ADVERTISEMENT World Vision Sierra Leone Commissions Child Friendly Space Posted by WVSL Communications on May 20, 2008, 00:19

01- Child Friendly Space constructed and furnished by World Vision with cabinet, stationary and furniture

A team from World Vision Sierra Leone (WVSL) in partnership with the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) commissioned a Child Friendly Space in Mattru Jong on Saturday 10^th May 2008.The ceremony which was held at the community center brought together World Vision staff, the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Crime Division, other senior personnel of the SLP and community members of Mattru Jong, Bonthe District, Southern Sierra Leone. The Child Friendly Space is a building with two rooms and a sitting room which will provide a child friendly environment in addressing reported cases of child abuse.

The building will be used exclusively for child rights issues: Children who are alleged to have committed crime will have privacy during the investigation. Children who are abused sexually will also have privacy in the child friendly space to explain their ordeal.

Janette Robinson, WVSL Executive Advisor, deputised the National Director. As she addressed the gathering after handing over the keys of the newly constructed building to the SLP Local Unit Commander, Bonthe Division, she said, “As a child focused organization, World Vision thought it fit to support the construction of the Child Friendly Space in order to promote the implementation of the Child Rights Act in communities.”

Janette also addressed child protection issues that both the police and the community should be aware of. She said, “It will be good if the police are not in uniform when questioning children on child rights issues because the children will be afraid to open up and therefore not give correct information. Also, elderly men should stop abusing children and taking advantage of women.”

In his key note address, the AIG Crime Division, Francis A. Munu said, “The community should learn to help develop children into adults by allowing children to grow and stop marrying them off to big men. The community should serve as a key partner to the SLP and report any problem that might cause insecurity and injustice.”  

AIG Munu encouraged members of the community to be responsible citizens. He acknowledged the effort of World Vision in the dedication of the organization to empower communities to develop themselves.  

Superintendent Ibrahim Samura of the SLP Family Support Unit (FSU) in Mattru Jong expressed gratitude to WVSL for constructing the building. “I am very happy and grateful to World Vision for making my job easier now,” he said. “Before the construction of the Child Friendly Space, the FSU department shared a common sitting room with other departments. The room was normally crowded.”

Ibrahim cited the difficulties in addressing child related cases in the old common room and the difference the child friendly space will make. “There was no privacy when investigating child related cases, especially sexual abuse,” he said. “Victims were ashamed to say the truth because whatever they said was heard by all. As a result, some members of the community were sometimes shy to report sexual cases.”

Ibrahim expressed hope in the difference the Child Friendly Space will make: “With this new building,” he said, “there will be privacy, confidentiality and proper handling of documents. I will now do my job effectively as I now have cabinets and stationary provided by World Vision.”   

A Child Rights Act was passed in June 2007. The Act criminalises marrying a girl under the age of 18 years. It also outlaws child labour and guarantees medical care for all children. The Act provides a legislative framework for child rights in Sierra Leone.

World Vision International Sierra Leone Programme has been doing tremendous work on child rights through the Rural Child Rights Community Project (RCRCP) during the conflict in Sierra Leone and especially now in the transition to development. The RCRCP in Jong Chiefdom is supported by World Vision United Kingdom (WVUK).