Women Rights Group Calls on Gov’t to Put Measures, Regulate Children Selling In Streets
The Civil Society Gender Platform on Transitional Justice (CSO-Gender- Platform) has called on government to put in measures on how to regulate for children selling in the streets and under 18 to protect them.
The group also encourages more dialogue on child labor and government to regulate movements of child and introduce a curfew/time for children selling in the streets or begging.
This was disclosed on Wednesday, 11th December 2019 in a press conference held at the Justice Truth Dignity office (ICTJ) in Kololi, supported by United Nations Development Plan (UNDP) in the Gambia.
The group is a civil society advocacy group of women rights organisation and individuals that was established to provide high-level strategic support during the establishment of the transitional justice process in the Gambia to advocate for gender justice. It recognizes that progressive national and international instruments can help in empowering, protecting, and promoting women’s rights.
Tabu Njie Sarr, Head Gender Platform highlighted the recommendations emanating from the Women and Youth Forum on the commemoration of 16 days campaign of activities on violence against women and girls.
She noted that government to regulate children selling in streets will help in protecting children against ill vices that are meted to children such as being recruited in violence extremism, rape and kidnapping.
“Enhance full prosecution of cases on sexual and Gender Based Violence”, she said, adding institute child protection community structures to empower communities to deal with harmful traditional practice meted to women and children.
She further states that government should utilize youth centers with more information and make it more youth friendly, as well as enhance security especially in lonely areas and enforce the sexual offenses act rape is rape.
“Encourage HeforShe campaign”, she noted, went on, sexual and Gender based violence should be included in the curriculum and parents must encourage dialogue with their children on sexual and gender based violence among others.
Yadicon Njie Eribo, Women’s Affairs Unit Coordinator TRRC said: “let us try not to victimize those who reported rape cases or any form of gender violence”.
She highlighted the difference forms of gender based violence such as rape, child marriage, FGM, among other.
“Rape is very serious”, she reiterated. She added “we should report rape perpetrators as well as report cases to the police in order to mitigate sexual violence in the Gambia”.
She urges parents to make their children as friends and for them to stay away secrets between them and their children for the betterment of their lives.
Didier Gbery, Head of Programs International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) also reiterated on the same issues on gender based violence and their mitigations as previous speakers.
By Awa Mboow.