Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Children and Adolescents of the Organization of American States (OAS), Dr. Maria Julia Garcete Yegros, says the Caribbean’s strong culture of community, resilience, and human connection plays a pivotal role in advancing early-childhood development.
She highlighted the region’s strengths while addressing participants during the seventh annual Early Childhood Commission(ECC) Professional Development Institute, held recently at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James.
“Being here in the Caribbean reminds me [that] you have something very powerful. This region is rich in culture, in community, in resilience, in creativity, and it is precisely this strength that makes your work with young children so meaningful and so necessary,” she stated.
The Director General noted that early-childhood practitioners across Jamaica and the wider Caribbean hold a vital place within their communities, contributing significantly to both the development and protection of children.
“Here in Jamaica and across the Caribbean, where community and human connection are so deeply rooted, your role carries a special force. You are at the heart of communities… you are part of the fabric that holds them together,” Dr. Garcete Yegros added.
She emphasised that children’s rights become truly meaningful when they are respected, encouraged, and given opportunities to express themselves and grow within supportive environments.
Dr. Garcete Yegros reaffirmed the commitment of the Inter-American Institute for Children and Adolescents to supporting Caribbean nations in building stronger systems that safeguard children and empower families.
The Director General stressed, however, that policies alone are insufficient without the dedication and care of practitioners working directly with children.
“It is your daily work, your dedication, your care, your love that makes the difference,” Dr. Garcete Yegros emphasised.
Held under the theme ‘Making Rights Real, Reclaiming General Comment 7’, the four-day ECC conference explored strategies to strengthen the protection and advancement of children’s rights during the early years.
