Monrovia — An official of the Ministry of Gender and Development says she's seeking legislation to ban the sale of alcoholic beverages to children.

Deputy Gender Minister for Research and Technical Services, Diana Kiawu said such legislation was important to discourage under-aged children from taking in harmful alcoholic substances.

Speaking over the weekend at program marking the end of a week-long awareness campaign on the danger of selling alcoholic beverages to children, Madam Kiawu said she would shortly discuss the issue with members of the National Legislature.

She stressed that operators of shops and entertainment centers must desist from selling alcohol beverages to children that are under aged, adding they must be warned about the danger alcohol poses to the growth of children which could retard their educational sojourn.

Madam Kiawu indicated that people are taking advantage of today's hardship by sexually exploiting children under the influence of alcohol, and warned parents against sending their children to buy liquor as doing so would get them ascustomed to drinking habits.

Also speaking at the program, the Coordinator of the Gender-based Violence Unit at the Ministry of Gender, Deddeh Quoiquoi promised to extend the campaign to the 15 political sub-divisions of the country to involve communities leaders in process.

She said the primary objective of the exercise is to protect the rights of children and sensitize the larger society about preserving the dignity of the children.

Madam Quoiquoi further disclosed plans by the Gender Ministry to enforce the campaign in the leeward counties so that the exercise would have the necessary impact on every sector in the country.

The second phase of the exercise which was launched last year targeted several shops and entertainment centers in Monrovia and its environs.

Areas covered by this year's awareness exercise to stop children from alcohol abuse include Point Four and Logan Town on Bushrod Island, Gardnerville and Paynesville, Joe Bar.