UNHCR opens child advocacy centre to protect children in Reg 1

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Refugee Agency, and its partner Blossom Inc., along with the Human Services & Social Security Ministry, Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) and the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) – Region 1, on Friday saw the official opening of a Child Advocacy Centre in Port Kaituma, Region 1 (Barima-Waini).
The Centre, the first of its kind in the region, is a one-stop-shop where children and caregivers can access services to prevent, respond and report physical and sexual abuse.
Managed by Blossom Inc, the Centre will convene specialized staff to address the needs of child violence survivors.
Services include psychosocial attention, therapy and trauma recovery support in different languages for all children, including refugee and local children. It will also manage and carry out outreach activities to increase awareness of child protection services in remote communities of region 1.
Cecilie Saenz Guerrero, Head of UNHCR’s office in Guyana, stated that violence against children often goes underreported, especially in remote areas without access to services.
She further pointed out that refugee and migrant children are more vulnerable, particularly when they do not speak the language of service providers.
According to the CPA, 3,129 cases of child abuse were recorded in 2020, a quarter of which were of sexual nature.
Milton Smith, CPA’s Senior Child Protection Officer with responsibility for region 1 stated that the region is one that has recorded one of the highest number of cases of child sexual abuse.
“Having such centre is very supportive and needed. It helps bring justice and will help make the perpetrators accountable for their actions”, Smith related.
Meanwhile, Ayodele Dalgety-Dean, Blossom Inc.’s Founder and Managing Director explained that collaboration and partnership are essential ingredients in the formula for protecting children in Guyana.
“UNHCR, Blossom Inc., Ministry of Human Services – Child Protection Agency and the multidisciplinary team partners want to take a step further in bringing child protection services to all children living in hard-to-reach hinterland communities”, the Director noted.
Guyana is host to an estimated 23,000 Venezuelan refugees and migrants who fled insecurity in their country and widespread shortages of basic items.
The risks of violence and abuse are higher during the cycle of displacement. The establishment of this centre – the seventh across the country – is part of UNHCR’s efforts to provide a protective environment for refugee, migrant and local children in Guyana.
Officials from the Ministry of Health, the Police, Immigration, the Prime Ministerial Office, Ministry of Education, the Regional Democratic Council and the Neighborhood Democratic Council, were also present at the event.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution.
The agency delivers life-saving assistance like shelter, food and water, help safeguard fundamental human rights, and develop solutions that ensure people have a safe place to call home where they can build a better future.