A RECENT call by Director, Childcare and Protection Agency, Anne Greene, for children to be protected from harm and abuse at all cost has also been underscored by Resident UNICEF Representative, Sylvie Fouet.

Greene, in a feature address to graduates of a Childcare Management Class 2019 by the Adult Education Association (AEA), said that data compiled by her department for the first quarter of 2019 revealed a total of 1277 reported cases that included 576 for neglect; 334 relating to abuse and 268 for physical abuse.

As such, she emphasised the need for childcare workers to be cognisant of their role of ensuring that the rights of children are not violated, while calling, too, for their protection from harm and abuse at all cost.

The Childcare and Protection Agency director further urged that good care be taken of today’s children, so that they can indeed be the future of the nation, as without them there will be no continuation of families and no existence of mankind. The caring for children requires affection, concern, time, energy, patience, observation and commitment, she noted.

Caregivers are also expected to be role models and examples for the children they serve, in order to enhance their lives and to promote learning, she added.

Often times children are not given due respect and their rights are violated with impunity, particularly their right to be free from harm and abuse, she added. The value placed on children must be at an all-time high, the Childcare and Protection Agency director reiterated, as she assured that the training for caregivers is highly supported by her agency.

The UNICEF Head of Mission had referenced the data, last week, during a ceremony to hand over $3.9M in equipment and supplies, donated by her organisation, to assist in providing a safe place for abused children in this country, it was reported.

The equipment and supplies that included desktop computers, cameras and tripods, televisions, chairs and desks, will be utilised by the Child Advocacy Centres in Regions One (Barima-Waini), Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), .

The equipment will be used to document and record stories of child sexual abuse, which will then be passed on to the Police and other relevant authorities. Fouet said that the relevance is linking the science with the counselling, something that was never done before as the capacity to do scientific documentation was lacking.

The Convention of the Rights of the Child sets out about 42 rights, including the Basic Rights which are the right to survival; the right to develop to the fullest, the right to participate fully in family, cultural and social life and the right to be protected from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation.