– Agency Director
CHILD Protection Week, observed under the theme ‘Caring communities raise caring children – Protect them now’, ended Friday, but Director of the Child Care and Protection Agency, Mrs. Ann Greene, maintained that community involvement remains a must for effectiveness.

“We need to get people at the grassroots involved,” she told the Guyana Chronicle in an invited comment.

Minister Manickchand and children who participated in Child Protection Week activities.

Greene said the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has people on the ground but most violations of children’s rights are only brought to light because they are reported.

Consequently, the community people are the ones who act as the eyes and ears of the agency and allow it to be able to execute its functions to the maximum, she said.

Greene said much effort is being exerted to protect children for the reason that they are Guyana’s future.

“They are the ones who will lead Guyana, so we must protect them,” she reiterated.

According to Greene, society should be able to see protected children as productive citizens if they are given opportunity to fulfill their potential in life.

She said many individuals who are guilty of inflicting hurt on society have experienced some form of it in their early years.

A young adult making her hand print on the “STOP CHILD ABUSE” board.

Greene pointed out that if children grow with hurt, it is more than likely that they will, at some point in time, react.

In that context, the agency is hoping that the past week of activities will send the message of child protection across the country and spur people into action.

Mandate
The agency, established in July this year, has the mandate to implement policies and decisions in relation to the laws governing children; monitor child care facilities; intervene in cases where a child is abused or neglected; and protect vulnerable children.

It is also to function as an oversight and management committee for the related five pieces of legislation – Protection of Children’s Bill, the Status of Children’s Bill and the Adoption of Children’s Bill, which were recently passed in the National Assembly – and the Child Care and Development Services Bill and the Custody, Guardianship, Maintenance and Access Bill.

The agency is also responsible for addressing the concerns and decisions of the various boards created under the Children’s Act.

It facilitates a more protective, healthy and conducive environment for Guyana’s children and the activities to mark Child Protection Week were aimed at reiterating the importance of protecting them.

Child Protection week is observed in some 120 countries worldwide, but the first observance in Guyana was in 2004.

This year there were panel discussions by children on the issues of child abuse; Booth Day held around the city, debates in schools, broadcast television and radio talks by children and an art and craft exhibition.

Also a road show took place Friday in front of COURTS (Guyana) Inc. Main Street store.