family and community change, but also change amongst children by acknowledging and advancing their responsibilities towards their families and communities (Government of Sierra Leone, 2013 (Draft)). 53. In addition, where customary practices and attitudes result in harm to children, community and traditional dispute resolution and mediation structures will be employed, subject to the proviso that cases of serious sexual assault or abuse must be referred, as per the requirements of the Child Rights Act, to the police for prosecution. There is a prohibition on the referral and resolution of serious child abuse cases via informal, community and traditional dispute resolution fora. 2.3 Structures to coordinate and monitor implementation of the ACRWC 54. The MSWGCA is the Governmental department that is mandated to implement the ACRWC and to lead the process of monitoring the enforcement of all legislations pertaining to child protection in Sierra Leone. 55. The MSWGCA has established, with the support of partners such as UNICEF, a National Child Protection Coordination Committee (CPCom) for the coordination of all aspects of child protection in Sierra Leone, including the implementation of the ACRWC, CRC and related instruments. The CPCom is a multi-agency group chaired by the MSWGCA. It oversees and monitors implementation of the child protection and welfare system in Sierra Leone as well as the functioning of a number of subcommittees and task forces set up (a number of which are described below) to facilitate coordinated development, implementation and monitoring of a specific child-protection issues or interventions for especially vulnerable groups that require multi-sectoral responses. The CPCom is structured to include representation from various line ministries with responsibilities for child welfare and protection as well as development partners, NGOs and local civil society organizations and religious bodies. It is however not functioning effectively as there is little meaningful participation of the other line ministries. This challenge has been recognized and will be remedied through two pending innovations; the implementation of the new Child Welfare Policy which makes provision for an oversight and management framework that includes all relevant ministries as well as the strategic planning unit of the State House; and the establishment of the multi-sectoral National Commission for Children (NCC) in terms of the Child Rights Act (discussed in more detail in paragraph 60 below). 56. The CPCom is replicated at regional and district-level. At a district level the composition of the committee enjoys the additional participation of implementing agencies working directly with communities and with children as well as paramount chiefs and other key welfare and legal practitioners. Regional and district-level child protection committees are responsible for collecting and collating data and information on emerging trends and facilitating alignment of the activities of local CBOs with the national child welfare strategy and priorities. 57. The non-government sector also plays an active monitoring role through the NGO CRC Coalition which was established to monitor and support implementation of international and regional child rights instruments such as the CRC and the ACRWC. 2. General Measures of Implementation  21

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