A National Parenting Guide is Launched on Children’s Day

A parent’s comprehensive guide to raising children, it’s a publication that was launched earlier today to coincide with Universal Children’s Day.  The Government of Belize, the National Committee for Families and Children, the Belize Family Life Association and UNICEF partnered for the initiative and an official event was held this morning at the Biltmore to unveil the handbook.  News Five’s Isani Cayetano was on hand for the introduction.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The Declaration of the Rights of the Child was adopted by the United Nations on November twentieth, 1959.  Thirty-years later, the organization accepted the Convention on the Rights of the Child, a human rights agreement which sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children.

Susan Kasedde

Dr. Susan Kasedde, Country Representative UNICEF

“Looking at the progress made since the CRC came into force nearly thirty years ago, we have a lot to celebrate: increased education, reduced stunting, better child survival, the transformative opportunities unlocked through technology, an active and informed citizenry and the emergence of stronger, national civil society, private sector and regional and global partnerships for children.  But we have significant challenges still to address and whichever sector we consider, these challenges can be summarized around four general things; first, equity – creating an equal chance for every child and closing gaps in quality services and opportunities, especially for the most vulnerable children.”

Today is Universal Children’s Day.  But it’s not just a day of observance; it is also a day to bring awareness to children around the world that have experienced violence in forms of abuse, exploitation or discrimination.  In Belize, a National Parenting Guide was launched.

Judith Alpuche

Judith Alpuche, C.E.O., Ministry of Human Development

“Putting this guide together has been a mammoth undertaking, sometimes more like an odyssey it seemed, with all the obstacles and challenges that had to be worked through.  And I had occasion to read the correspondence and sit in a few meetings as the taskforce went through many iterations.  A lot of consideration as to the content of the guide and so the stick-to-itiveness of the taskforce must be acknowledged and commended.”

Under the articles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, both parents share responsibility for bringing up their child and should always consider what is best for the child.  Governments must support parents by giving them the help they need, especially if the child’s parents work.  The Art of Parenting encapsulates those articles.

Jermaine Crawford

Jermaine Crawford, Coordinator, Gateway Youth Center

“I am and I have always been passionate about parenting for our men, our young men, our fathers and our fathers-to-be.  I look around this room and as I was counting earlier, men, we are outnumbered like ten to fifty, just in this room.  Given the many challenges we presently face and the shortage of men in the teaching profession today, who is teaching our young me, who are teaching our young men?  What are they teaching them?  We have left this responsibility to the women who have been doing an exceptional job.  I dare not go there, but we have also left this to the community, to the men on the streets, to the gangs, to those seeking, those who will carry out their duty for them.”

Positive parenting is not restricted to a method, a set of rules, or a style, it is a belief, a way of living.  Children should be treated with respect, free from fear of violence and shame, and guided with loving encouragement.

Dr. Susan Kasedde

“The preamble to the CRC states, the child, for the full and harmonious development of his or her personality, should grow up in a familial environment, in an environment of happiness, love and understanding.  In other words, the family and the family environment is the cornerstone to the full and harmonious development of every child.  We cannot achieve the best results in child development and by extension the best results of community and national development without the full and complete capacity engagement and partnership of parents, the cornerstone of that family foundation.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.