Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer has urged groups including non- governmental organizations, corporate sector, faith based organizations and community based organizations to support the government’s actions to protect and promote children’s rights and their needs. Minister Spencer was speaking recently at the 3rd anniversary church service of the Office of the Children’s Registry.

“We need to go back to the days when we had a strong and safe community for our children and where the village raised a child. As a community we have a responsibility to ensure that children are treated with respect, and their rights are honoured. We are their guardians.”

He says it is imperative that we continue to strengthen our institution, develop the policy and legislative framework, safeguard the rights of our children, implement policies and ensure the robust monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes. “Of equal importance is the need to coordinate and collaborate across state and non state actors. It is crucial that we document issues affecting children so that we can make informed policy decisions.”

Minister Spencer congratulated the children’s Registry for the part it has been playing for the past three years to protect the interests of children who have been abused by facilitating the public who wish to report these unfortunate incidents.

“I want to remind us that when we place children at the centre of the development agenda of our country, we are making a strategic investment in the future of our nation,” he said.

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Contact: MOH, Public Relations Unit - Tel: 967-1561