By Rohey Jadama Child Protection Alliance with funding from Save the Children International yesterday 14th September, 2015 at the Governor’s office in Brikama organised a day long sensitization workshop for Chiefs and “Alkalos” in the West Coast Region on child rights and child protection. The Deputy Governor, in deputising for the Governor of West Coast Region Madam Siffai Hydara said “inspite of the high premium we place on our children, they are sometimes subjected to abuse and exploitation, such as sexual abuse and exploitation, neglect, physical abuse and emotional or psychological abuse, which grossly violate their rights and compromise their ability to reach their maximum potentials in life.” Madam Hydara said the workshop is very important because it is about children, the future leaders of the country and the traditional leaders who are highly respectable figures in communities. She added that it is also important of the role they can play to ensure that children grow up into responsible, respected and purposeful leaders tomorrow. “You have moral authority and people look up to you for solace and advice. Your position within society and communities make you the frontline advocates for the rights of children. You can spread the word about what it takes to protect the rights of children from abuse and exploitation through your various fora you have with your people”, she said. Mrs Hydara urged the participants to disseminate the knowledge acquired from the training to their various villages and to always practice what they preach. For his part, the National Coordinator of Child Protection Alliance, Mr. Njundu Drammeh said they normally say that children are the future leaders of tomorrow but that they are also the present and are the future and the future is prepared today if we want them to be good leaders of tomorrow. The CPA National Coordinator emphasized the importance of education in the life of children. He added that if a child is educated, he or she becomes economically empowered, independent and helps his parents and the society economically. Mr Drammeh said investing in children takes the form of giving quality education, discipline and fulfillment of their rights. Other speakers included Alhagie Demba Sanyang, the Paramount Chief.]]>
