By Rohey Jadama The Child Protection Alliance (CPA) has commenced a two day sensitization workshop for its staff and member organisations on the dissemination of the United Nation Convention on the Right of the Child (UNCRC) and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report recommendations on the Gambia’s Human Rights Report 2014. The event was held at the National Nutrition conference hall along the Bertil Harding Highway on Monday 8th June, 2015. The aim of the workshop, according to the orgnisers, is to sensitise policy makers, non-state actors and the general population on the content of the concluding observations of the UNCRC and the recommendations in the UPR. Officially opening the training, Mr. Ousman Yabo, the Executive Director of The Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (TANGO), said the CRC and the UPR are significant reports of the UN Human Rights council. He said it includes the sharing of the best practices, thus improving human rights record of every country. The TANGO Executive Director said children as citizens have the responsibility to denounce violence against children and expose those perpetrators of such crimes. He said the two days will expose the participants to more information and for them to learn and share with others who are not opportune to attend the sensitization. Mr. Yabo urged CPA to continue sensitising more people on UNCRC and UPR recommendations. Speaking earlier, Mr. Sheikh Lewis, the CPA Board Chairperson, underscored the important role CPA plays in child protection in the Gambia. He said it is not easy to transfer knowledge but to share information is very crucial. The CPA board chairperson added that 3 delegates went to the UNCRC consultation and that they spoke about child protection in the Gambia. He added that the board deemed it prudent to work collectively with member organisations by sensitizing them on the recommendations. Mr. Lewis urged the participants to participate fully during the two days deliberations.]]>
