The Caribbean Youth Summit (CYS) was formally opened Wednesday on the AC Resort Marriot, Kingston, Jamaica. Actions for the inaugural summit are being held underneath the theme: ‘Securing Our Future: Youth Co-Making a Peaceable and Sustainable Caribbean Neighborhood.’
On the opening ceremony, Michele Small-Bartley, Deputy Programme Supervisor, Youth Growth, CARICOM Secretariat and Sherwin Toyne-Stephenson, Programme Supervisor, Crime and Safety, CARICOM Secretariat, represented Alison Drayton, Assistant Secretary-Common, Human and Social Growth.
Learn the speech under.
I want to be a part of colleagues who would have spoken earlier than me in welcoming you to this 2023 Caribbean Youth Summit, being celebrated underneath the theme: “Securing Our Future – Youth Co-Making a Peaceable and Sustainable Caribbean Neighborhood towards Gender-Based mostly Violence”.
Because the theme suggests, all through this Summit, heavy emphasis can be positioned on offering a platform for younger folks and demanding stakeholders from throughout the Caribbean to interact in constructive dialogue on points associated to Gender-Based mostly Violence in addition to sexual well being, reproductive well being and psychological well being points; all with the goal to develop progressive – youth-focused – options to those challenges.
Pondering of Gender-Based mostly Violence in addition to sexual well being, reproductive well being and psychological well being points confronting younger folks throughout the Caribbean, one can consider the a number of manifestations of the associated penalties. Such penalties embody, however usually are not restricted to, sexual abuse, together with incest; early, repeat and/or undesirable pregnancies; decrease college efficiency; decrease instructional attainment; college drop-outs; job absenteeism; and poor sexual and reproductive well being outcomes for younger folks.
Prevalence surveys within the Caribbean have highlighted intergenerational transmission of household violence. We all know, as an illustration, that people who witness or expertise violence throughout their childhood are extra probably to make use of or expertise household violence as adults. Additional, violent self-discipline at house is the commonest type of violence skilled by kids and youth.
Importantly, being a sufferer or survivor of Gender-Based mostly Violence throughout adolescence can result in long-lasting destructive psychological and bodily well being outcomes and may set younger folks on a trajectory of subsequent abuse.
The strengthening of life expertise programmes and Complete Sexuality Schooling programmes has been usually accepted as a way to help efforts to deal with among the challenges confronted by younger folks. Whereas a lot of the nations within the Caribbean now have some type of institutional programmes for the supply of life expertise programmes in formal training and have undertaken curricular actions to include the identical within the processes of instructional reform, nations haven’t at all times achieved the efficient institutionalisation, sustainability and influence of such insurance policies and programmes. This requires sustained efforts to completely handle this problem.
Equally essential is the popularity that whereas there may be normal settlement on the effectiveness of Complete Sexuality Schooling, this appreciation has not been translated into coverage and programme route at nationwide ranges throughout the Caribbean. Complete Sexuality Schooling isn’t but institutionalised, and there exist gaps within the supply of a top quality Complete Sexuality Schooling programme throughout the Caribbean.
Given the challenges earlier than us, it’s becoming that we needs to be assembled right here in Jamaica at this second for the Caribbean Youth Summit, because the CARICOM Youth Ambassador programme celebrates its thirtieth Anniversary, since its inception because the lead on youth improvement and regional integration, and because the Caribbean Regional Youth Council celebrates its tenth Anniversary as an impartial, elected consultant physique for organised youth throughout the Caribbean.
The Declaration of Paramaribo on the Way forward for the Youth within the Caribbean Neighborhood (of 2010) recognises youth as inventive, resilient and salient belongings to the Area’s improvement. The CARICOM Youth Motion Plan additionally identifies youth as companions in improvement and prioritises your involvement in constructing and making a protecting atmosphere to foster youth resilience within the Caribbean.
I and the CARICOM Secretariat, due to this fact, sit up for the anticipated consequence of this Caribbean Youth Summit: the event of a Roadmap that identifies the methods and actions to deal with regional and nationwide points related to peace, safety, and security for youth and that generates optimistic social and gender norm modifications to stop violence.
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