Child Care and Protection Awareness Campaign Continues

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Children in Antigua and Barbuda are set to benefit hugely from a new Government initiative aimed at protecting them and enriching their lives.   

On September 15th 2021, The Ministry of Social Transformation, Human Resource Development and the Blue Economy, with the support of UNICEF’s Office for the Eastern Caribbean Area, launched a public relations campaign to raise awareness of the newly approved National Child Protection Policy.

The policy seeks to break poverty cycles across generations to ensure that children live satisfying, productive lives within their families and communities. A key component of this awareness campaign is to educate children about their rights. They have a right to:

  1. Be protected from harm
  2. Be educated
  3. Participate and express themselves

Since then, a series of information-sharing activities via radio, television, newspapers and social media has been executed. A key activation within this campaign was a School Tour. The  Family and Social Services Division visited the New Field Primary, Jennings Primary and Sir Novel Academy to educate children about their rights in an intimate setting. The school tour was indeed a game-changer as children’s voices go unheard on important issues which concern them, but now, and in the future, they know they have rights.

“Too often in homes, schools and even in our communities, the voices of our children go unnoticed. Regardless of our tradition or religion, the opinions of our children should be taken into consideration and not adults assuming what they think is best,” said the Director of Family and Social Services Division, Mrs. Feona Charles-Richards.

Minister responsible, the Hon. Dean Jonas, said he was pleased with progress so far but that it was just the beginning. “Phase one of this campaign is simply phase one. This means we’re only getting started. However, we can’t do it alone. We need every adult in Antigua and Barbuda to familiarize themselves with the new Child Protection Policy to help guide and protect our children” he maintained.

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10 COMMENTS

  1. Why not start your child care and protection campaign by firstly raising the age of consent from 16 years.
    Lol the of consent in Antigua is 16 yet you complain of many ills but the thing you can easily fix you do nothing.
    As all things Antigua do nothing , lay down play dead then complain
    16 is still a child or maybe some like it the way it because grown men get to mess with the; “young girls” 🤮

  2. This is great, I guess. Children should be made aware of their rights e.g. to express themselves and e.g. to be safe so that they can be aware if someone is trying to take advantage of them. However, rights should always be balanced with responsibilities. So, they should also be told of their responsibility to respect the expressions or views of other children and to respect the fact that the adults have more life experience than they do. I have observed a lot of conflict between children because they don’t respect the other child’s right to a different opinion. I have also observed children almost putting themselves in harms way, telling adults things like “I can do my own thing.” while making some very bad choices. So, balance is important. Well-meaning adults do often know better. However, adults should always consider the child’s point of view since they often have useful insight into many situations.

  3. Thank you Minister and Ministry of Social Transformation.

    also keep policy to keep them far away from CONVICTED PEDOPHILES (e.g. IAN MAGIC HUHGES OF UPP’s CRUSADER RADIO)

  4. We must know this and never, never forget it:
    “A people without knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”
    “It takes a village to raise a child”, an African proverb! We must develop a culture of HUMAN RESPECT for each other with APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR. In all the villages, we have our grandmas, grandpas, seniors – aunts and uncles – who do not have titles before their names and alphabet letters (A-Z) after their names but who are wise and knowledgeable from life’s experiences. They are our JUDGES and JURORS, accepted and approved in our villages. We must humble ourselves, communicate and collaborate with them for their guidance of our youths.
    SAVE OUR HUMANITY, SAVE OUR YOUTHS, SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT,SAVE OUR SOIL!

    Blessings!

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