AYV News, April 9, 2026
The ECOWAS Joint Committees on Social Affairs, Gender, Women’s Empowerment and Persons with Disabilities; Legal Affairs and Human Rights; Trade, Customs and Free Movement; and Political Affairs, Peace, Security and the African Peer Review Mechanism, on Wednesday, April 8th, 2026, held a consultative meeting on child-related issues in Sierra Leone.
The meeting took place at the Foreign Affairs Academy Hall in Freetown on the theme: “Parliamentary Approaches to Safeguarding Children in Street Situations and Addressing Child Exploitation in the ECOWAS Region.”
In her welcoming address, the Head of Sierra Leone’s Delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Veronica Kadie Sesay, and expressed appreciation for hosting the Joint Committee’s sessions in Freetown. She emphasized the importance of protecting children across the sub-region and ensuring their social and economic rights are upheld. She also called for effective parliamentary oversight and highlighted several child protection laws that have been enacted by the Parliament of Sierra Leone.
Delivering a goodwill message, the Minister of Social Welfare, Melrose Karminty, welcomed the ECOWAS delegation and outlined the work of her ministry, particularly in the enactment of new laws and structural reforms aimed at improving child welfare and social service delivery.
The Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Dr. IsataMahoi, presented data on children living in street situations and referenced the work of her ministry in collaboration with international partners. She called for a stronger regional cooperation and effective implementation of laws to safeguard children’s rights.
Also speaking, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Alhaji Timothy Musa Kabba, highlighted laws governing the protection of children and condemned violence against women and children globally. He acknowledged the challenges affecting women and children and noted the legislative efforts of Sierra Leone’s Parliament towards protecting the rights of children. He further commended President Julius Maada Bio for his leadership role in promoting gender equality and child protection in the country.
Representing the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Guy Marius Sagna, who also served as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, commended Sierra Leone for hosting the engagements. He emphasized the importance of proper care and protection of children across the region and encouraged member states to share experiences and best practices in addressing child welfare issues.
In his keynote address, the Speaker of the Parliament of Sierra Leone, Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas Esq, expressed appreciation for the opportunity to participate in the ECOWAS sessions. He noted that the theme directly addresses pressing challenges affecting children’s rights and stressed that protecting children must remain a top priority for legislators.
The Speaker highlighted the critical role of Parliament in safeguarding children’s rights through legislation, oversight, and advocacy. He called for stronger laws within the ECOWAS sub-region and presented several recommendations aimed at improving child protection mechanisms.
He concluded by reaffirming his commitments to supporting children across the region and urged stakeholders to take decisive and proactive actions in their deliberations.
The session was moderated by Mohamed Jalloh, Director of the Centre for Strategy and Parliamentary Studies (CSPS) at the Parliament of Sierra Leone, who emphasized the importance of safeguarding rights of children in the sub-region.
