NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR WAR AFFECTED CHILDREN (NaCWAC)

Following the massive and heinous atrocities of the war, especially on children in Sierra Leone, His Excellency the President, Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, in consultation with the UN Secretary General’s Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, saw the need to create a National Commission for War Affected Children.

Mandate

To focus on all areas of concern for children affected by the war and to ensure that their needs are taken into consideration at all levels of national planning.

Structure of the Commission

The Commission consists of a Chairman and other members appointed by the President from the Ministry responsible for Children’s Affairs (MSWGCA), UNAMSIL, UNICEF, civil society, religious bodies and such other NGOs determined by the President.

There is an Inter-ministerial Committee responsible for providing guidance and advice to the Commission, as well as a technical committee comprising the following departments:

  • Reintegration and Rehabilitation
  • Education and Health
  • Voice of Children and Communication
  • Human Resource Development

    • The Secretariat is staffed by an Executive Secretary, Deputy Executive Secretary, Programme Officers and Support personnel.

    Objectives

  • To advocate and facilitate the implementation of International norms and standards on the rights and protection of war-affected children.

  • To ensure that the concerns of war-affected children are translated into priority setting and resource allocation at the highest political level.

  • To develop, in collaboration with other government departments, agencies and NGOs, policies that will ensure the provision of health, education and social services to war-affected children.

  • To promote increased participation in, and access to media activities and facilities by children and adolescents.

  • To empower and create an enabling environment for war-affected children and adolescents to participate effectively in the democratic process.

  • To develop strong links with other institutions working to ensure the long term protection of all children.

    • MISSION

    To develop and facilitate the implementation of programmes for improving the welfare of war affected children, including street children, orphans, sexually abused, returnee-unaccompanied minors, and other children in difficult circumstances and enhance survival and well being of children.

    VISION


    To see that children grow up in a disciplined and healthy environment, with love and respect for humanity, conducive for the provision and sustainability of increased and improved opportunities necessary for their growth, survival, development, protection and empowerment for future leadership.


    ACHIEVEMENTS:

    Since its inception as a statutory body by an Act of Parliament on 26th January 2001, the Commission has actively been engaged in raising public awareness on the plight of war affected children through different channels of communication, and has supported Community Based Organizations to provide vocational and technical skills training and capacity building services to these needy children.

    The Commission has also:

  • Conducted a nationwide Rapid Assessment Survey on the situation of Street and other war affected children.

  • Provided essential assistance to 52 national NGOs/CBOs to establish temporary psycho-social and capacity building centres for children throughout the country. Nearly 2000 war affected and disadvantaged children benefited from this programme.

  • Sponsored three non-formal education centres for children in Freetown

  • Provided Educational support to more than 1000 children.

  • Established Child Friendly/Recreational Centres in Bo, Makeni, Kailahun and Pujehun, and intends to establish others in Freetown, Kenema, Kono and Port Loko.

  • Built a hut at the Bo Child Friendly Centre to provide HIV/AIDS Audio Visual education and enhance the recreational facilities at the centre.

  • Provided educational materials for children of Amputees in Makeni town and its environs.

  • Provided support to Voice of Children Project.

  • Gave financial support to foster parents.

  • Conducted four Consultative workshops for children and adults on Advocacy for Legislative Review of Laws affecting Children and formulation of child friendly policies.

  • Organised an eight month Psychosocial capacity building programme to provide trauma healing, counseling and skills training for 110 children from 10 Chiefdoms in the Kailahun District.

    •

    Transformation of the Commission

    Now that the war is over, the need for broadening the mandate of NaCWAC into an all-inclusive Commission for children in Sierra Leone has become compelling. His Excellency the President Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who first made the suggestion, at the opening of the Bo Child Friendly centre in June 2004, has consented that the National Commission for War Affected Children be transformed into the National Commission for Children (NCC). He stated that the NCC be established within the office of the Vice President, since the Vice President’s Office Coordinates the PRSP.
     

    Contact Details

    Executive Secretary
    8 Wesley Street Freetown
    Tel: 226724/076 602763
    Email: nacwac2003@yahoo.co.uk

    © DACO/SLIS July 2007