
These meetings included sessions with the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs of Sierra Leone, the Liberian Embassy, UNICEF, Save the Children, Plan International, the National Commission of Children, and the Coalition of Child Rights Organizations.
Also, a courtesy visit was paid to the office of the Deputy Minister of Children at the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs of Sierra Leone, where both countries discussed best practices and strategies for advancing child rights advocacy and gender equality.
Furthermore, the delegation also facilitated meetings between the Liberia National Children Representative Forum and the National Executive Committee of the Sierra Leone Children Forum Network, allowing young leaders from both nations to share their experiences and discuss collaborative approaches to addressing the challenges faced by children in their respective countries.
One of the key topics discussed was the need for a stronger partnership between Liberia and Sierra Leone in child rights advocacy, particularly in areas such as combating child labor, promoting access to education, and addressing gender-based violence against children. Both countries recognized the importance of involving children in these discussions to ensure that their voices are heard and their rights are protected.
Deputy Minister Tokpah expressed optimism about the outcomes, stating, “This exchange visit has provided us with invaluable insights and practical solutions to enhance our efforts in promoting child rights; we have learned a great deal from Sierra Leone’s approaches and look forward to implementing some of these strategies in Liberia.”
The visit underscored the importance of regional cooperation and knowledge exchange in advancing shared goals of child rights advocacy and social protection, it also highlighted the vital role that partnerships with organizations like UNICEF, Save the Children, and Plan International play in supporting these efforts.
