Public Policy on Child Rights Course in Jamaica

Public Policy on Child Rights Course in Jamaica

The Public Policy on Child Rights Course began on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 in Kingston, Jamaica in the framework of the project “Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Children and Adolescents in the Inter-American System (Project IIN-ACDI)” sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The course will convene every Wednesday until November 30, 2011 for a total of seven classes.

The IIN-OAS and the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) in coordination with the University of the West Indies through the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES), a department of the University, implemented the Public Policy on Child Rights Course. The course is being taught by Dr. Aldrie Henry-Lee. Dr. Henry-Lee is a Senior Research Fellow at the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES). The focus of her research is on poverty and children. 39 participants from various governmental and nongovernmental institutions are attending the course.

The authorities present at the opening ceremony were: Dr. Brian Meeks, Director, SALISES; Mr. Easton Williams, Director of Social Policy, Planning and Research Division, Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ); Mrs. Carla Francis-Edie, Executive Director, Child Development Agency (CDA) and Principal Delegate of Jamaica to the Directing Council of the IIN; Mr. Newton Douglas, Director Policy Planning & Evaluation Division, CDA and the Technical Liaison of Project IIN-ACDI in Jamaica; and Mr. George Leamon, Technical Assistant of Project IIN-ACDI, Head of the IIN Delegation and Mrs. Kerry-Ann Lewis Pearcy, National Coordinator of Project IIN-ACDI in Jamaica, IIN-OAS.

This course seeks to examine the critical policy issues that affect the adherence to Child Rights. The global, regional and local contexts will be discussed. Current policies and programs will be examined and participants in the course will engage in the preparation of action plans to improve the adherence to Child Rights in Jamaica. After the course, participants will be expected to actively implement these action plans in their respective agencies.