Combating child sexual abuse: Guinea, Gambia and Guinea-Bissau join forces with Senegal

Protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation transcends borders. In Saly, representatives from Guinea, The Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau marched alongside Senegalese stakeholders to raise awareness about sexual violence against children, particularly in the context of travel and tourism. This walk concluded two days of training and experience-sharing organized by the Human Rights Directorate of the Ministry of Justice, with support from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, through the Project to Support the Protection of Children Victims of Rights Violations (PAPEV).

The mobilization has taken on a sub-regional dimension to alert communities to the risks of sexual abuse and exploitation of children, particularly in tourist areas.

For the Project coordinator, Aminata Kébé, this joint mobilization reflects the need to transcend national borders to better protect children.

"We brought in stakeholders from these neighbouring countries to share their experiences in child protection, in the context of tourism and travel, but also to learn from Senegal's experience and coordinate their actions," she explained.

She particularly stressed the porous nature of borders, which necessitates better coordination between child protection actors in the four countries covered by the project.

Aminata Kébé also wanted to reiterate that the responsibility for sexual abuse cannot be attributed to children.

"A child does not have consent. You cannot claim the consent of a child to have sexual relations with him," she insisted, urging parents, communities and institutions to strengthen alert and protection mechanisms.

Raising awareness without stigmatizing tourism

According to the director of human rights at the Ministry of Justice, Julien Ngane Ndour, this hike is an extension of two days of reflection which brought together stakeholders in tourism, hospitality, transport, defense and security forces, local authorities and civil society organizations.

"The Ministry of Justice is not here to stigmatize. It is simply here to raise awareness, because we are in a tourist area and we know what tourism brings to Senegal economically," he explained.

The meeting was also marked by the signing of a charter of commitment between the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Tourism and stakeholders in the sector, with the participation of other stakeholders.

For his part, the director of tourism regulations, Ndéné Ndao, reminded that hotel establishments have a duty of vigilance and to report any suspicious situation that could endanger a child.

"No child is guilty of sexual assault, no child is responsible for abuse," he insisted, calling on participants to increase awareness efforts within communities.