By Rohey Jadama
Child Protection Alliance (CPA) on 25 and 26 July, 2016 organised a two-day training on CRC Concluding observations held at KMC and Brikama Area Council grounds respectively.
The training targeted opinion leaders such as religious, traditional, community interest groups and ward councillors in KMC and Brikama.
Lamin K.Saidy, the Youth Coordinator of CPA expressed delight with the turnout of the participants even though it is raining heavily which shows that the participants have keen interest at what CPA is doing in terms of promoting and protecting the rights of children as well as contributing to their growth. He said CPA has been working in the KMC area in places such as Kololi and Ebo Town.
He said they (at CPA) know that they will not achieve what they want if they don’t work with communities. He said in protecting children there are certain measures that you need to take and when that is left out you will not be able to achieve what you want. He said among them is to have a law that protects children, structures in place to protect children, as well as educate and empower communities.
He added that the Gambia Government has signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and that there are rules attached to those laws that need to be fulfilled by the Government. He said the Government send their report on the status of children and what they do to promote and protect their rights and the NGO’s too send theirs showing what the Government is doing and recommendations on things that have to be done as well.
He said the relevant authority also writes to Government and as well send recommendations that need to be implemented. He said the training will be centered on those recommendations and what the councillors can do to help realise those recommendations.
Momodou Jaiteh Deputy Mayor KMC said they have been working with CPA for quite a long time now and thanked them for having the training with them. He said CPA has taken councillors all the way to Bwiam and trained them.
He added that the growth of The Gambia is in the hands of children so if they are well brought up the future of the country will be bright.
Jaja Cham KMC Admin said children are the future so if they have good children and they take care of them, they are helping themselves as well as the children. He said a child may not know what will benefit him or her but the parents should be able to help the child and know him or her better. He said most of the time there are people who will live with their children and they do not know them and what they need.
He added that a child needs to be educated and taken care of. He said both men and women are all responsible for the upbringing of children in the right way but the woman’s responsibility is far greater than that of a man. He said KMC is very committed to the promotion and protection of the rights of children and anything that has to do with the growth of children. He said they will also continue to work with people who are trying to make sure that the children have a brighter future.
