KINGSTON, Jamaica – Government will be using the newly launched Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (VACS) 2023, to inform the National Plan of Action for an integrated response to children and violence.
Director General of the Planning Institute of Jamaica, Dr. Wayne Henry (right), in discussion with Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Kingston, Amy Tachco (left), and UNICEF’s Jamaica Representative, Olga Isaza, about the findings of the 2023 Violence Against Children and Youth Survey.This will be done through the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ).
The survey revealed that sexual violence in childhood is common and that girls are more vulnerable. Almost one in four females or 23.7 per cent, and over one in 10 males or 11.7 per cent experienced sexual violence during childhood.
The survey, officially launched on Thursday, is a nationally representative household survey that measures physical, emotional and sexual violence experienced by children and youth, aged 13 to 24.
Speaking during the launch, PIOJ Director General, Dr. Wayne Henry, said: “The data will support the work of the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information in its implementation of the National Plan of Action for an integrated response to children and violence.”
He emphasised that protecting children requires a systematic approach and a more facilitative normative structure that is guided by data.
“Furthermore, the data garnered will provide the country with valuable insights on the health and well-being and incidence of violence against children and youth in Jamaica. This will assist in determining the gaps in our current systems, so that we can be more responsive as well as design better policies and plans to treat with the needs of victims,” Dr. Henry added.
Beyond the data, however, he underscored that children and youth must be active partners in the fight against violence, noting that listening to them is vital in ensuring their safety and protection.
According to the Child Protection and Family Services Agency, there were some 43,312 reported incidents of child abuse in Jamaica between January 2019 and December 2020, with an average 60 reports being made daily.
The United States (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that, globally, a staggering one billion children are harmed annually.
“Very concerning, these numbers. To put this in perspective, this is half of the world’s child population,” Dr. Henry stated.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Kingston, Amy Tachco, agreed that the data will go a far way in terms of crafting more robust policies to protect children.
“By collecting data on physical, emotional and sexual violence, we gain the ability to identify trends, risk factors and, most importantly, real and specific opportunities for intervention. The insights gained from this survey have already provided essential evidence-based data, which will be used as a foundation for informed and impactful policy development,” she said.
The initiative was facilitated through the collaborative support and funding of approximately US$1.3 million from PEPFAR, the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, in partnership with the CDC.
Jamaica is one of 23 countries globally, including Botswana, Rwanda, Colombia, Haiti and the US, that have conducted the VACS.
Dr. Henry further pointed out that, “the Government of Jamaica is committed to safeguarding the welfare and well-being of our children against all forms of unhealthy behaviours and violence.”
He said Jamaica has adopted the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development and is committed to achieving Target 16.2, which focuses on ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence and torture against children.
