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The political, religious, social and economic climate in Guyana has led to high levels of violence within society. Violent crime has escalated in recent years, and citizens live in fear due to inadequate justice received through the disciplinary forces. Civil society groups often lack the strength to challenge decision makers and to publicly demand action to stop the murders and extrajudicial killings. Most Guyanese children have experienced some form of violence, primarily as a result of family violence and family breakdown, poor socio-economic conditions, high level of illiteracy and gaps in the welfare services.
There are large numbers of children without parental care in Guyana. Research by EveryChild has revealed the main factors leading to children losing parental care to be family violence/family breakdown, when children become victims of abuse, migration of parents, poverty, HIV and AIDS. There is a clear connection between children losing parental care and family violence.
Many children without parental care are orphans and even when they have not been orphaned, their circumstances place them at high risk. Due to the conditions they find themselves living in, these children are left marginalised, voiceless and without vital care and support. Very little has been done by duty bearers and civil society in the past to raise the level of awareness regarding their plight. However, the current Minister of Human Services and Social Security has placed high priority on the protection of children, evidenced by the passing of four children’s bills in parliament in early 2009, and has stated a clear need for collaborative efforts with civil society organisations to develop initiatives to address the high levels of abuse, exploitation and lack of protection of children in Guyana.
What is EveryChild doing to help?
Protecting children from violence and abuse - Linden & Georgetown
Physical punishment for children is widely accepted as a norm in Guyana. Children rarely report incidences of abuse and, when they do, are unlikely to be believed. HIV and AIDS is also largely stigmatised in Guyanese society, leaving children who are affected by HIV and AIDS hidden and stigmatised by their own families and communities. These vulnerable children are deprived of their childhoods, experience poor health and suffer long-term negative consequences both emotionally and psychologically. They are also at a much higher risk of losing parental care.
EveryChild seeks to address these issues and works in partnership with national and local government, and local Guyanese organisations. We provide psychosocial support to children without parental care and other vulnerable children, especially those who experience violence and abuse.
We also provide parents and other caregivers parenting skills sessions so that they can learn to care for their children without the use of violence and in ways that maintains the child's best interest.
Thanks to our work, at government level, key decision-makers have now adopted practices and ways of working with children that respect and uphold children’s rights. We also work with professionals and religious leaders to educate them about child rights, child protection, abuse and HIV and AIDS.
Hyacinth & Grace's story
Hyacinth is a single mother and has 11 children. Hyacinth cannot afford to feed all her children or send them to school. Before she came across EveryChild, she felt that her only option was to send some of her children away to live with foster families.
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