“Social Exclusion, Youth Unemployment breeds Violence”

However, from the 10 districts covered, 661, one and one conversations were recorded and over 200 respondents disclosed that social exclusion, youth unemployment is a form of violence and also violence in the home was top on the list of violence against children and youths.
Also, during the summit, 210 conversations showed that teenage pregnancy and early marriage is another form of violence in the home, schools and the community.
On this issue, the girls were more vocal and called for an affirmative action to discourage out of court settlement and bring perpetrators to book, whether the individual is a family member or not.
In a short documentary film, some girls shared their ordeal where they were abused by family members and the issue swept under the carpet, while another explained that she was constantly raped by her step father, and when she got pregnant the step father denied, as a result she had to run away from home and left to the mercy of the streets until she gave birth.
Thankfully, the young girl was rescued by another family and she’s back in school, but has to deal with the nightmare caused by her step father. In this regard, she called on Government through the Social Welfare, Children’s and Gender Ministry to improve on counselling services within FSU’s around the country.
Also, the girls advocated that FSUs be more gender sensitive in service delivery and that the management of the Sierra Leone Police show more commitment and endeavour to improve on services at the various Family Support Units around the country.
As the summit entered its second day the children and young people made presentations and recommendations from the various findings of the research, which involved the listening and learning methodology, which also brought out positive results as respondents were more open and vocal during the interviews.
A visually impaired final year diploma student from Bo, Monica Ghaliwa appealed to Government to upgrade the Persons with Disability Commission and the Children’s Commission so that they will be more effective and efficient in service delivery to beneficiaries, especially in education and health care delivery.
She said persons with disability are vulnerable and face stigmatization, violence in the home, school and the community, and such act most times deter an individual to continue his/her education or have to change community or residence.
All the representatives from Government made commitment to the youths and assured the implementers of the Mano River Union project to end violence against children and youths; that all has been heard and the recommendations will be forwarded for further mainstreaming into youth development programmes.