PRESS RELEASE: Liberian Child Rights Symposium, November 13 and 14

The Children Protection Alliance of Liberia in sponsorship and collaboration with FOHRD (the Foundation for Human Rights and Democracy), JPC (the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission), AFLL (the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia), LDI (the Liberia Democratic Institute), FIND (the Foundation for International Dignity), LCC (the Liberian Council of Churches), and NMCL (the National Muslim Council of Liberia) will hold a two day Symposium on the Rights of the Liberian Child.

The Symposium will take place at the Capitol Building under the theme "Looking beyond the 2009 Children’s Bill."

The two day Symposium is an interactive round table discussion aimed at ensuring that the evolving Children’s Bill serves the best interest of the Liberian Child.

Purposed topics for presentation during the Symposium will include: The Protection of the Liberian Child in contemporary Human Rights Practices, Towards a Human Rights Regime for the Children of Liberia, Appraising the proposed Children Law among others.

Speakers at the symposium will address the most pressing challenges facing the Liberian Child. Following the deliberations, participants will convene in group sessions and work out recommendations to strengthen the children’s Bill and advice legislators on the thinking of a broad spectrum of the Liberian society regarding the bill.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is among legislators, policymakers, child rights advocates, Supreme Court Justices, religious leaders, children services providers and the media that are expected to attend.

The Symposium will also see the National Interfaith Council of Liberia, students of the Louise Arthur Grimes School of Law at the University of Liberia, the National Child Rights Observatory Group, the Liberian National Student Union, Federation of Liberian Youth, Children Services Providers, Union of Orphanages in Liberia, making presentation that would form part of the symposium’s resolution.

The Symposium is being held in association with the following organizations: Adoption Services Providers, Child Advocacy International, National Union of Liberian Orphanages and Children Welfare Institute, Children Assistance Program, Mano River Women Network for Peace, Liberian Girls Guide Association, Boy Scouts of Liberia, Liberia National Student Union, Varsity Christian Fellowship, Christian Health Association of Liberia, Young Men’s Christian Association, and Young Women’s Christian Association.