The government of Serra Leone officially welcomed delegates to a high-level joint committee sitting of the ECOWAS Parliament in Freetown, focusing on safeguarding children in street situations and tackling child exploitation across the region. The event brought together honourable members, policymakers, and stakeholders to deliberate on practical parliamentary approaches to addressing the growing vulnerabilities faced by children living on the streets.
In delivering a goodwill message at the opening ceremony, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Social Welfare, Mrs Melrose Kaminty, described the gathering as a significant step towards strengthening regional collaboration on child protection. She also emphasized that the theme of the sitting aligns closely with Sierra Leone’s national priorities, noting that children in street situations remain among the most at-risk groups, often exposed to violence, exploitation, and deprivation.
She highlighted ongoing national reforms, including the adoption of the Revised Child Rights Act (2025), which aims to align the country’s legal frameworks with international and African standards.
Minister Melrose further pointed to strengthen institutional coordination, expand social welfare services, and the development of data-driven policies as key measures been implemented to improve child protection outcomes.
She also outlined broader interventions led by the Ministry of Social Welfare, including the establishment of rehabilitation centres for vulnerable children affected by drug and substance abuse, as well as the creation of new directorates focused on family welfare and mental health support. While acknowledging progress, she stressed that child exploitation is a cross-border challenge requiring unified action among ECOWAS member states, as she urged delegates to use the sitting to reinforce legislative cooperation, strengthen oversight, and ensure that the rights and dignity of every child remain central to regional development efforts.
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐢𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 13th April 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
