United approach necessary to eliminate child abuse, bullying – Min Persaud 

Following a recent rise in violence in schools, Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud has reiterated a call for a collaborative approach towards tackling child abuse and bullying.
Dr Persaud made these remarks on Friday as the Human Services Ministry pulled the curtains on Child Protection Week at the National Park, which saw hundreds of children from various children’s homes, daycares, and private schools in attendance.

“Kindness should never be overemphasised…for children to confide in parents, they must desist from verbally or emotionally abusing their own children,” Persaud said.
Persaud addressed the worrying increase in cases of bullying occurring in schools and other areas, as well as explained the importance of understanding the types of abuse, recognising when instances of abuse have occurred, and encouraging the need for children and adults to report these cases accordingly.
Notably, the Education Ministry’s Department of Education in Georgetown on Thursday announced that it was addressing the indiscipline of students at New Campbellville Secondary School, following two recent reports of physical violence among its learners.
During Friday’s engagement, Minister Persaud gave a platform for the children present to say if they’ve experienced any forms of bullying and subsequently gave guidance on how to respond.
She further referred them to the Anti-Bully Campaign (ABC), an initiative created alongside the Ministry’s Young Influencers that is being shared with schools and other agencies to bring awareness to online and physical bullying.
Persaud also urged teachers and parents to listen to their children when they speak about instances of bullying and abuse, stressing the need to keep communication channels open and demonstrate by example.
Meanwhile, she assured of the continuation of the “Every Child Safe” campaign, a three-year programme created in 2021 to help the public recognise warning signs of child abuse and eliminate the high number of reported child abuse cases in Guyana.
Members of the Ministry’s Child Care and Protection Agency also gave an overview of the purpose of Child Protection Week and the issues the Agency tackles, while Guyana Police Force (GPF) and Education Ministry representatives detailed the actions to be taken to ensure children are kept safe.
Friday’s engagement also saw the presence of the diplomatic community, including Ambassadors of the United Kingdom (UK) and China, representatives of the United Nations (UN) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), educators, caregivers and members of the Human Services Ministry.
The event also included a march and rally, and an opportunity for persons to visit a number of educational booths to learn about early childhood development, teenage pregnancy, and more.