Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. The Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs (MoGCA) convened a high-level validation meeting with partners to review the Alternative Care Policy.
In her welcome address, Director Mrs. Joyce B. Kamara expressed appreciation to all participants for their unwavering commitment to advancing children’s welfare across Sierra Leone.
She provided a brief overview of the report and reaffirmed the Ministry’s dedication to promoting and safeguarding the rights and concerns of children nationwide.
The meeting was chaired by former Chief Director Joseph Sunday Sinnah, who underscored the importance and relevance of the Alternative Care Policy in ensuring the best interests of every child. While reflecting on the background of the report, he highlighted key policy principles, including non-discrimination, child participation, and family cohesiveness, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a child’s connection to biological parents whenever possible.
“Foster care, institutional care, and street children remain the primary focus of the policy,” he stated.
Mr. Sinnah further elaborated on additional provisions within the policy aimed at enhancing family strengthening, addressing protection concerns, and reducing the prevalence of street-connected children.
The meeting concluded with a unified call for strengthened collaboration between MoGCA and its partners to promote child-centred development initiatives, improve legal frameworks addressing children’s issues, and establish a resilient system through which all children can thrive.
The session brought together senior officials of the Ministry, including the Director of Children’s Affairs, Mrs. Joyce B. Kamara, Deputy Director Daniel Albert Gbow, Assistant Directors Bashiru Thullah and Laura Koroma, alongside a wide range of partners to engage in the final review and discussion of the policy.
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