Child protection

KINGSTON, MARCH 15, 2024 The findings of the 2022 Jamaica Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey have been released to provide policy makers with data to support Jamaica’s efforts towards achieving the 2030 Agenda and the National Development Plan. The Jamaica Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) was carried out in 2022 by the Planning Institute of…

The Jamaica Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) was carried out in 2022 by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), as part of the Global MICS Programme. Technical support was provided…

UNICEF is deeply concerned about the proposed amendments to the Child Care and Protection Act (CCPA), which will be presented for debate in the Houses of Parliament early this year. The amendments allow for a child who is 14, and is convicted of capital murder, to be sentenced to imprisonment for life or for such other term not less than 50 years…

When we invest in our children by pouring into them the societal values and attitudes that we want to be known for, then we will reap the benefits of a kinder, gentler community of productive and progressive youth. One way to achieve this is through intervention programmes that recognize the potential of our children and young people to rise above…, Let’s look at the success story of Peter, Peter was sixteen (16) years old when he got entangled with the law and was referred to the child diversion programme. Initially, he was not so sure about the programme. Peter shared that one of his responsibilities, while in the programme, was to never miss his weekly sessions with the counsellor. He was hesitant and even a little annoyed. He…, What’s UNICEF doing?, UNICEF Jamaica is working with the National Child Diversion Programme in a multi-faceted way. UNICEF supports the training of clinical psychologists and diagnosticians, who assess participants who are referred to the diversion programme. UNICEF also ensures that evidence-based assessment tools were provided to facilitate these assessments. We are…

KINGSTON, 23 August 2023 – Children and adolescents in the Child Diversion Programme of the Ministry of Justice will benefit from new assessment tools which were handed over today by UNICEF. The assessment tools are designed to help the Child Diversion team to formulate individualised intervention plans for each child. Expressing appreciation for…

Myesha Broadie, a reporter and presenter from Irie FM won the UNICEF Award for Excellence in Reporting on Children’s Rights at the 2022 Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) National Journalism Awards for her documentary “Children’s Cry” which highlights the effects of crime on the nation’s children. Myesha reflects upon her experience – learning…, Giving voice to the children , In 2021, I visited the community of Chapleton in Clarendon, where four children and their mother were brutally killed and seeing the pain first-hand made me realise that Jamaica has a terrible crime and violence problem and not even babies are safe. I knew I had to do something about this, even if it was just to raise awareness.   I had been…, Learning how crime is affecting our children , Crime steals the dreams of our children. Even those who survived are suffering from physical injuries or psychological traumas, living in fear for the rest of their lives.   Crime and violence affect how children learn. In the case of Nesean, he had to be out of school due to his injuries, while Giana could not concentrate at school because she…, What's UNICEF doing? , UNICEF partners with the Press Association of Jamaica to present the annual  ‘Award for Excellence in Reporting on Children’s Rights'  to journalists whose work highlights issues affecting children. This is a part of UNICEF’s wider work to strengthen reporting on children’s issues. UNICEF is also engaging journalists in discussions around the…

KINGSTON, 12 JANUARY 2023 – UNICEF is deeply concerned about the findings of the Office of the Children’s Advocate’s (OCA) report Questionable Relationship between the Child Protection & Family Services Agency (CPFSA) and Embracing Orphans/Carl Robanske . The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) , of which Jamaica is a signatory,…

This evaluation is the first comprehensive attempt to gather and analyse evidence about the application of the Jamaica CPS. It has two overall purposes: to contribute to learning and decision-making with a view to improving programming of the Government of Jamaica (specifically Child Protection Services) and UNICEF (particularly the redevelopment…

Recently we met some bright young people whose eyes were glowing with the firm belief that together we can end violence against children. “We look forward to the revolutionary era where children are to be seen and also to be heard,” says Theo, one of the youth participants at the National Policy Dialogue on Ending Violence Against Children,…, Andrew Johnson, 26, Member of Youth Advisory Council of Jamaica, What type of discipline do you think helped you as a child? I have experienced corporal punishment as a child. I don’t think it helped me to change into the person I am now. What really helped me is the social intervention programmes. Whenever I feel loved, whenever I feel like this person is connected to me, I respect the person and I was more…, Theo KnightTomlinson, 18, Member of CPFSA Children’s Advisory Panel, "Spare the rod and spoil the child" From a biblical standpoint, the Lord didn’t physically beat anyone. He spoke to them repeatedly and repeatedly. He tries to correct them a number of times until they open up their mind to take the knowledge given from Him. He knows the person will change, so you don’t spare the rod and spoil the child. Also, if…, Andre Witter, Co-Founder/Executive Director for Jamaica Deaf Youth Advocacy, Impacting all five senses We must remember that corporal punishment does not simply include physical and verbal abuse. Punishment is also associated with the five senses: sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch. Children learn to fear when they watch their parents or adults take up a stick, belt, or whatever, and they interpret the circumstances…, What's UNICEF doing?, UNICEF continues to support the implementation of Jamaica’s National Plan of Action for an Integrated response to Children and Violence (NPACV). Specifically, UNICEF assisted in establishing the Inter Sectoral Committee on Children and Violence and its four Technical Working Groups and supported the development of (i) the NPACV’s Monitoring and…

Please download and read this Terms of Reference document to apply to conduct National Study on the Opportunities and Risks of Children’s Internet Use.

Fair Play – Child Protection in Youth Sports Programmes (A Coaching Manual) was designed by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and UNICEF for use by coaches in the Caribbean involved in sports. Coaches can use the manual to care for children in such a way that neither they nor others cause harm to children, and to report and record all concerns…

This 2019 edition of  The State of the World’s Children  (SOWC) examines the issue of children, food and nutrition, providing a fresh perspective on a rapidly evolving challenge. Despite progress in the past two decades, one third of children under age 5 are malnourished – stunted, wasted or overweight – while two thirds are at risk of…