…As Children Forum Calls for Budgetary Support
By Alaskai Moore Johnson, alaskaijohnson@gmail.com (+231) 777-889-870 / (+231) 886-631-025
IPNEWS – Monrovia: The Liberia National Children’s Representative Forum (LNCRF), formerly Liberia National Children’s Parliament, is demanding an end to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Liberia.
FGM is a procedure where the female genitals are deliberately cut, injured, or changed, but there’s no medical reason for this to be done. This is widely practiced in Liberia among most of the tribal groups; it is mainly done on girls and women. However, this centuries-old practice, which is condemned by the West and other civilizations, is now being demanded to stop for good in Liberia by the LNCRF.
The Children’s Forum made the call Monday, November 22, when they, as part of the celebration of the World Children’s Day, symbolically held a parliamentary session at the Legislature on Capitol Hill in Monrovia. The boys and girls were allowed to use a meeting room of the Senate to put forth their concerns as they debated the 2011 National Children’s Law.
At least 10 committees of the Children’s Forum made reports on what they think are gaps within the 2011 Children’s Law and recommended that the law be repealed and or amended.
The committees included, Gender, Health, Labor, Internal Affairs, Education, Sports, Defense, Justice, etc. Through out the reports from the chairs of these committees, one thing that seemed to grab the children’s attention and they want “immediately” abolished is FGM. Throughout their reports, FGM seems to be among the gaps and other harmful practices that they want the Legislature to do something about in their (children’s) interest.
“According to Article 3 Section 4.1, it states that every parent should not give names to their children that humiliate them except that those names are based on culture or traditional practices. We are saying no as long the child is humiliated based on the name they bear. It violates their human rights. They may not freely associate themselves with others. Additionally, Article 3 Section 19.1 tells us that every child should have the right to participate in culture activities that are in his or her interest. We have noticed that this has created way for harmful traditional practices,” said Mr. S. Kanneh Jr., Chair on the Committee on Internal Affairs.
The Chair on the Labor Committee, Chea Isaiah Weah, for his observation, state that one key area of the 2011 Children’s Law that needs amendment is Article 7 Section 7.1: “No person shall suffer a child to torture or other cruel inhumane and degrading treatments or punishment. The Female Genital Mutilation has been defined as a form of torture by the UN’s Committee on Torture and this act continues to happen in Liberia.”
Weah said this portion of the Children Law needs to be amended and or repealed. He concluded his presentation by saying that Children’s rights are human rights and so must be respected at all times.
For the Chair on the Committee on Education, Daniel N. Goanue, among other things, he sees a gap of the Children’s Law not being taught in all schools across the country. He proposed that the 2011 Law be amended to include a provision that mandates that the Children be taught in all schools, both private and public.
“Moreover, the Children’s Law of 2011 has to be taught in every school be it private or government schools, so that the children will know their rights and responsibilities. The law serves as a guideline to the child: what you are to do and not to do, so, without the law, the children are vulnerable,” Goanue stressed.
For Cyrus K. Weah, Jr, Chair on the Justice Committee, in his amendment to the law, he called for the addition of a section he called Section 22” under Article 3, which talks about children being protected from harmful traditional practices, prostitution, pornographic among others. According to him, the law provides to punishment for violators.
Also, the Chair of the Committee on Finance and Development, Mr. Alpha Gray Weah, expressed his frustration that since 2012, the Children’s Forum, which represents the voices of all the children of Liberia, has not been placed in the national budget by the Legislature.
“Since 2012, the Liberia National Children’s Representative Forum that represents all children in Liberia have not been included in the national budget over the years,” Weah said. According to him, support to the Forum has come from the SOS Children Village and the United Nation’s Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Weah, however, said that the 2011 Children’s Law doesn’t contain any provision that strictly mandates the Government of Liberia to financially support the Forum. In his proposed amendment, a section must be included mandating the Government to provide budgetary allocation to the Forum.
“When the Liberia National Children’s Representative Forum is included in the national budget, it will enhance the institutional capacity to create more awareness about children’s rights across the country and meet the needs of vulnerable children.”
For his part, the Speaker of the Children’s Forum, Joel U. K. Gray thanked the various committee for “identifying ills in the 2011 Children’s Law.” Gray stressed that the only institution in Liberia that can amend the law is the legislature that is why they had come there to point out the ills or gaps.
“We are calling on the Government of Liberia through the 54th Legislature that there is the need the Children’s Law of Liberia be amended and there is a need that there be budget allocated for the Liberia Children’s Parliament.”
He also called for the permanent representation of the Children’s Forum at the Capitol Building; adding: “Because the rights to participation and decision making is given to us but it’s not being implemented.”
Gray called on UNICEF to “redouble” its efforts to ensure that issues affecting the children of Liberia be always highlighted, nationally.
He, notwithstanding, thanked the UN’s specialized agency for always standing with them. He also thanked the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) for also working in their interest. The Forum, in collaboration with MGCSP, with support from UNICEF and her partners, will on Tuesday, November 23, commemorate World Children’s Day.
World Children’s Day is globally celebrated on 20th of November every year, but Liberia will celebrate the day on Tuesday to commemorate the Declaration of the Rights of the Child by the UN General Assembly which was instituted on 20 November 1959.
The day is being observed under a Global Theme: ‘A Better Future for Every Child, Kids Take Over,’ while Liberia is commemorating the day under a national theme: ‘Children Taking Over, A Hope for Liberia’s Future’.
The WCD celebration is primarily led by the world’s leading Child Protection Agency — UNICEF. It is a day of action for children, on behalf of children, and led by children.
The day was primarily instituted as an entry-point of promoting, advocating and celebrating the rights and the welfare of children, giving them the opportunity to enjoy and grow into healthy and educated citizens.
The objective of the 2021 World Children’s Day celebration is to afford kids the opportunity to take over. As it is globally observed, children across the world including Liberia are afforded the to take over in high-profiled roles in prominent areas to include: the media, legislature, business community, sports and entertainment normally held by adults to shine a spotlight on issues that matter to them.
Additionally, schools, public buildings and offices of child protection agencies (local and international) in and around Liberia, and the world, will light up BLUE during the observance of the day to show support for child rights.
Activities marking the commemoration of the day begun on Friday, November 19 with the lighting of the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town by the children of Liberia. On Monday, November 22, the children were afforded the opportunity to temporarily sit in as legislators at the legislature, at which time, they held deliberations on the passage of the Children’s Right Law amongst other issues confronting their wellbeing.
The official indoor program is expected to take place at the Ministerial Complex theatre in Congo Town, beginning at 9am today.
This year the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection will use the Day to resound George M. Weah-led administration’s commitment to protecting the lives and welfare of children especially ending all forms of violence against children, and also, inspiring children in Liberia in their quest to advocate for their rights.
