ECONOMIC Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Tuesday reiterated its commitment for the promotion and protection of child rights.
Mr Olatunde Olayemi, Programme Officer, Trafficking in Persons, ECOWAS, said this on the sidelines of a retreat held by ECOWAS at Ikeja.
The retreat has as theme: “Development and Validation of an ECOWAS Inter-Sectoral Strategic Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Child Rights”.
He said that the retreat would enhance and strengthen the Child Rights across all platforms in ECOWAS.
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“The purpose of this retreat is to look at the child right, brainstorm on it and strengthen the child right across all the entire ECOWAS institution.
“Child poverty, impact of climate change, natural disasters, election violence, economic downturn and natural disasters have grievous effects on the child so we want to ensure that children are properly protected.
“We will come up with strategic plans to ensure that all developmental actions taken by ECOWAS serve the children in various positive ways.
“The Child Rights is extremely important, so, would ensure that they are rightly promoted and protected like they are ought to be,” he said.
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Olayemi noted that the retreat would address the gaps and challenges in the mission’s implementation of the Child Rights Agenda. He said that the mission would collaborate with other agencies to ensure that the Child Rights is implemented in all sectors of the country. (NAN)