President Dr Irfaan Ali has directed the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, to coordinate the formation of an inter-agency task force to develop comprehensive recommendations and actions aimed at addressing the safety, welfare and mental health of children across Guyana.
The directive followed a high-level consultative engagement held on Friday afternoon, bringing together representatives of the Government, Judiciary, constitutional commissions, law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations and the Speaker of the National Assembly.
The discussions focused on critical issues affecting children, particularly their mental health, protection and overall well-being, in light of recent events that have raised concerns about their safety and welfare.
According to a statement issued following the engagement, participants agreed on the urgent need for decisive, coordinated and comprehensive action involving all sectors of society to address the underlying factors contributing to the challenges facing children.
“Based upon recent events, the meeting agreed that immediate, drastic and coordinated actions must be taken by several segments of society in order to address the wide variety of factors that have led to the current situation,” the statement noted.
The proposed approach will require the involvement of parents, educational institutions, religious and social organisations, law enforcement agencies, the Judiciary and other relevant stakeholders.
Among the priority areas identified were strengthened public awareness and education, increased parental support, enhanced school-based activities, psychosocial assistance, mentorship programmes and greater access to healthy recreational opportunities.
The discussions also examined the influence of social media, music and other forms of exposure on children, alongside the need to review existing legislation, law enforcement practices and aspects of the administration of justice.
Recognising the complexity of the issues, President Ali directed the Attorney General to coordinate an inter-agency task force comprising representatives from Government, the Judiciary, law enforcement, religious organisations, civil society and other relevant bodies.
The task force will be responsible for developing a comprehensive plan outlining recommendations and proposed actions for review and implementation.
The initiative is intended to establish a coordinated, multi-sectoral response to the challenges affecting children, bringing together key institutions and stakeholders to develop comprehensive recommendations and actionable measures aimed at strengthening their safety, welfare and mental health.
