In a bid to catch the children young and to work in line with the Africa Union (AU) call for the establishment of Human Rights and Peace Clubs, the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) with support from UNDP and Irish Aid, has established fifty-four clubs in schools across Sierra Leone. On the 26th and 28thof October 2022, HRCSL conducted another training for a total of fifty pupils and ten teachers from ten secondary schools in both Kambia and Tonkolili Districts respectively. Ten schools have been added to the already existingfifty-four school clubs, making a total of sixty-four schools.
The Vice Chairperson of HRCSL, Victor Idrissa Lansana appreciated the pupils for participating in the training and called on the participants to put the knowledge gained into practice. Victor Idrissa Lansana urged the beneficiaries to reach out to other pupils in their schools with the aim of increasing the strength of the Human Rights and Peace Clubs and encouraged them to be delivering human rights messages during devotions.
Commissioner Oversight for Regional services, Simitie Lavaly described the establishment of the peace clubs as an opportunity in the schools, as the children would learn more about human rights instruments and grow up with the culture of human rights for peaceful coexistence.
Director of Education, Communication, and Training, Richard M’Bayoh reiterated that the establishment of the school clubs is in line with the African Union’s call for inculcating the culture of human rights in children at an early stage. He said the Commission through its regional offices in Port Loko and Makeni would be checking on the schools to see how they were doing.
On behalf of the beneficiaries, Isatu Kamara and Kadija M. Sankoh from Kambia and Magburaka respectively expressed thanks and appreciation to the Commission for changing their concepts on human rights, stressing that learning actually took place during the training in the two districts.
