An E-Course for the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse, Human Trafficking & Family Violence

Today, an electronic course was launched to train primarily teachers, but also other key stakeholders for the mandatory reporting of child abuse, human trafficking and family violence. It is being implemented on the Teacher Learning Institution to build the capacity of teachers at the primary and secondary levels countrywide. It is being done through partnership between UNICEF Belize, Pathlight Belize, the Ministry of Education, and the National Organization for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. A News Five team attended the launch which was held at the Biltmore Plaza. 

Adele Catzim-Sanchez

Adele Catzim-Sanchez, Chief Executive Officer, Pathlight Belize

“Within the context of gender-based violence, the persons most affected are our children. This partnership has been significant because it brought together expertise focused on strengthening the implementation of the mandatory response protocols specifically addressing child abuse and child trafficking. NOPCAN provided the technical knowledge on child abuse and child trafficking; they’ve been working on this field for decades and they know this issue inside and out. Pathlight provided expertise in teacher training while the Ministry of Education accredited the training and placed it on the teacher learning Institute platform. The Ministry of Human Development led the way with providing the legislative framework and the strategic policy direction for this effort to be realised.”

Dolores Balderamos-Garcia

Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Minister of Human Development

“It was my minister and myself way back about twenty-odd years ago that actually passed the statutory instrument making the reporting of child abuse and neglect and trafficking mandatory. So imagine there’s been all these years in between but we have been working on it and now the Pathlight, an NGO, are taking up the e-course to teach the teachers online not only to be aware of the child abuse or neglect or trafficking that is taking place, but give them the education to make sure that that happens. The mandatory reporting is for especially teachers, frontline workers, medical, but it doesn’t mean that neighbours cannot help and that family members cannot help when we know about instances of child abuse and neglect and trafficking. So I want to encourage everybody. You don’t have to call attention to yourself, it can be done discretely, but where there is knowledge of any abuse, especially of children, women, anybody, please report.”