UNICEF
The Gambia and partners on 23rd November celebrated the 30th
anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC@30). More than
100 children from across The Gambia, government representatives, diplomatic
corps, civil society organizations, private sector, UNICEF staff and their
families attended a children’s fun fair in Kanifing to celebrate CRC@30.
The
Convention on the Rights of the Child is an international human rights treaty
that guarantees the protection of the rights and welfare of all children in
every part of the world. It was adopted by the UN General Assembly on November
20, 1989. The Gambia ratified it in August 1990 and subsequently enacted the
Children’s Act in 2005.
To
celebrate the historic event, children in The Gambia, through the support and
coordination of UNICEF and the Government of The Gambia, have been taking part
in a series of activities to raise awareness on the fundamental principles of
the CRC and to encourage all stakeholders to do more to support child rights.
The fun
fair in Kanifing also featured the finals of the national inter-school art and
literary competition organized by UNICEF and Ministry of Basic and Secondary
Education (MoBSE). Several schools in all seven regions took part in the
regional preliminaries and the regional winners made it to the national finals.
Schools submitted sculptures, paintings and essays on child rights.
After
careful evaluation of the submissions of all the finalists, a panel of judges
named Brikama Upper and Senior Secondary School in the West Coast Region
national champions with a prize of US$15,000. All other finalists won prizes
ranging from US$10,000 to US$3000. The funds are meant to support the winners
implement their ideas in their schools or communities.
Meanwhile, earlier in the
week, UNICEF and the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare convened a
joint press briefing at the UN House to mark CRC@30. At the briefing, UNICEF
Gambia Representative Sandra Lattouf called for the protection and fulfillment
of the right of every child without bias and discrimination. The deputy
executive director of Women’s Bureau Kajali Sonko, who represented the Minister
of Women, Children and Social Welfare assured children of government’s strong
commitment to the protection and fulfillment of the rights and welfare of all
children. #CRC30
