J’cans urged to unite against child abuse

With more than 1,000 cases of sexual abuse recorded among children in the first half of the year, child-protection advocates are urging Jamaicans to become acquainted with the National Plan of Action for an Integrated Response to Children and Violence (NPACV), which was launched last November.

It provides a coordinated and structured approach to addressing key issues and challenges pertaining to children as victims, perpetrators, and witnesses of acts of violence and abuse.

Hyacinth Blair, senior director of children’s affairs in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, told The Gleaner that the plan demands the collaborative effort of state agencies and the wider public.

“We have established an oversight committee to monitor the implementation of the plan ... to ensure that we do not have duplication of efforts and also to ensure that we can identify the gaps that exist in the child-protection services,” she explained.

With today being observed as World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse, Television Jamaica will be airing a digital town hall at 8:30 p.m. exploring the NPACV.

Meanwhile, public relations and communications manager at the Child Protection and Family Services Agency, Rochelle Dixon Gordon, revealed that the candlelight vigil and concert, which has been staged since 2006, will not be hosted this year due to the pandemic. The event brings into focus the atrocities being committed against Jamaica’s children and serves as a call to action to protect them.

“Last year, there were 77 children who died, and this year, the number is a little bit better as 46 children have died tragically and violently,” Dixon Gordon pointed out.

Of the 46 children who have died between October 2019 and October 2020, fifty-seven per cent, or 26 children, were murdered while 20 perished in traffic accidents.

judana.murphy@gleanerjm.com

Expected Outcomes of the NPACV

Outcome 1 – Strengthened policy, legal and regulatory framework to ensure the protection of children from all forms of violence and exploitation.

Outcome 2 – Improved quality of, and access to, services for children affected by violence.

Outcome 3 – Strengthened family and community capacities to address issues related to children and violence.

Outcome 4 − Enhanced public education sensitisation and training in violence prevention, the care of child victims of violence, and children’s rights.

Outcome 5 − Integrated framework established for the effective coordination, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the NPACV.