Jamaicans Urged to Recommit to Safeguarding Children’s Rights

Jamaicans are being urged to use the observation of Child Month in May to recommit to safeguarding the rights of the nation’s children.

Senior Director in the Children’s Affairs Policy Division in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Hyacinth Blair, made the call as she addressed Thursday’s (April 10) media launch of Child Month 2025, under the theme ‘Act Now! Stand Against Child Abuse and Exploitation’, at GraceKennedy Limited in downtown Kingston.

“Let us not only celebrate the joy and potential of our children but also renew our pledge to defend their rights and dignity,” she said.

“Let us do so now, not tomorrow, not next year, but today, because every moment matters in the life of a child,” she added.

She noted that the Ministry remains resolute in its efforts to protect children through stronger policy measures, education campaigns, and partnerships.

“We’re also working closely with key partners, both government and non-government, to ensure that every child is given a safe, nurturing environment in which they can grow or learn,” she affirmed.

Noting the significance of the theme, Ms. Blair said it is a timely reminder that “each of us, whether as policymakers, educators, parents, guardians, or citizens of goodwill, that we share a collective duty to protect the rights and well-being of our children”.

She implored Jamaicans to stand up against child abuse and report all known or suspected incidents.

She said that there is often a culture of silence surrounding child abuse and “we need to break that”.

Ms. Blair encouraged members of the public to utilise anonymous tools such as 211 and 311 to report cases of child abuse, adding that community vigilance is vital in safeguarding children.

“We need to look out and to see our neighbour’s children and to see what is happening in our neighborhoods,” she said.

Meanwhile, she informed that the Ministry will be hosting several activities in May in observation of Child Month.

These activities, she said, are aimed at raising awareness and empowering children and include ‘31 Days of Rights’, a daily campaign to promote awareness of children’s rights.

There will also be two ‘Child Conversations’. The first edition will take place at the Llandilo School of Special Education in Westmoreland, with a focus on special needs children.

“A lot of times we overlook our special needs children, and so we want to do something special for them, to provide a platform for them to have a great day on National Children’s Day,” Ms. Blair shared.

The second Child Conversation, titled ‘Wellness Bench Lime’, will be hosted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness and will target schools in Clarendon and St. Ann, with a focus on student mental health.

“We will be targeting schools in those areas for that initiative,” Ms. Blair said.