National Council for Children Hosts First Inner Islands Conference on Praslin

VICTORIA, Seychelles — The National Council for Children (NCC) hosted its first inner-islands children’s conference on Praslin on Thursday, under the theme ‘Your voice, your rights, your safety’. The event at the Baie Ste Anne community centre brought together secondary students from Praslin, La Digue and the Vijay International Praslin Seychelles.

Addressing the students, NCC chief executive Yasmin Umarji said the council believes children have a voice, but stressed that with voice and rights comes responsibility. She also shared information on the therapy services provided by the council, noting that from January to June this year, NCC had handled 176 cases involving 182 clients, with 165 children seen by therapists. ‘It has been noted that more boys have been seen by these therapists than girls,’ she said.

Mrs Umarji urged students to share their views and ideas, saying the council is planning for the next five years and needs the input of the next generation. ‘We cannot do this alone, because we are your voice. It is important that when we plan for the next five years, we are taking into consideration what you the young people are experiencing in society, so that we make Seychelles a safer and child-friendly country,’ she said.

The conference gave the students the chance to express their views and engage in open dialogue on issues affecting their lives. The activity forms part of NCC’s ongoing efforts to empower children to speak out, while promoting awareness of their rights, responsibilities, and safety in today’s changing world.