UNICEF Regional Director Nils Kastberg believes the Caribbean region is lagging on child protection and implored governments do some ‘stocktaking’ in the wake of increased crime rates.
His call came during the opening session of the special meeting of Caricom’s Council for Human and Social Development on children which opened yesterday at the International Conference Centre at Liliendaal.
“Develop a reputation not just as a region fit for tourism, but also one fit for how it treats its children,” he implored the gathering which comprised regional ministers responsible for the welfare of children, officials from the Caricom Secretariat, and children who participated in the cultural aspect of the ceremony.
At this meeting which closes tomorrow leaders hope to come up with a strong case to regional governments for the establishment of a comprehensive child legislation framework and efficient implementing mechanisms for greater protection of children.
Pointing to the increased crime rates across the region, Kastberg questioned the manner of the development of youths and what may have gone wrong as he told those gathered “it is high time for us to deal with where the violence starts.” Stressing the timeliness of the meeting he noted that the Caribbean was plagued with unacceptable levels of violence which afflict children and adolescents in their homes and in their schools, where the character of violence has its own gender dimension. He noted that the region also ranks first when it comes to murder rates and also suffers the highest rates of homicides among 15 to 17 year olds where boys are six times as likely to be victims than girls.
In an illustration, Kastberg pointed out that if an adolescent killed an adult much is written and said but added that when an adult for instance kills an adult, “we see impunity”. In this regard, he recommended that it was time that governments deal with where the violence really starts “and then becomes the password of violence into society.” He said to deal with these and other issues facing children today, governments will have to take action, adding that there was far too much silence on certain issues.
Amid severe technical difficulties with the public address system at the conference centre, Kastberg in his presentation also pointed to research conducted in Costa Rica by a church which revealed that somewhere along the line adults lose contact with their children around the ages of 10 and 11 and then catch back up with them at 17.
“What’s the problem? We have to make up for this,” he recommended. He acknowledged Caricom’s establishment of an early Childhood Development working group and pledged his organization’s continued commitment to efforts of COHSOD in this regard.
University of the West Indies Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nigel Harris, who delivered the keynote address said he was pleased that Caricom was among the first to convene a regional meeting to ensure it delivers concretely on enhancing the welfare and well-being of its children.
In this regard, however, he pointed to the Caricom Single Market which allows for the movement of skilled persons across the region but noted the effects that this kind of migration tended to have on children.
Interruption of schooling as well as engendering a feeling of abandonment were matters which would have to be discussed and dealt with, he advised.
He pointed out that in this regard there seemed to be ambiguities about the entitlement and privileges of families adding that if this situation was not resolved quickly it would contribute to displacement of the region’s children.
He pointed to research conducted by UWI in the area of early childhood development where the results have been used to assist in a wide array of preventative intervention. He also assured that the university was willing to be an active partner in the region’s quest to invest in its human resources.
Meanwhile, Belize Min-ister of Community Develop-ment and Transformation, Peter Martinez, who is also COHSOD’s current Chairman told the gathering that children will play a major role in the meeting and articulate their own ideas and opinions.
Suriname Education Minister Edwin Wolf who read a message on behalf of President Ronald Venetian who is also lead minister for Culture, Gender, Youth and Sport noted that while the Caribbean was a signatory to many conventions dealing with the protection of children, many of those were not being followed. He said in spite of current efforts being made children were still falling victims to certain negative influences.
“Where did we go wrong, what can we do to help them and how can we help them deliver to their full potential?” he asked the gathering.
He stressed too that it was time for governments to go beyond just having good intentions and take the necessary actions to develop the full potential of their children.
Overall, the COHSOD special meeting will consider all child programmes particularly those in shelters, schools and communities and those affected by emergencies occasioned by natural disasters and the increasing effects of climate change.
The first COHSOD meeting on children was held here in Guyana in October 2002.
