Today officially marked the launch of the Child Protection and Child Justice Steering Committee, a unified national body aimed at strengthening coordination between child protection and the justice system to better safeguard children from violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The committee brings together government ministries, the National Commission for Families and Children, the Office of the Special Envoy for Families and Children, UNICEF, and other key partners to oversee reforms and implement a five-year action plan focused on child welfare and justice. The AG commented on how this came about:
Anthony Sylvestre, Attorney General
"What has been done is that through the auspices of the National Commission for Families and Children, there were two committees that addressed it. There was a Child Justice Committee and there was a Child Protection Committee; they were bifurcated. Experience has shown us over time that it's best to have a collaborative effort so you have stakeholders from various agencies, whether it be law enforcement, the court, whether it be in social service, all coming together to address the issue of child protection and child justice."
"There are various areas that they will be targeted, that they will be doing, is that they're providing to the government certain recommendations in respect to policies that need to be revamped, that need to be tweaked, and a part of the membership of this committee includes the Attorney General's Ministry, and so that helps in terms of ensuring in a more timely manner we'll be able to have legislation which touch and concern families and children."
But the new committee must be able to face many gaps within the justice system, especially when dealing with children. Chairperson for the board, Justice Natalie Creary Dixon, said that many times, when dealing with sexual violence against children, the victims are rarely ever supported:
Justice Natalie Creary Dixon, Chairperson - CPJSC
"We are looking towards a trauma-centered, victim-centered approach. So we are looking at ensuring that all children in Belize, the heart and rights of children in Belize are protected. This was a response to an assessment which exposed critical gaps in the child protection system. So what we sought to do was to integrate the Child Services Centre, Social Services Centre, and the judiciary. A child who goes to court therefore will see a less intimidating process, they will see that their needs are met. It's a child-centered, victim-centered trauma approach that we are moving all across Belize. We are ensuring that the rights of children are at the heart. It is at the heart and center of every decision made involving children."
Reporter
"What have you observed from the High Court level that are some challenges when it comes to justice with children?"
Justice Natalie Creary Dixon
"First of all, we have to overcome some cultural barriers because we find, for example, in sexual offenses cases, unfortunately, children are not supported by their very family members. So you find that it is very difficult to even get them to a stage where they are prepared to give evidence in court. What we have had to do, what becomes very critical at this stage would be social workers who can work with them, get them to a stage where they can give information, they are prepared to participate in court proceedings, and they have reported it first of all, because they are not supported by family members. We have that hurdle to overcome. So there is the cultural difficulty that we have to overcome. Then there are persons who believe it is a rite of passage to be sexually abused, unfortunately. And so they are not encouraged to report these matters and we don't get their full support. We also have a difficulty with our scarce resources. There are scarce resources. And so you find that even a child who comes to court ought rightly to be coming with a social worker, a community rehabilitation officer, but because there aren't enough such persons, then you find that the child comes to court alone, the child is not supported. The child ought to be counseled after a traumatic incident. That does not always happen."
