—-Rudi Luchmann, UNICEF Deputy Representative
THIS year the United Nation’s Children’s Fund (UNICEF) turned their attention to adolescents with its State of the World’s Children 2011 report, ‘Adolescence – An Age of Opportunity’, made public last Wednesday.
And UNICEF Deputy Representative, Rudi Luchmann, underscored the importance of responding to the needs of Guyana’s adolescents, particularly the need to involve them in the decision-making process.
At the launch of the report, he explained this will provide them with a platform of expression and understanding of their role as citizens and not as passive recipients.
Luchmann stressed that this move, encouraging adolescents’ participation at different levels, is the need of the hour.
In this context, the UNICEF Representative pointed out it is imperative that partners collaborate and invest in adolescents to support their development.
He said, “The vital areas in which partners need to come together and invest in adolescents include fostering various spaces for youth participation, including sports; creating a supportive environment for adolescent girls; investing in education and training; and tackling poverty and inequity.”
Luchmann pointed to the need to recognise that youth need a safe space to express themselves in different ways.

Joint Strategies

According to him, in the move forward, there is much to be had from advancing from a point of strength though joint strategies.

The UNICEF Representative said that an assessment of community sports grounds and facilities in rural and hinterland areas was done recently, with a view to upgrading them to meet minimum operating standards.
This, he said, includes developing guidelines for physical facilities and programmes addressing life skills training, emergency techniques and HIV awareness and prevention – all using sports as an entry point.
Through the Ministry of Health, Luchmann said that UNICEF continues to support health promotion in schools, through health clubs which promote healthy lifestyles practices among adolescents.
Luchmann said, “It provides a space where our boys and girls can access information and discuss their issues.”
He noted that this partnership with the Health Ministry extends to the expansion of health services through adolescent friendly spaces, where health care providers are trained to understand the challenges facing youth.
“As we move closer to bridging the inequities, much emphasis will be placed this year in the hinterland regions ensuring adolescent girls and boys are provided with the knowledge and skills to reduce their vulnerability,” Luchmann posited.

Laudable Strides

The UNICEF representative said Guyana has made laudable strides on the legislative landscape, with the expansion of the protective legal environment for children and adolescents.
He said, “Five pieces of legislation have been passed by the Government with another three being tabled. The work of the visibly committed Child Care and Protection Agency and the Constitutional Commission on the Rights of the Child are also key achievements for adolescent boys and girls.”
Luchmann also pointed to the successful integration of the Health and Family Life Education (HLFE) into secondary schools, which has increased access to information for the most disadvantaged adolescents in five of Guyana’s 10 regions.
“The pilot of Teen Mothers Continuing Education Programme is now the basis for reflection in the strategic planning for alternative options for continuing education for pregnant girls and teen mothers…this is commendable,” he said.
He noted too that another key area of support for adolescents in sustaining the quality of basic education in Guyana is the comprehensive programming in Dormitory Schools and Child Friendly School Certification, as well as Guidance and Counselling.
“In spite of the commendable progress, there still remains several challenges…these challenges demand our attention and investment now,” Luchmann posited.
Approximately 20 per cent of Guyanese are adolescents, and according to Luchmann, they stand at the crossroads between childhood and the adult world – a pivotal time when they need support to navigate new spaces.
“It is our role, our job to see them cross over, breaking the cycle of discrimination, breaking the cycle of inequity. The choice is ours to make and we are confident that together we can bridge this gap,” Luchmann said.