STATEMENT BY THE HON. CARL GREENIDGE, VICE PRESIDENT AND MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE COOPERATIVE REPUBLIC OF GUYANA, AT THE UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND ANNUAL REVIEW

Statement by the Hon. Carl Greenidge, Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, at the United Nations Children’s Fund Annual Review

February 21, 2019

I am honoured to join you for the Annual Review of the work of UNICEF in Guyana. The Annual Review affords the Government of Guyana and UNICEF the opportunity to reflect on the achievements and challenges encountered during the execution of our joint programme of cooperation. Significantly, it provides a forum through which we can charter the course forward in our cooperation.

On behalf of the Government of Guyana, I extend sincere gratitude to UNICEF for its overarching support to the Government and people of Guyana in the past years. UNICEF signed its first five-year programme with the Government of Guyana in 1994 and since then has remained fully committed to ensure the rights of children in Guyana are in accordance with the provisions outlined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Guyana signed the Convention in 1990 and ratified the Convention in 1991, thereby solidifying and demonstrating its commitment to the protection and development of children across Guyana.

Guyana has consistently demonstrated support for global, regional and national programmes to enhance the overall well-being of children and has participated in several World Summits for Children. As a result, a considerable number of programmes and measures have been instituted, and many more are under consideration for implementation.

UNICEF has actively supported and partnered with the Government of Guyana on several initiatives aimed at the care, protection and well-being of our children. Our collaboration has been enhanced within the context of efforts to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

The Guyana/UNICEF partnership is of continued relevance and importance and complements Guyana’s national development focus. Through its 2017-2021 Country Programme, UNICEF is making a significant contribution to our national policies by extending services for basic education, the right to clean water and sanitation, and making early childhood, care and development priorities through its lifelong learning service. Additionally, I am pleased that UNICEF has been extending support to our national health services and justice system through which our young children and adolescents are beneficiary. More so UNICEF has been promoting programmes for social inclusion and Child Rights monitoring including budgeting for children and support to Human Rights reporting, supporting advocacy for achieving the SDG’s and tackling issues relating to climate change by supporting surveys such as MICS as well as emergency preparedness and responses particularly targeted to the sectors on migration.

Our strategic partnership has generated fruitful results, some of which includes the establishment of One -Stop Centers for victims of child sexual abuse, a functional Children’s court and approved Juvenile Justice Act in 2018,  an Adopted Reintegration Policy for Teen Mothers into school, a Policy on Children without adequate parental care and policy to prevent and eliminate child labour and not overlooking the critical input to the Human Rights Report as it pertains to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and Persons with Disability.

The Government of Guyana is pleased with the achievements made and remains committed to the protection and provision of a good life for all Guyanese, more specifically to our children- the future generation which the Government endeavors to protect and nurture through the implementation of policies and programmes to safeguard “their future and the future of Guyana essentially”.

Ladies and gentlemen, H.E President David Granger has made clear that “a ‘good life’ extends beyond economic growth and encompasses the creation of a caring and protective society, especially for its most vulnerable members; its children. The good life is about quality of life, about the protecting and respecting rights, about greater opportunities for successful lives. A life that is guaranteed protection at the level of family, community and at the state level. A life that is guaranteed legal protection and support universally.”

Social ills such as domestic violence, abuse, alcoholism, illiteracy, poverty, poor infrastructure and emotional trauma are threats to the social, physical, emotional and mental well-being of our young children. We must all as government and partners, stakeholders and others work earnestly to eradicate these ills from our societies. Needless to say, Government plays a key role in this process and for that reason it is critical to make progress towards the good life for all.  The Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) aims to provide a platform for a better life, a sustainable life for all Guyanese.

The Government of Guyana has been consolidating the legal architecture for comprehensive child protection and family law through the passage of a number of pertinent pieces of legislation including the Status of Children Act, the Child Protection Act, the Adoption of Children Act, the Sexual Offences Act and the Custody, Contact, Guardianship and Maintenance Act, Countering Trafficking in Persons Act, and most recently a National Child Labour Policy to guard against child labour. Through the Ministry of the Presidency, the Ministry of Social Protection, the Ministry of Social Cohesion, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Legal Affairs and Guyana’s National Commission on the Rights of the Child, the Government of Guyana has been ensuring that the rights of children are protected and their welfare is enhanced.

Ladies and gentlemen, UNICEF has been working in close collaboration with a number of governmental partners to further the realisation of the rights of children in Guyana and for that the Government of Guyana remains grateful. While there is much more to be achieved, we are comforted each year with the progresses made and by the knowledge that our partnership is making pace to meet needs and overcome challenges. The Government of Guyana acknowledges the need for building capacity and resources and the need for strengthened efforts for implementing policies. Looking ahead I am confident that with our partnership in 2019 and the years ahead our collaboration will be further enhanced as we continue to build capacity and implement legislation and policies.

I have noted with much pleasure UNICEF key priorities for 2019 which includes technical and financial support to several areas encompassing research and planning, legislation/policies, access to services and capacity building.

I, therefore, take this opportunity to thank UNICEF for its sterling collaboration and good work done in furthering the protection and rights of children in Guyana. I wish to assure you that the Government of Guyana remains fully committed to a naturally beneficial partnership and more so to championing the security, interests and rights for all children in Guyana and ensuring a good life for our children –our future.

I wish you a successful review and renewed vigour, vision and focus in working for the welfare of our children in the years ahead.

Thank You.