Violence against Children in the spotlight at Caribbean meeting co-organized by SRSG Marta Santos Pais

Kingston (Jamaica) 15 May 2012 - Caribbean leaders converged at the Jamaica Conference Centre May 14-15, to discuss stepping up efforts to tackle the regional epidemic of violence against children.

Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) on Violence against Children, Marta Santos Pais, and Jamaica’s Minister of Youth and Culture the Hon. Lisa Hanna, were among 150 delegates from CARICOM Member-States, civil society groups and adolescents who participated in the meeting. 

The meeting was hosted by the Government of Jamaica and co-organized with the SRSG, the Global Movement for Children in Latin America and the Caribbean and CARICOM.

The UNVAC study – the most comprehensive global report on violence against children – was presented to the UN General Assembly in 2006. It includes several recommendations, including: the creation of coordination mechanisms at the national and local levels to support the protection of children against all forms of violence; the development of related comprehensive public policies, strategies and integrated plans;  and legal reforms.

The Caribbean Consultation built upon the 2011 South American Sub-Regional meeting held in Asunción, Paraguay and the Central American Meeting held in the Dominican Republic. Both meetings were co-organized by the SRSG and the Global Movement and led to important political regional commitments to strengthen children’s protection from all forms of violence.

Kingston Declaration adopted at the meeting