By Marian Magdalene Bangura
Strategic Communications Unit – MOICE
The Minister of Social Welfare, Melrose Karminty, has called for renewed efforts to strengthen family values and community responsibility as a way of addressing growing social challenges in Sierra Leone.
Speaking during the Weekly Government Press Briefing held on Tuesday, 12th May 2026, at the Miatta Civic Centre, Minister Karminty emphasized the critical role families play in shaping society and driving national development.
She described the family as the foundation of society and the starting point of national progress, explaining that every individual is born into a family, nurtured within it, and later becomes part of the wider community and nation. According to her, the condition of families directly influences the condition of society as a whole.
“The family is the foundation of society and the root of national development,” she stated. “If families are weak, society will also face serious challenges.”
Minister Karminty noted that many of the social issues currently affecting the country can be traced back to problems within family structures and the values children are exposed to during their upbringing. She identified drug and substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, early marriage, juvenile delinquency, children living on the streets, trafficking, and gender-based violence as some of the challenges linked to weakening family and community systems.
She explained that over the years, traditional family values and communal responsibilities have gradually declined. Recalling past community practices, the minister said communities once worked collectively to guide, discipline, and mentor children, but that culture of shared responsibility has weakened over time.
“In earlier days, communities worked together to raise children and correct wrongdoing,” she said. “Today, that collective approach has reduced, and this has contributed to the breakdown of social discipline and family systems.” The minister stressed that although government has a responsibility to address social issues, parents and families must not neglect their own duties in raising and guiding children.
She maintained that government interventions cannot replace the influence, care, and support children receive within the home from birth.
Minister Karminty also highlighted that the United Nations established the International Day of Families in 1993 to recognize the importance of families in promoting social development and stability worldwide. She noted that the increase social challenges facing Sierra Leone make it necessary to revive national discussions around parenting, moral values, and community responsibility.
She concluded by calling on Sierra Leoneans to work together toward rebuilding strong family systems, restoring moral and social values, and creating healthier communities capable of supporting sustainable national development.
