Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Hon. Rhoda Moy Crawford, is encouraging early-childhood practitioners to take a more active role in safeguarding and promoting the rights of children across Jamaica.
Speaking during the seventh annual Early Childhood Commission (ECC) Professional Development Institute, held recently at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James, Ms. Crawford stressed that from the earliest stages of life, children must be recognised, not merely as recipients of care, but as rights holders whose dignity, safety, and holistic development must be safeguarded.
She noted that this principle aligns with the conference’s theme, ‘Making Rights Real, Reclaiming General Comment 7’, which she said, “calls us not only to reflect but it calls us into action”.
Ms. Crawford explained that General Comment 7, adopted in 2005 by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, affirms that the Convention on the Rights of the Child applies fully to children in early childhood, particularly those under eight years of age.
“It emphasises that young children possess inherent rights that governments, institutions, communities and families all share responsibility for ensuring those rights are realised in practical ways,” she noted.
The State Minister added that the conference provided a vital platform for stakeholders to renew their commitment to protecting children from physical, emotional, and psychological harm, while fostering nurturing environments that support their healthy growth and development.
Ms. Crawford further underscored the critical importance of collaboration among policymakers, educators, parents, communities, and development partners in strengthening Jamaica’s early-childhood ecosystem, stressing the need to work together to place the child at the centre of every decision.
“Let us collectively recommit ourselves to making children’s rights real, not merely in policy documents or declarations but in classrooms, homes, institutions and communities across Jamaica,” she urged.
The ECC’s annual Professional Development Institute serves to strengthen the capacity of educators and stakeholders, while advancing best practices in early-childhood development and care.
