A NEW facility is to be established to make it easier to prosecute perpetrators who commit sexual abuse of children, and also cater for the recovery of victims.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed yesterday, formalising a partnership among the Child Care and Protection Agency, Forward Guyana and Child Link with regard to the establishment of the first ‘One Stop Centre’ for victims of child sexual abuse in Guyana.
Signing the document at the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security were Minister Jennifer Webster; Head, Child Care and Protection Agency, Ann Greene; Director, Forward Guyana Chantelle Haynes; and Director, Child Link, Reverend Dr. Kwame Gilbert.
Greene explained that the aim is to ensure an integrated approach to addressing child abuse by putting in one place the representatives from the many units, that is law enforcement, child protection, prosecution care, mental health, and medical and victim care.

She explained that the representatives of the different organisations will work together to make decisions about investigation, treatment, management and prosecution of child abuse cases.
“The whole purpose is to bring together collaborative partners in child protection services and child advocacy for a coordinated response to better serve abused children, and even to prevent abuse,” she said.
Greene said that the establishment of the One Stop Centre would effectively lessen the number of children falling through because of the ‘crack’ in the system that is the lack of connectivity among the agencies.
It will also avoid duplication, especially as it relates to the abused victims providing a report on the incident. “A child could tell the hurt one time to all the parties concerned, that interview will be recorded and it could be used later on in court and so on,” she said.
The partners are hoping that operating at this level would ensure effective prosecution of perpetrators and it is also a way to bring professional help to the child, she added.
The centre will also provide follow-up services to the child.
Child advocacy centres have been operating for over 30 years in the United States with great success, but this will be the first such centre in Guyana and in South America.
Director, Forward Guyana, Chantelle Haynes said that the organisation was proud to be a part of what she described as a true partnership among the state, NGOs, the private sector and the Diaspora. “I think we have joined hands to improve child protection services for our children, and we have demonstrated when we work together we can do great things for our country,” she said.
Forward Guyana has been able to raise funds for the first year of operation of the Centre from the Guyanese Diaspora, Haynes said, and that it has also got support from companies like Courts and Digicel to furnish the centre.
Director, Child Link, Rev. Kwame Gilbert explained that the NGO’s role in the partnership is to provide psychological and social support for the Centre’s operations. It has committed to providing counsellors for the first year of operation and to support education for those persons who would be involved in the operation.
The signing of the MoU forms part of the activities to mark Child Protection Week which is being observed under the theme, “Joining Hands for effective Child Protection Services”.
Rev. Gilbert said that the theme is apt, as it helps stakeholders to recognise that, “we cannot see the transformation that is required to create a stable environment for children outside of partnerships like the one we are pursuing.” (GINA)