By Fatmata Bundu
FREETOWN, Oct. 15 (SALONE TIMES) – FoRUT, in collaboration with Children and Young People’s (CYP) clubs, on Tuesday commemorated the International Day of the Girl at the Police Wives’ Vocational Conference Hall, Kingtom, in Freetown.
The Head of Programmes at FoRUT, Alice James, highlighted the significance of the day in order to look at the issues surrounding girls. She also briefed the gathering on the Day’s background with a number of international Treaties and Conventions.
Madam James cited the 1995 Beijing Declaration, which specifically points out the rights of girls and the 19th December 2011 United Nations Declaration which slated the International Day of the Girl Child. According to her, “all these protocols were to protect the rights of girls and address related issues affecting them.
Alice James cited the bad, good and ugly effects of the Internet on girls, and encouraged them to utilize its best side to complement their studies. She condemned those using it for other social purposes by sharing pornographic materials.
The FoRUT Head of Programmes also commented on girls with disability and the Agenda for Sustainable Development as a roadmap and a campaign for leaving no one behind. She recalled the effects of COVID-19 that warranted the closing of schools which affected girls including the country’s economy.
She urged parents and guardians to continue to monitor their children on their academic work and provide supervision for them to become better people in society. She also admonished girls to pay keen attention on their school work, as one legitimate means to success.
Presentations/statements were made by members of the Children and Young Peoples Club (CYP) from various schools on the topics: Background on the International Day of the Girl; Violence Against Girls; Child Marriage, and the Effects of Social Media on Pupils.
The ceremony was chaired by Zainab Hamid Bangura who noted that the event was to raise awareness on issues already highlighted by the various speakers such as sexual violence and equality. She encouraged them to listen attentively to take the message to their different schools as all of them could not be in attendance.
