TT team for child protection talks

The Ministry of Community Development, Gender Affairs and Information, in collaboration with a number of government departments and agencies is organising the one-day meeting. There will be a grand opening ceremony at the State House in Roseau on Wednesday evening featuring addresses by Dominica’s Minister for Community Development, Gender Affairs and Information Matthew Walter and UNICEF’s Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Nils Kastberg. A number of cultural performances will form part of the opening ceremony.

The business section of the meeting will get underway at the Fort Young Hotel on Thursday. To date nearly 40 delegates, including five ministers of government, technical ministerial officials, UNICEF officials as well as delegates from the United Nations, OECS and CARICOM have confirmed their attendance.

The United Nations Children’s Fund, an organ of the United Nations, has been at the forefront of efforts globally to protect the rights of children, adolescents and youth. In April, 2004, the Cabinet of Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, in collaboration with The Committee on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), held a one-day retreat to discuss matters related to the children of Dominica.

In April, 2006, UNICEF Special Envoy for the Caribbean, Karin Sham Poo paid a two-day visit to Dominica. While in Dominica, Sham Poo held discussions with Prime Minister, Skerrit, Minister for Community Development, Gender Affairs and Information Matthew Walter and other leading figures in the government.