Violence Against Children : Improving State of Response

The Minister Delegate at the Ministry of Justice, Jean de Dieu Momo on behalf of the Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Laurent Esso, yesterday July 30, 2024 chaired the opening ceremony of a two-day symposium on the response to violence against children in the justice system. The workshop which ends today in Yaounde aims to improve the state of response to violence against children in the justice system. It brings together some 25 participants including, magistrates, police, gendarmes, social workers and the penitentiary administration staff; all actors involved in the protection of the rights of children in the face of the law. Jointly organised by the Ministry of Justice (Department of Human Rights and International Cooperating and the Department of Penitentiary Administration), and the United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), resource persons are expected to enhance the participant’s knowledge, amongst others on the basic principles of the rights of the child and the legal framework on the protection of children from violence. Other topics include the right of child victims and witnesses of crime, right to be treated with dignity and compassion, protection of juvenile offenders from violence during judicial proceedings, and an overview of violence against children in Cameroon. 
Speaking during the opening ceremony, Minister Jean de Dieu Momo said it is the duty of the State to ensure that the fundamental rights of every party is respected as stated in the Preamble of the Constitution. With an estimated one billion children globally (2 to 17 years) being exposed to physical, emotional or sexual violence, the Minister said the Ministry of Justice could not remain indifferent to the statistics as the workshop will sharpen the skills of stakeholders...