As the issue of school violence and crimes against children continue to dominate national attention, there is word that the Government is actively working on a National Child Policy.
While details and a time frame for the policy have not yet been revealed, Minister of Gender and Child Affairs Ayanna Webster-Roy yesterday said a digital-based platform will be used to help create it.
The platform is called U-Report, which was launched by UNICEF in 2011 but is now being adopted by the Government.
At the official re-engagement, entitled “The Resurgence, U-Report”, Webster-Roy said her ministry held a focus group in February this year to determine how the platform will be used.
She said one thing is for certain, the inclusion of the youth voice is one aspect of the child policy that will be critical.
“It will assist in efforts towards upholding international obligations by empowering young people to exercise their participation rights,” she said.
U-Report so far has 22 million users in 92 countries between the ages of 13 and 29.
“By utilising U-Report, we can benefit from the impact made through one; feedback through polls, two; live chats; which provide counselling, case management or grievance reporting, three; self skilling,” she said.
U-Report is free and can be found on the social messaging site What’s App using the number 296-7723.
The virtual event yesterday was also attended by Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly and Minister of Youth Development and National Service Foster Cummings.
Both ministers said they are looking forward to U-Report assisting in the work being done by their ministries as well.