By Nasratu Kargbo
Two-thirds of Sierra Leone’s children are poor, according to the Leave No One Behind project report done by the United Nations.
Senior Human Rights Adviser to the United Nations in Sierra Leone Dr. Uchenna Emelonye said children are amongst the groups of persons that have been left far behind.
Presenting the report in Bo on the 2nd Feburary 2024 at a strategic workshop held to get an understanding of development priority areas for the people in the locality, Senior Human Rights Adviser to the United Nations in Sierra Leone, Dr. Uchenna Emelonye said children are amongst the groups of persons that have been left far behind.
“Mr. Minister if you need to plan bear in mind that there are more children in need in this country, than other groups”, he said.
He said an expert found out that children living Koinadugu, Moyamba, Tonkolili, Pujehun and Bonthe districts are the most affected and in need of government’s intervention.
Speaking on other categories that are left behind, he cited the homeless 70% of whom he said are street children and young people. “Homelessness creates a vulnerability that is unprecedented and there are a lot of people who are homeless in Sierra Leone, unfortunately more are children which makes it double jeopardy” the Adviser said.
He pointed out that adolescent girls that are impacted by harmful practices such as child marriage are also another group left behind. Presenting statistics in his PowerPoint slides Emelonye said that 21% of adolescent girls between ages fifteen to nineteen have either had a child or got pregnant, noting that these practices are more common in Koinadugu, Moyamba, Tonkolili, Western Area Rural, and Bonthe.
Amongst other groups listed are persons with disability, persons living with HIV/AIDS, inmates, dropouts, persons trafficked including children and youths.
Explaining the concept of Leave No One Behind, Emelonye said it has been practiced by African mothers, citing that a mother with ten children knows the weakest and that when the ten children eat together in one bowl, it becomes a battle of survival of the fittest. He added that the Mother will save some portion of food, which she will give to her weakest child who could not eat much whilst eating with their siblings. This scenario, he said is manifestation of the concept of leaving no one behind.
He called on the Resident Minister who was present at the programme and government as a whole to understand which district, region or constituency needs more support, explaining that if they are to leave no one behind, more help should be given to those that are already left behind.
Emelonye said more finances should go to deprived districts in order for them not to be left behind.
The meeting comprised persons with disability, representatives of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), government and local councils from various districts and UN agencies.
The UN had organized a similar consultative meeting in Makeni on the 31st January 2024, and is set to hold one in Freetown next week, all in a bid to understand the people’s priority needs and incorporate them in their next Sustainable Development Programmes.
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