The Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO)’s Coalition for the Protection of Children and Youth will host its second Town Hall meeting on Wednesday 10th June at the Prevo Cinemall as efforts continue in raising awareness of child sexual abuse in Dominica.
Chairperson of the Coalition and representative of the National Youth Council (NYC), Delroy Williams told Dominica News Online that findings from the first Town Hall meeting will presented to key stakeholders within the child protection and child safety department across Dominica.
Williams stated also that the main objective of this Town Hall meeting is to give the various stakeholder an opportunity to address concerns to the general public, “also identifying their three main challenges in addressing child abuse and child protection and also presenting to the general public, through the NGO Coalition, that there are three strategies they intend to use to basically overcome those challenges and how the NGO Coalition and the general public can assist them in their mandate.”
“We understand that the issue in itself is not only an issue for the stakeholders or the agencies, it’s an issue for every Dominican so we are trying to facilitate a partnership in terms of moving forward and addressing the situation of child abuse and child protection,” he said.
Williams noted that the main areas the NGO Coalition wants to see addressed is a six-point ‘Call for Action’ which was outlined at the first meeting held on May 20th at the Public Service Union (PSU) Building in Roseau.
The areas include legal reform, child friendly court system, harsher sentencing, integrated protocol, mandatory reporting and a convicted sexual list.
Meantime he stated that the coalition will also be circulating a petition for signatures that will be sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Francine Baron, who in turn will present it to the United Nations.
“We expect persons who are present to also sign that petition, and she herself will present it to the United Nations in a meeting later down this year,” he explained. “So we will be Roseau next week Friday getting more signatures for the petition…”
Officials from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Youth, Social Services, the police, members of the judiciary and other key stakeholders are expected to be present at the Town Hall meeting.
The 12 members of the coalition are; Dominica National Council of Women, AGANAR, Dominica Association of Arts and Crafts Producers, CARIMAN, Child Fund, East Federation , West Federation, Dominica Planned Parenthood Association, Lifeline Ministries, Love One Teach One, National Youth Council of Dominica and Dominica Association of People with Disabilities.
It is encouraging to see the NOG Coalition moving forward.
I am an evangelist and have conducted gospel crusades throughout the Caribbean. My denomination is well represented in Dominica, and nobody cares more for the wellbeing of the nation’s children. The Lord Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me for the kingdom of God belongs to them.”
The Coalition is staying the course. From the beginning I have been impressed by the “Six Point Plan for Action”. It seems to me that these points are all equally important. Not one should be compromised. However the need for mandatory reporting is glaring. It should be required by law with a severe penalty for not complying.
People who don’t know where they are going often end up where they don’t want to be. Good organizations have failed for lack of goals. The Coalition has six goals that can make a difference in Dominica.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. International Evangelist.