Multidisciplinary Group Launched in Region 9
to Tackle Sexual Exploitation and GBV
(October 13, 2025, Georgetown, Guyana): A groundbreaking multidisciplinary group has been officially launched in Lethem, Region 9, as part of a broader initiative to strengthen prevention and response systems for Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
This significant milestone was announced during the recently concluded Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) & Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Awareness and Capacity Building Workshop, organized in collaboration with UNICEF, ChildLinK Guyana, the Rights of the Child Commission-Guyana, and the Indigenous Peoples’ Commission. Over three days, key community and regional stakeholders participated in intensive training and dialogue.
The newly established multidisciplinary group includes representatives from the Ministries of Education, Human and Security Services and Health, the Guyana Police Force, the Regional Democratic Council, ChildLinK, Toshaos, youth leaders, teachers, health and social workers, and other community leaders. Together, they will drive a sustainable, community-led response to SEA and GBV across Region 9.
“We are building a network of trusted, informed individuals across sectors who are ready to respond, support survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable. The workshop is not just about awareness, it’s about action,” said Ms. Jewell Crosse, Youth and Adolescent Development Officer at UNICEF Guyana and Suriname.”
The initiative comes in response to increasing reports of abuse, particularly against children, in region 9. The workshop sessions addressed key topics including community safeguarding, survivor-centered approaches, child protection systems, and the development of safe spaces. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on real-life experiences, barriers to reporting, and grassroots solutions.
“Since the opening of the Child Advocacy Centre in Region 9, we’ve seen a troubling rise in child sexual abuse cases,” said Ms. Omattie Madray, Executive Director of ChildLinK. “This partnership is about building unified systems to better protect and respond,” she added.
Mr. Brian Allicock, outgoing Regional Chairman underscored the need for infrastructure to support survivors, including the long-awaited establishment of a domestic violence shelter. “This is not just a Region 9 issue, it’s a global issue. But we can lead by example. Let us return to our communities and advocate for real change,” he urged.
Echoing this call, Ms. Nicole Cole of the Women and Gender Equality Commission emphasized the urgency of accountability. “When it comes to protection, there must be no room for failure. Every child and every individual in Guyana deserve justice,” she said.
The launch of the multidisciplinary team marks a pivotal step in advancing a zero-tolerance approach to SEA and GBV in Region 9. It represents a renewed, collective commitment to protecting children, women, and vulnerable individuals, and building safer, more resilient communities across the region.
Media contacts
About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.
For more information about UNICEF and its work for children, visit www.unicef.org.
