Child Abuse Sensitisation Marches on Friday

Children across the island will participate in a series of child-abuse sensitisation marches on Friday (November 18).

The marches, organised by the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), are part of activities to mark World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse, which will be observed internationally on Saturday (November 19).

Public Relations and Corporate Communications Manager at the CPFSA, Kristen Laing, told JIS News that the decision was taken to have marches this year instead of candlelight vigils, to encourage greater turnout and support from the public.

Hundreds of students representing schools from the northeast, southeast, southern and western regions of the CPFSA are expected to participate in this ‘Stop the Silence, End the Violence! Children’s March and Remembrance Rally’.

Ms. Laing told JIS News that the parishes in which the marches will be held have reported the highest number of child-abuse cases. For the southeast region, which covers Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Catherine and St. Thomas, the march will start at St. William Grant Park, downtown Kingston and culminate at the Secret Garden Monument at the corner of Tower and Church Streets. For the northeast region (Portland, St. Mary, St. Ann), the march is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. at the St. Ann’s Bay roundabout, going through the town and ending at the St. Ann’s Bay Parish Library.

St. Elizabeth will be the focus in the southern region, with the march to start at the JAG Myers Park at 9:00 a.m., travel along the main street then back to the Park. This region also covers the parishes of St. Elizabeth, Clarendon and Manchester.

Meanwhile, in the western region (Westmoreland, Hanover, Trelawny and St. James), the march will be held in Westmoreland, starting at 9:00 a.m. The marchers will go from downtown Great George’s Street then on to Independence Park in Savanna-la-mar.

Schools are being asked to create banners denouncing child abuse for students to display as they march.

Ms. Laing said that each march will culminate with a rally, mini concert and a remembrance activity in honour of all the children who died under tragic circumstances from November 2021 to October 2022. “Members of the public are being invited to join the marches and let their voices be heard, because as a nation we must stand together against child abuse,” she said.

Activities will continue on Saturday (November 19) with a church service at Andrews Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church at 11:00 a.m. This event will be streamed live on the CPFSA’s YouTube page.

The commemorative events end on Sunday (November 20) with the celebration of Universal Children’s Day, under the theme ‘Equality and Inclusion for Every Child’.

Children officers assigned to the CPFSA will read messages in churches across the island denouncing child abuse and sharing ways to protect children from abuse.