Keeping children safe
Ensuring that every child is protected
Challenges
For too many children in the Eastern Caribbean, their daily reality means exposure to violence, exploitation and abuse which may be sexual, physical or emotional and can inflict lasting damage.
The statistics are stark. Across the Latin America and Caribbean region some 40 per cent of girls aged 15 to 19 have experienced partner violence. Corporal punishment is still an everyday reality for many children.
It is allowed in homes in all 12 of the countries and territories served by the UNICEF Office for the Eastern Caribbean Area and only three countries have so far banned it in schools (Anguilla, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago).
Child-on-child violence is also an issue, and, in some countries, nearly half of all children report experiencing this kind of violence, with significant percentages also reporting bullying.
Building mental health resilience is a key priority. A 2024 survey of children and young people found that 75% of respondents felt the need to ask for help with their mental health. In addition, a UN survey of Latin American and Caribbean youth reported that in the aftermath of COVID-19, seven out of every 10 respondents were experiencing mental health challenges due to the pandemic’s impact.
The solution
UNICEF is working with partners to ensure that each and every child and adolescent in the Eastern Caribbean Area grows up in a safe, nurturing environment, feeling protected in all areas of life: at home, at school, online and if they should find themselves in conflict with the law.
We are striving to strengthen child protection legal frameworks through the introduction of model child protection and child justice bills; advocating for laws that ban corporal punishment in public settings; championing child-friendly justice systems and diversionary programmes; and building the capacity of judicial and child protection bodies.
We are supporting: the development of family violence prevention and national child safeguarding strategies; interagency protocols for the prevention and management of child abuse; and enhance case management and collaboration across sectors through integrated child protection information management systems. Our efforts also include systems strengthening for a comprehensive survivor-centered response to violence against children in all its forms and settings, and social and behaviour change strategies to foster culture shift towards non-violent discipline, positive parenting and addressing harmful social norms.
Mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) interventions include pioneering interactive systems such as the mental health chatline and the MyChild Helpline app; mapping of MHPSS policies and programmes and launching the region’s first ever child and youth mental health resources website. We have expanded youth advocacy and engagement around mental health with youth-led organizations and created network of Caribbean mental health focal points. Extensive ‘Psychological First Aid’ training has also been undertaken with the aim of providing community-based mental health support.
HUMANITARIAN ACTION
Prior to an emergency UNICEF works to ensure climate-resilient child protection systems are in place. In an emergency, UNICEF works with partners, at regional, national and community levels, to protect children from heightened risk of violence, exploitation and abuse, including family separation, and support their psychosocial well-being and recovery.