Youth Minister wants greater action to protect children

Youth Minister Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon is urging Jamaicans to take greater action in protecting the nation's children from violence.

"Collectively... all of us have to take responsibility... not one singular entity," she said while addressing the Jamaica Council of Churches Service of Lament for Violence Against Children, on Tuesday at Kingston Parish Church. She emphasised that abuse and trauma hinder children's ability to learn in school.

"When they are remembering what happened in the night or remembering what happened to a family member, it does something to their brain and their brain's development, so when I see the 44 per cent reduction in crime, I'm happy... not just because it means less murders but I'm happy because it means less trauma for our children," she said.

Morris Dixon also urged the church to deepen its support for Jamaica's children, emphasising its role in education and character development.

"I see it when I go into the schools. You see it in their eyes. You see this longing for something. They're longing for acceptance. They're longing for love. Where is our plan for our churches to take over our schools and to help our children to navigate this world that they're in with all the challenges that they have? It is absolutely important that we move from lamentation to actual work to protect our children," she said.

CEO of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), Laurette Adams-Thomas, urged Jamaicans to "build back the village".

"This is more than a slogan. It is a biblical command to return to communal responsibility, to watch over our children together, to stand guard at every gate," she said.

Children's Advocate, Diahann Gordon Harrison, also implored Jamaicans to speak up and seek to protect children from all cases of violence - physical, sexual, emotional, trafficking, psychological as well as extreme cases that often lead to death.

"So, when we see something, say something. When we hear of something that we're not even too sure if it's happening, but we understand the importance of erring on the side of caution, have the agencies who are so charged do an investigation, because our speaking up just may help a particular child, just may interrupt an act of violence that's about to happen or that is happening," she said.