Early Childhood Years

Early Childhood Years

Primary School Years

Primary School Years

Adolescence

Adolescence

 

Adolescence

Social Environment

Guyanese adolescents face a wide range of challenges such as unemployment, violence and lack of opportunities. The spread of HIV/AIDS is also increasingly affecting youth, especially young girls. Adolescents are more and more victims of violent criminal behaviour and they have limited opportunities for participation in civil society and decision making concerning their own development. Because of poverty and migration, the traditional family and community structures are weakened. Service providers and care givers have little understanding of the problems affecting adolescents and often do not encourage their active participation and empowerment.

The persistence of domestic and community violence, often involving children as perpetrators as well as victims in Guyana is a major concern. There is an increase in domestic violence and little legal redress and services for the victims of abuse and violence especially children.  Although the absence of effective reporting mechanisms does not allow for a true picture of numbers, sexual abuse and exploitation of minors continues to be a major concern. The consensus is that the root causes of this violence are not being addressed and instead interventions focus on punitive responses to the symptoms rather than prevention, rehabilitation and social integration.

Sexual and Reproductive Health

Generally there is a gap in provision of appropriate services for adolescents, especially in the area of reproductive health and this has now become an urgency given the risk of HIV/AIDS and teenage pregnancies.   HIV/AIDS prevalence is estimated at 2.5 per cent, one of the highest rates in the Caribbean. AIDS is the leading cause of death among adults aged 24-44.  As such Government has prioritized reversing the epidemic, paying special attention to three areas: access to prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services; care and treatment; and reduction of transmission, especially among adolescents.

In Guyana an adolescent health policy and action plan that integrates HIV/AIDS prevention was approved. There is considerable progress in peer education and access to counselling and testing services, especially through the PEPFAR programme. UNICEF and UNFPA have been supporting the Government and NGOs to develop more youth friendly health services, including reproductive health, HIV testing and counselling and basic life skills. Social mobilisation strategies are also being used to promote positive behaviour change (Xchange and Me to You Campaign). 

Recent behavioural surveillance surveys among in-school and out-of-school young people indicated that the level of correct knowledge about prevention and transmission of HIV is fairly high, especially among the in-school youth, and around 60 per cent of young people reportedly used a condom at first sex. Guyana is one of two countries in the region that are part of the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)

Education and Welfare

Although Guyana has committed to the Caricom Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) programme little progress has been made in its implementation through the school system.  Progress has been rather slow though its policy was accepted since 2001. The period 2005 - 2006 witnessed the inclusion of HFLE on the time-table for Grades 1 and 2 nationally and infusion techniques being introduced  for all other grades. Curriculum guides, activity guides and facilitator's manuals are now in place.  The formal roll out of HFLE began in 2006 in one of the 10 regions in Guyana.  All teachers in this region have had specilised training in life skills methodologies.

Also of major concern in ensuring that all children have their rights, is the growing number of children in institutional care and the lack of alternatives and the poor quality of these institutions. The majority of children enter these facilities because of economic and social reasons, hence the importance of work carried out by several partner  NGOs providing community support for vulnerable children, thus preventing institutionalisation. Plans and mechanisms for foster care and care provision monitoring systems are therefore high priorities for UNICEF.