By Ismaila Sonko
In collaboration with the National Youth council, National Assembly of the Gambia, Child Fund the Gambia and UNICEF Gambia office the Children National Assembly of the Gambia was launched on Saturday at the National Assembly Chamber in Banjul.
The assembly is a non-statutory platform for children and adolescence, and a safe space for Children to meet and discuss issues affecting them.
Dr. Shahid Mahbub Awan, of UNICEF country office said the Children National Assembly is intended to create opportunities for children to engage and stimulate expected to participate in national and regional child protection committee to enhance the protection of children at all levels.
“They will share experiences, challenges with their National Parliament for action and also this year, marks the 30th anniversary of the convention of the rights of the child (CRC),” he added.
He also said the launching of the Children’s National Assembly in the Gambia will provide platform for engaging, discussion and debate on critical issues affecting Children living in the Gambia.
Dr. Shahid Mahbub Awan, pointed out the Children’s Parliament will be an important network that will facilitate contacts and discussions throughout all regions, while children will have a voice to discuss critical issues affecting their lives and members of the Parliament will engage their constituents at regional and national level to offer a fresh and insightful perspective on issues affecting them.
“In the Gambia, Children account for more than 46 percent of the population, leaving them out of the development process will pose challenges that will impact on future generations. Children are the foundation of every society and should be given the opportunity to contribute to national development processes particularly matters affecting their lives,” he pointed out.
According to him, in the Gambia Children in the past have participated in advocacy and campaign towards harmonizing national legislations with International human right instruments related to Children, the Children’s Act, 2005 during this process Children engage lawmakers, politicians and decision makers to understand how the discrepancies in Gambia’s laws negativity impacted the rights as Children.
“I encourage you to participate, engage and discuss matters affecting you with the right people both in government and among none state actors, you are expected to be Children of value, respect, and discipline with high ethics who can interact with adults, policymakers and other stakeholders,” he advised.
Musu Kuta Komma, Child Fund Country director said that the children national assembly is well primed to help and protect Children from dangers in two ways.
She added that first, they can support Children facing dangers of listening by empowering them with sufficient knowledge about dangers and the ways and means to protect themselves from such dangers.
She also said secondly, together with the community Child protection committee (comprised of the child participation), children’s Parliaments will ensure that no child in the communities finds himself or herself in such precarious situation can risk situations while arrangement can also create with the relevant stakeholders to give them the needed protection.
She noted in order to acquire the qualities of self-confidence and leadership, one need to interact with the larger society an additional fund of general knowledge would go a long way in forming oneself into self-confidence and inspiring leader.
“Unfortunately, our children of today lack adequate forums for developing personal qualities, this August Assembly of Gambian Children will serve as a forum to acquire self-development in which they will be able to table problems and issues when they gather together, in doing so they get their notions clarified,” she noted.