An assessment report by the National Commission for Children on the impact of Covid-19 on children across Sierra Leone indicates that children’s access to food dropped considerably during the coronavirus pandemic.
This disclosure was made during the official handing over ceremony of the report to the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs by the National Commission for Children (NCC) at the conference hall of the Gender Ministry on Wednesday 22nd September 2021.
In a PowerPoint presentation by the Commission’s Monitoring and Evaluation Division, Louie Watkins Harrison revealed that the number of children who used to have a meal three times a day dropped from 49.7% to 10.2% during the Covid-19, whereas, children who used to have a meal twice a day dropped from 45.2% to 39.1%, whiles children who used to have a meal once a day dropped from 44.6% to 11.1%.
According to the Commission, the research is aimed at understanding the range of socio-economic impact and providing empirical evidence on the lives, rights, and welfare of children across the country. The report focused on the children’s health, education, psychosocial and nutritional livelihood.
During the research, the Commission targeted 900 participants from across five districts which represented the five regions of the country. These 900 participants include parents and children who are between the ages of 10 and 17 years.
Ever since the country started recording covid-19 cases sometime last year, the Commission noted that children are not largely infected with the disease. However, the Commission convinced that children are most vulnerable, and always at risk of being victims of whatever havoc the disease may have caused.
Deputy Commissioner, National Commission for Children (NCC), Fabundeh Ansumana, noted that Section 11 (2b) of the Child Rights Act gives the Commission the mandate to do an assessment on children issues and advise the government accordingly.
Ansumana opined that Covid-19 has a severe effect on children, hence, the reason for the assessment. “We do not just want things by imagination, so, the Commission thought it fit that it should do the assessment,” he said.
He vouched that the report will be made available to the authorities concern for policy formulation. He expressed his appreciation to World Vision for their support of the work of the Commission.
Abdulai Kamara, World Vision International Sierra Leone, disclosed that his institution is keen to help towards the activities of the Commission and Gender Ministry. He further disclosed that World Vision will continue to work with the Commission to ensure that the wellbeing of children is addressed.
In handing the report to the Deputy Gender Minister, Spokesperson for the Children’s Forum Network (CFN), Joe Abass expressed thanks on behalf of the children. He acknowledged the support of the Commission and other institutions towards the wellbeing of children.
In his response to the report, Deputy Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Buakai Bindi Hindolo, said it is their responsibility to work with partners to secure a haven for the children.
He further acknowledged that the NCC is now on a different trajectory in terms of addressing children’s issues. He assured that his ministry will look at the report and cascade it to other ministries. He also assured that the recommendations contained in the report will be looked into for policy formulation.
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