N.C.F.C. holds sessions on child abuse
Belizean children must deal with so many different problems as they grow and all too often, abuse is one of them. On Wednesday, Belizean educators and representatives of Government and N.G.O.s from across the country will learn how to discuss child abuse and neglect with primary school aged children. According to Sharon Palacio, Executive Director for the National Committee for Families and Children, at a Children’s Week planning meeting with the Ministries of Human Development and Education, it became clear that this year’s theme, “What you make of us today is what you will get tomorrow – Stop Child Abuse,” will spark discussion among teachers, students and the community. To help educators and other members of the community deal with the children’s questions and concerns, they decided to hold forums countrywide.
Sharon Palacio, Executive Director, N.C.F.C.
“We have held them countrywide and we are climaxing now in the Belize district on Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday we will be working with the principal, with the educators from the rural, and on Thursday with educators from the urban community. And on that day we will be looking at definitions of child sexual abuse and neglect. We will be looking at the protocols and our reporting procedures and at the end of the day we want to come up with a Belizean definition of child abuse and neglect, we want to look at how we are going to do our reporting at the school level, at the community level because if we want to make a difference when it comes to child abuse we need to come together as a nation.”
Q: “Sharon how does N.C.F.C. view the problem of child abuse and neglect in Belize?”
Sharon Palacio
“We know that child abuse is a problem plaguing our society and we as advisors to government we need to investigate the problem even more and we need to make a difference. When I say a difference, solutions because we know we cannot remove that problem as such but we can, we can contribute to possible solutions.”
The forum, which takes place at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall this Thursday from eight thirty to four p.m., is in collaboration with N.C.F.C. and the Ministries of Human Development and Education. The participants will also examine the Family and Children’s Act, current procedures by the Ministry of Human Development, Women and Youth, the draft school policy and creative alternatives for discipline. Palacio says they will review suggested Children’s Week activities. Children’s Week is the first week of March.
