CHILDREN’S RIGHTS
PROTECTING CHILDRENS’ RIGHTS IN JAMAICA
An urge for a paradigm shift and a beckoning for community participation in the protection of children from abuse.
Hon. Sharon Ffolkes-Abrahams is a Minister of State in Jamaica and an accomplished Attorney- at-Law. Called to the Jamaican Bar in 1981 and the Ontario Bar in 1985, she is a committed defender and human rights specialist successfully practicing in Ontario and at tribunals on immigration, human rights and criminal law. She has a passion for social justice, particularly for young people. The Minister has successfully implemented projects for youth education and employment especially within her constituency of West Central St. James, Montego Bay.
It appears that the silence is breaking in Jamaica over the reporting of sexual abuse as we witness an increase of the total number of reported sexual abuse cases in 2013. The Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR) statistics indicate a 23% increase of reported cases from the previous year. The majority of the victims in these cases were girls, though the number of boy victims has been increasing in recent years. Over half of the cases were deemed as carnal abuse (sex with a child under 16 years old), while the remaining cases were concluded as rapes, fondling, incest and oral sex. Amongst the devastating consequences of childhood sexual abuse are sexually transmitted infections and diseases, teenage pregnancy, interrupted education and psychological impairment. Many female victims have difficulty trusting males and engage in risky behaviours that put them at further risk of abuse and contracting sexually transmitted infections.
Reports of instances of child neglect are also on the rise, with over 5,000 cases reported to the OCR in 2013. Child neglect exposes children to unusual and unnecessary danger and has undeniably contributed to the missing children dilemma. The
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data suggests that there ought to be a link between child abuse and missing children. Between January and April of 2014, 656 children were reported missing, 415 of which returned home and two of which were found dead. Research on the topic also suggests that the lack of parental supervision, care and discipline that defines child neglect is also correlated with human trafficking.
Despite the alarming reality, we have embarked on a mission to attack the issues head on. Though Jamaica has a long way to go, our legislation, policy objectives and programmes reflect major strides in tackling these issues and fulfilling our international treaty obligations. The Jamaican government is undoubtedly dedicated to promoting and protecting human rights, especially the rights of the child. In 1991, the Government ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Significantly, the CRC was the subject matter of our most recent participation in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process which took place this year. Our consistent participation in the UPR process is only one of the ways in which we have attempted to adhere to our tripartite objective to respect, protect and fulfill the rights of
the child under the CRC. In relation to child abuse, neglect, maltreatment and exploitation, our respect is shown through the range of legislation we have implemented to facilitate the provision, protection and participation rights outlined in the CRC. One of our foundational legislative instruments is the Child Care and Protection Act (CCPA), 2004. It facilitates the establishment of specialized agencies and offices to increase protection, provision of care and participation of children. The present Act emphasizes the responsibility of parents and guardians to care and protect
“Despite the
alarming reality, we have embarked on a mission to attack the issues head on. The Jamaican government is undoubtedly dedicated to promoting and protecting human rights, especially the rights of the child.”
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