The Inter American Children´s Institute (IIN) of the Organization of American States (OAS) and The Caribbean Child Development Centre (CCDC), University of the West Indies Open Campus (UWIOC) in collaboration with The Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN) held a Caribbean Virtual Forum (CVF) on November 18th, 2014 at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Learning Centre via teleconference.
Seven sites of the University of the West Indies (Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St Vincent, and Trinidad) joined in the discussions.
The objectives of the CVF were:
* To make a contribution to the XXI Pan-American Child and Adolescent Congress from a Caribbean perspective.
* To foster the leadership skills of children and adolescents, promoting their participation in issues in which they have a stake.
* To disseminate information and provide a forum for examination of the issue of violence against children and adolescents.
UWI Open Campus Deputy Principal and former Head of CCDC, Professor Julie Meeks emphasized that children’s participation is extremely crucial. Children have the right to participate as citizens and promoting meaningful and quality participation of children and adolescents is essential to ensuring their growth and development.
Education Specialist of Office of the Children’s Registry, Jamaica, Ms. Julia Smiley-Green, presented on the systems of Juvenile Justice: Children and adolescents in conflict with the law. She presented statistics to highlight the types of violence behaviours perpetuated by children in police custody in Jamaica. It is believed that a better understanding of these children would allow for timely interventions before they come in contact or conflict with the law.
The CVF sought to focus the attention of stakeholders across the Caribbean on key issues related to the XXI Pan-American Child and Adolescent Congress. The XXI Pan-American Child and Adolescent Congress will be held from December 9-12, 2014 in the city of Brasilia, and will be hosted by the Government of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The Congress theme will be “Childhood and Adolescence: Building a Peaceful Environment” and will address issues relating to children and adolescents under the following areas:
* Violence against children and adolescents
* Systems of juvenile justice
* Sexual exploitation of children and adolescents
Also the 2nd Pan-American Child and Adolescent Forum, which forms part of theXXI Pan-American Congress, will take place on December 9-12, 2014 at the same venue. The objectives of the 2nd Pan American Forum are:
* To generate leadership among adolescents.
* To raise awareness on the issue of violence against children
Photo (top): Forum facilitator Dr. Priya Anaokar (left) at the Caribbean Virtual Forum held at the UWI Learning Centre via teleconference on November 18, 2014.
Photo (bottom): Professor Julie Meeks, Deputy Principal, UWI Open Campus and former Head of CCDC and Dr. Priya Anaokar, CCDC’s Knowledge Specialist at the Caribbean Virtual Forum held at the UWI Learning Centre via teleconference on November 18, 2014.
