GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC—The government is exploring the establishment of a state-owned forensic interview unit to investigate child abuse cases and plans to introduce new legislation to strengthen child protection efforts.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr Vindhya Persaud made the announcements at a press conference on the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) services on Saturday.
“One of the major things we are working on this year in the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) project is setting up our forensic interview unit, a state-owned forensic interview unit,” she revealed.
The minister said several officers have been sent to undergo preliminary training in India. Additionally, the ministry equips the Hope and Justice Centre with the necessary tools to conduct forensic interviews.
The Hope and Justice Centre in Region Three is the first of its kind. Its ‘one-stop’ model allows victims access to a range of services, including counseling, legal recourse, and medical treatment.
Persaud also disclosed that a new Protection of Children International Measures legislation is on the cards.
“If all goes well on the legislative agenda Monday, we will be taking another new piece of legislation on the floor, and that is the Protection of Children International Measures in line with the Hague Convention,” she said.
The move follows the recent enactment of Hague Convention legislation concerning inter-country adoption. This has led to the resumption of international adoption in Guyana under a newly established central authority.
The enactment of inter-country adoption allows individuals between the ages of 18 and 65 to apply for adoption through CPA using forms provided by the Guyana Central Authority (GCA).
Local applicants must submit a specified application and medical forms to the CPA, while overseas applicants must apply through a licensed adoption agency in their country of residence.
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