The issues of child protection and domestic violence were among several matters addressed by Human Services and Social Security Minister Jenifer Webster and a panel, during a discussion on the National Communications Network recently.
The programme was moderated by the Reverend Kwame Gilbert. Minister Webster made it clear that her ministry will be working in tandem with the law enforcement and other stakeholders to ensure the laws pertaining to children’s protection are properly implemented.
Human Services and Social Security Minister Jenifer Webster
The panellists included Director of the Child Care and Protection Agency Ann Greene, Campaign officer of the Help and Shelter Kevin Massiah and Shirley Ferguson, Coordinator of the National Commission on the Rights of the Child. Webster in responding to a question about the effectiveness of the several pieces of legislation enacted to curb child abuse said that government will continue to work with members of the public, the Guyana Police Force and the Judiciary to ensure full implementation.
“The Child Protection Agency which was established under the child protection act has been doing a lot of work as it relates to children and therefore, the public has its part to play,” Minister Webster said.
Against this background, she said that every child has the right to live a full childhood, to be protected and contribute meaningfully to Guyana since they are the nation’s future.
“We need to protect our children from physical, sexual and emotional abuse and we should recognise the importance of proper guidance which is key and critical to a child’s development,” Minister Webster explained.
In this regard, she said government remains committed to the continued implementation of policies and programmes, including the expansion of the foster care programme and, the establishment of more child friendly facilities. Against this background, she added that Guyana’s children are its life-blood and when they are threatened or harmed in any way, “the future health, safety and economy of the nation are compromised”.
While government’s policies and programmes have been developed and directed towards the creation and maintenance of a safe environment for children, their successes depend on the involvement of all citizens.
“Child protection is not the responsibility of the Child Protection Agency or the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security but all Guyanese, men, women and children, and requires their full attention, concern and vigilance,” Minister Webster urged.
While acknowledging that there are some loopholes in the system, she called on stakeholders to strengthen their monitoring framework to enable a better assessment and evaluation of government’s policies and programmes to achieve their desired outcomes when it comes to protecting children.
“I think that the legislative framework, we have to protect our children is adequate, however, I think that we need to train our police ranks more, especially those who are investigating cases of child abuse…. so that we can have prosecution and investigation done in their entirety,” Minister Webster pointed out. (GINA)
Comments are closed.