Post a comment 
The Commissioner of the National Commission for Children (NCC), Madam Joyce Wuya Tejan-Kella, has reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to the protection and promotion of children’s rights in Sierra Leone.
Speaking at the Government of Sierra Leone’s weekly press briefing held at the Miatta Conference Center; the Commissioner emphasized the Commission’s mandate to prioritize children’s welfare in national development initiatives.
Established by an Act of Parliament in 2007 and fully operational since 2014, the NCC plays a central role in coordinating and monitoring child rights activities across various sectors.
The Commission is also aligned with key international frameworks such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
In her address, Madam Tejan-Kella expressed appreciation for the government’s support, citing President Julius Maada Bio’s continued focus on improving the well-being of children in the country.
She also highlighted recent interventions by the Ministry of Transport and Aviation, such as the provision of free ferry services for schoolchildren in uniform and the introduction of a dedicated school bus, as examples of child-centered government policies.
The Commissioner outlined the four key pillars of the Commission’s mandate: monitoring and coordination of child rights implementation across Ministries, oversight of the Children’s Rights Act of 2007, providing policy advice and advocacy, and conducting investigations into complaints regarding child welfare. The addition of investigative powers to the Commission’s responsibilities marks a significant development, allowing the NCC to directly respond to violations and hold stakeholders accountable.
She also referenced the Commission’s involvement during national emergencies, including the Ebola outbreak and the COVID-19 pandemic. During those periods, the NCC advocated for child-friendly spaces and called for the decongestion of juvenile detention facilities to safeguard the health and rights of children.
Madam Tejan-Kella concluded with a call for collective national action, urging all sectors to adopt child-focused approaches in the formulation and implementation of policies. She reiterated that children must not only be seen as future leaders but as active citizens whose needs and voices should be considered in all aspects of governance.
The National Commission for Children remains a statutory body tasked with ensuring that children in Sierra Leone grow up in safe, supportive, and rights-respecting environments.
