The regional meeting hosted by ECOWAS, seeks to reaffirm Member States commitments to protect children from denial of their rights to civil registration and birth certificates, protect them from child marriage, child labour, child migration and most importantly, seeks to protect children from all forms of violence like under-aged female circumcision or forceful initiation of girls into traditional secret societies.

Whilst in Niamey, the female Cabinet Minister has also been asked by H.E. First Lady Sia Nyama Koroma to represent her at the ECOWAS First Ladies meeting slated to hold on October 5th 2017. First Lady Sia Nyama Koroma whose gender rights and child rights credentials remain impeccable, is unable to attend this year’s ECOWAS First Ladies meeting but is herself preparing to co-host another major continental meeting to discuss African Child Rights issues later this month in Senegal.

Meanwhile, Minister Sylvia Blyden is expected back in Sierra Leone this weekend.