By Saio Marrah
Save the Children International-Sierra Leone and partners have expressed concerns over what they described as child exploitation and abuse by politicians who involve children in their political activities in the ongoing 2023 elections campaign in the country.
Save the Children, Children’s Forum Network and the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), expressed these concerns at a press conference held at the Save the Children’s office in Freetown on 15th June 2023.
The group of activists urged all political parties to immediately desist from using children in political campaigns to convey political messages.
After highlighting the various international conventions to which Sierra Leone is a signatory that provides for the protection of children, a press statement read out during the conference by Ramatu Jalloh, Advocacy and Communication Director of Save the Children noted that exploitation for political purposes does not only violate the fundamental rights of children but also jeopardizes their well-being and future prospects.
According to them, “Children should never be used as pawns or instruments in political campaigns or activities. Such actions undermine their rights, and expose them to potential harm, manipulation, and psychological distress,” the statement reads in part.
The group also expressed disappointment over the recent tensions created in the western area which affected usual activities in most parts of the capital Freetown.
“It has come to our attention that the majority of over 220,000 pupils taking the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), primary and secondary school children were either too scared to attend their exams or did not go to school on Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th June 2023,” the group stated.
The press statement also indicated that the disruption did not only affect children’s academic progress but also compromised their safety and mental well-being.
After calling on political parties to uphold the principle enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, they also urged them to raise awareness within their respective party structures and among supporters, about the importance of safeguarding children’s rights at all times.
They also encouraged the public to report child exploitation to the appropriate authorities.
The National Chairperson of Child Rights Coalition, Boi Jeneh Jalloh, at the press conference, called on journalists to hold political parties to account for the exploitation of children in the electioneering processes.
She also called on parents to ensure that they monitor their children not to be involved in political activities.
The President of SLAJ, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla also called on journalists to ask politicians what mechanisms they had put in place to safeguard the rights of children. He also called on them to be neutral in reporting issues.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (16/06/23)
