600 Children delegates for National Children’s Summit

More than 600 children delegates from across the  island are attending the first ever National Children’s Summit being held at Jamaica Conference Centre Thursday August 22, 2014.

The Summit is being organised by the Child Development Agency — an agency of the Ministry of Youth and Culture — under the theme ‘Creating Opportunities for Vulnerable Children – Opening Doors to Securing a Brighter Future’.

The Summit provides a platform for children to present their concerns, thoughts, desires, ideas and recommendations on any matter to the leadership of the child care and protection sector, including the Minister of Youth and Culture, the Honourable Lisa Hanna, MP.

Addressing the opening session this morning, Minister Hanna said the hosting of the Summit was in keeping with the Ministry’s strategic push to increase the involvement of children in decision making

Minister Hanna said:

“I believe that our children and young people can contribute to finding solutions for the challenges that we face.  I am proud that over the past year we have initiated several new initiatives to give our children a voice including: the establishment of the Children’s Advisory Panel (within the CDA), the Child Ambassador Programme (within the Office of the Children’s Registry), as well as several Strategic Meetings with children and youth for their input and now today this Children’s Summit.

“This Summit is about us working together to create a safer Jamaica for all children.  I look forward to the deliberations and to receiving directly from our children their concerns, ideas and recommendations