On the initial day of the awareness workshops regarding the Kilifi Child Development and Protection Policy, participants were presented with the preliminary draft policy which outlines a moral and ethical duty to uphold the rights and dignity of all children in Kilifi.
It was evident from the presentations that the policy is designed to create a safe and supportive environment where each child is esteemed, safeguarded, and empowered to reach their maximum potential. Various stakeholders, including Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Members of the Kilifi County Assembly (MCAs) under the leadership of the Gender, Culture, Social Services, Youths, and Sports Chair, Hon. Agnes Sidi, raised pertinent issues to ensure that all needs and interests are considered before the implementation phase commences.
With a child population exceeding 700,000 in Kilifi, recent statistics from the National Crime Research Centre indicated a 7.2% incidence of defilement cases in the region. The introduction of this policy is expected to help prevent such occurrences and uphold and advance the rights of children in Kilifi.
