model which ignores the significant indigenous resources and knowledge which are both available and amenable to sustain an effective and acceptable child protection and welfare system in Sierra Leone (Child Frontiers Limited, 2010). 48. The process of reflection has led to the development of a new draft Child Welfare Policy for Sierra Leone. The policy (which has been finalized and awaits cabinet approval) creates a reoriented child protection system which places traditional customary child protection and welfare practices and structures at its centre so as to make the system more effective, sustainable and responsive to the realization of the rights of children as protected by the ACRWC (Government of Sierra Leone, 2013 (Draft)). 49. The new policy focuses on addressing the structural drivers of child abuse, neglect and exploitation. It seeks to do so by strengthening the indigenous child protection and development resources and structures – that is the family and communities – to support the protection and development of children in Sierra Leone. The new policy is founded on two core pillars – the first being the provision of material and other forms of support to strengthen the capacity of traditional groupings recognized as the fundamental sites of child development – that is the family and community. The second core pillar is the overt recognition and formal integration of traditional structures and practices within the national child protection system. 50. The policy recognizes that not all customary practices, attitudes and structures are promotive of children’s rights and well-being and that a number of these run contrary to the rights of children protected by the ACRWC. These include, by way of example, the practices of Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting and child marriage. The policy commits to addressing harmful customary practices through ongoing engagement and advocacy with families and communities. This will be actioned through the MSWGCA through programmes aimed at securing the changes and adoption of attitudes and practices necessary to ensure children’s rights, well-being and development. 51. What is of particular importance is that, whereas many laws have been passed aimed at eliminating harmful customary practices, many of these have been disregarded for lack of credibility. The laws protecting children’s rights have been disregarded as they have been deemed inappropriate in the customary context and the product of a parallel, discredited child protection system based on foreign principles and ideals and implemented through external bureaucratic agencies. The GoSL aims, through the reorientation of its child welfare system to one founded more strongly on positive indigenous practices, to engender a greater degree of acceptance of the overarching system and the laws and prohibitions which make it up. 52. The new policy aims to eradicate social norms and practices contrary to the wellbeing of the child, including severe child beatings, humiliation and denial of food as forms of discipline. It aims to do so through a process of social change which draws attention to these issues as child development issues and with an educational, rather than a punitive approach. Traditional leaders will be centrally engaged in the social and behavioral change process. Careful attention will be paid to the creation of an appropriate advocacy and knowledge platform, with messages packaged and delivered in such a way as not to alienate families and communities. They will be designed to be culturally sensitive and non-judgemental and not only promote 20  Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone Initial Report on the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child 2002-2014