The Child Protection Alliance (CPA) with support from UNICEF, last Tuesday organised a day sensitisation workshop to share the main funding and recommendations of the United Nations study on violence against children, at the Nana conference hall.

The global study examined the nature, scope of violence against children in the home and families, schools and educational settings, care and justice institutions, places of work and in the communities. Speaking at the occasion, Min Whee Kang, the Unicef representative to The Gambia said Unicef trained people in order to address corporal punishment in school and also to advocate for child right all over the world. According to her, violence against children is not only happening in Africa but everywhere in the world.

"Protection of children against violence is a matter and urgency and a responsibility to everyone" she noted She further said that Unicef will continue to work with partners to address all forms of violence in all its forms and manifestation. Fanta Bai Secka, director of Social Welfare said to better protect children from all forms of violence, within and outside the family, requires collective action in the families and communities. According to her, many children are not living their lives in the way they deserve but become victims of exploitation and abuse without recourse.

She added that children's sexuality is not the least respected by  adults entrusted with their care and protection. who used their prestige and authority to abuse and exploit them. "We must recognised that the betrayal of children's trust can occur close to home. Therefore, there is the need to strengthen the capacities of parents to better protect their children" she said.

She then stated that the government of The Gambia have and will continue to put children first in their political and development agenda and will increase investment in children and youths in the health, education sectors as well as and protection. "We must make violence against children purely and simply unacceptable in the minds of every man, woman and family"she concluded.

For his part, Njundu Drammeh, national coordinator, CPA, said they will always make noised so that political leaders, policy makers, teachers, parents and the community heard them to stop violence against children.