The Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security is inviting the public to support its efforts to promote children’s right to life without abuse as it observes Child Protection Week from Monday.
According to a press release, this annual event is hosted by the Child Care and Protection Agency to raise the level of awareness of child abuse in order to propel individuals and groups into action to keep children safe. The week of activities will be held from September 18-24.
The release said Child Protection Week is observed in over 120 countries around the world. It was first observed in Guyana in 2004 to “promote the value of children, to focus attention on the issues of child abuse and neglect, and to encourage local groups to participate in prevention activities.”
This year’s activities are being hosted under the theme ‘Community Partnerships for Child Protection.’ The agency says it reflects the need to forge partnerships with community groups, including religious bodies, to secure positive outcomes for children. The agency is inviting the public to partner with it to help it watch over children as most abuse is perpetrated in the home. “If something does not look right with a child, it probably is not right,” the agency said, urging persons to “do something about it.” The agency urges the public to call its hotline number at 227-0979 to report instances of abuse or suspected abuse.
