THE Ministry of Social Protection, Childcare and Protection Agency, and UNICEF, in collaboration with local NGO Blossom Inc., formally opened a new Children’s Advocacy Centre (CAC) in Bartica.

The opening of a centre in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) brings to six the number of such facilities launched to date across Guyana. The decision to open a centre in Bartica was based on the high incidence of child sexual abuse cases in the region.

CACs operate using a Multi-Disciplinary Team approach in which professionals from several disciplines, including law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, mental health, medical and victim support advocates, work in partnership to make decisions about the investigation, treatment, management and prosecution of child abuse cases.
CACs are also known as ‘One Stop Centres’ where children and their non-offending family members receive all the services and support that they require, all in one place.
Present at the Bartica opening were the township’s Mayor, Mr Gifford Marshall; UNICEF Deputy Representative to Guyana and Suriname, Mr Paolo Marchi; Deputy Director of the Childcare and Protection Agency, Ms Tionna October; Managing Director of Blossom Inc., Mrs Ayo Dalgety-Dean; Officer-in-Charge of Region Seven, Mr Khemraj Shivbaran and other stakeholders from the Ministry of Education Schools Welfare Department, Red Thread and the Gender Affairs Committee of Region Seven.

In his address, Mr Marshall said he was happy that systems were put in place to open such a centre in the town, and that he not only embraces the project but believes it is a step in the right direction.
Ms October said child protection is everyone’s business, as the State cannot address child protection issues on its own.
“It takes a collaborative effort to deliver caring and effective services,” she said, adding:
“The one-stop centres are established for children who have been victims of child sexual abuse to provide much-needed support for forensic interviews, aftercare services and to bring perpetrators to justice.”
UNICEF’s Mr Marchi recalled President Granger’s identifying Region Seven as leading the “green initiative” and humbly added to this sentiment by urging residents to be a “green state” free from all forms of violence against children.

He said that with the opening of the new centre, Bartica has moved one step forward in defending children’s rights and ensuring all are protected from violence, neglect and abuse.
On the issue of violence against children, Mr Marchi emphasised that apart from providing services, raising awareness and changing legislation, there needs to be a shift in mindset, which he believes is the next important step.

He stated that parents often think violence is a good way to raise their children, or an appropriate response to a child’s undesirable behavior. However, this is not the case; it is important to understand the reasons why such an approach is used, and work towards changing societal mindset in that regard.

Mrs Dalgety-Dean stressed the importance of the multi-disciplinary way of working to safeguard our children and emphasised the goal which is to coordinate a timely, comprehensive, and multi-disciplinary response to child sexual abuse and child abuse in general.

The CAC will provide our children with a safe, agency-neutral, child-focused setting where they will only be required to relate their traumatic experience once. She went on to state that CAC is part of the system being implemented to combat child sexual abuse.
Other keynote speakers included Vice-Chairwoman, Olinda Griffith and Michelle Amsterdam, Programme Coordinator for Blossom Inc. Ms Griffith expressed her appreciation for the CAC in the Region while Ms Amsterdam thanked all stakeholders for their involvement and continued support in the project.

The Ministry of Social Protection, Childcare and Protection Agency continues to keep at its helm the protection of children from all forms of abuse and the eradication of this scourge from our Nation.