By Makutu Manneh
The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Welfare has successfully concluded the Second Regional Forum on Child Rights at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center in Bijilo.
The forum provided a platform to assess progress made since the 2022 High-Level Ministerial Meeting and to evaluate the implementation of recommendations from the first forum across participating countries. Delegates also identified key achievements, challenges, and lessons learned while discussing regional barriers to child protection—particularly issues relating to cross-border mobility, gender-based violence, early marriage, and the socioeconomic welfare of children.
In his keynote address, Vice President Muhammed B.S. Jallow reaffirmed The Gambia’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding and upholding the rights of children. He noted that child protection remains a national priority, firmly embedded within the country’s development framework and supported by laws designed to combat child rights violations.
Vice President Jallow noted that child protection is firmly embedded in national laws and policies. However, he lamented that millions of children around the world continue to face poverty, violence, child marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), limited access to quality education, inadequate healthcare, and the denial of their right to simply enjoy childhood.
“Therefore, this forum is not just a meeting but a call to reaffirm our political will and to harmonize our policies with our promises. Most importantly, it is a call to place the rights and well-being of children at the heart of national development,” he stressed.
In her remarks, Hon. Fatou Kinteh, Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Welfare, said the forum aimed to strengthen child rights protection and promotion across West Africa, facilitate experience sharing on cross-border child protection cooperation, and support advocacy for policy reforms that better integrate children’s rights into national and regional frameworks.
She urged stakeholders to celebrate progress while acknowledging persistent challenges, reminding participants to remain guided by the experiences and voices of the children they serve. “As policymakers and decision-makers, we share the responsibility to translate our commitments into tangible action,” Minister Kinteh stated.
UN Resident Coordinator in The Gambia, Karl Frederik Paul, also addressed the gathering, stressing that millions of children remain excluded from the benefits of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He highlighted ongoing challenges such as exploitation, violence, child labor, limited access to healthcare, and irregular migration.
“Children are not just the future, they are the present. The children and adolescents of The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, and Guinea Conakry are the heartbeat of our communities, the promises of our nations, and the most vulnerable amongst us.”