RCC highlights child abuse in hinterland at Human Rights Expo

The Rights of the Child Commission (RCC) stood out among the 43 exhibitors at the recent Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Expo at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), highlighting the critical issue of child abuse in Guyana’s hinterland communities and its commitment to ending the scourge.
Ambassador from the Rights of the Child Commission, Attiya Griffith, revealed that over the years, there have been numerous cases of child abuse affecting children in the hinterland regions. Griffith made these remarks during the expo, where the Rights of the Child Commission had one of the featured booths.
“What we’ve noticed over the years is that many children are being employed, particularly in the hinterland areas of Guyana. What we do is speak to community leaders to address and resolve these issues,” Griffith stated.

According to Griffith, the Commission has been making several efforts to reduce child abuse rates within the hinterland communities.
“The Rights of the Child Commission follows the 54 Articles of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child, and we aim to promote children’s rights and equality in Guyana,” she explained.
She also highlighted another concerning trend in which the commission has been dealing with: “Most of the cases we deal with involve a wide range of domestic and sexual abuse, and some cases even involve children who have been murdered. I remember one case where a student’s siblings would leave him on the trail on his way to school, and the teachers wouldn’t account for him. We had to resolve that issue.”

The Commission showcased several key pieces of legislation, including the Sexual Offences Act, the Status of Children Act, and a complaints mechanism to share with the public.
Meanwhile, Outreach Coordinator, Jessica Hussein from the ED YOU FM booth highlighted the radio station’s efforts to educate people in the hinterland by setting up radio stations in those communities.
“We don’t usually get into the hinterland, so from the public’s perspective, having a radio station is incredibly valuable. A simple radio means a lot to them. We are currently working on a radio distribution project, and hopefully by next year, we can have a radio preschool in the hinterland region,” Hussein said.
Richard Budhu, of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), part of the Ministry of Natural Resources, also addressed the importance of public awareness. At the event, he emphasised the need for the public to be well-informed about the country’s natural resources.
“The people of Guyana must understand the benefits of the extractive industries and natural resources. People don’t always realise that these resources belong to us—the people of the country, not anyone else. We have to decide how we use them,” Budhu stated.
He further emphasised the importance of transparency and public involvement in combating corruption. “Corruption doesn’t start with the people—it starts at the top. But it also starts with us, the civilians, at the bottom. We need your help to stop it, so we ask the public to get involved,” he urged.
In his commitment to transparency, Budhu added that the Ministry of Natural Resources is working to reduce potential corruption and encouraged the public to engage with the Ministry through their website. “We’re advising people to visit our website, GYEITI, to learn more. This initiative is relatively new for the country, and even though we’ve been here since 2017, very few Guyanese know about it,” he explained.
“We at the Ministry of Natural Resources are trying to address this issue. We need people to visit our website, read the reports, and make sure everything is in order. Remember, the resources belong to the people, not just the Government,” he concluded
The year’s two-day exhibition is being held in observance of International Anti-Corruption Day and features some 43 exhibitors.
However, the Prime Minister explained that corruption poses a significant threat to the ideology of democracy, as such he noted that the Government is committed to developing policies and frameworks aimed at bolstering the anti-corruption landscape in Guyana. (G2)