Providenciales, TCI, November 22, 2016 – Universal Children’s Day 2016 Message from the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Unit of the RTCIPF under the theme: “For every child – Hope Securing their future! The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Unit joined the rest of the World on Sunday 20th November 2016 to celebrate Universal Children’s Day.
Universal Children’s day is celebrated every year on 20th November. It was first established in the United Kingdom and later, other countries around the world were encouraged to dedicate a day to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children and also to start a movement that will promote and benefit the welfare of children around the world. It is also a day celebrated to honor children, to give them love and affection because after all, they are the future of the world. This day is not a public holiday, but it is a global day of observance.
The unit recently formed a Child Safeguarding Committee which is a multi-Agency team of professionals and other persons from the community working together to provide services that promote the welfare of children and protect them from all forms of abuse. The committee is still in its early stages of getting the project off the ground. The Mission Statement of the Committee is to strengthen families and promotes the well-being of children through prevention, intervention, education and advocacy.
Children’s day is a reminder to everyone of their obligation to protect the rights, needs, and welfare of children. It is a day to promote good healthcare and education to help children who are in need; also a day to reflect on the good that we have done in our communities – such as public awareness through community and school programs, Development of a zero tolerance approach to crimes against children, formulating a committee to safeguard children from all forms of abuse and swiftly dealing with perpetrators of these crimes.
It is the responsibility of the community to protect children from neglect and abuse and to also provide support to victims of violence and to ensure that justice is served because today’s children are tomorrow’s doctors, teachers, politicians, and scientists. They will follow in the footsteps of what the human race has been able to accomplish since the beginning of time. Therefore we should start building a great and honorable future for them. Let us teach them how to protect the weak and vulnerable people of this world and even teach them how to make decisions on their own and not what we want them to think and the kind of decision we would like them to make for their time – this will also teach them how to be independent. This is a day filled with joy and freedom.
The Social Development Department in collaboration with the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Unit of the RTCIPF commenced the activities on Thursday 17th November 2016 with a prayer vigil was held at the Down Town Ball Park. A motorcade and family fun day will be held on Friday 25th November starting from First Caribbean International Bank and ending at Edward Garland Youth Centre.
All are welcome to attend to show unity in this partnership we have in safeguarding our country’s treasures, our children.
