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Rights Commission exposes students to ‘Independence workshop’
Guyana’s celebration of 50 years of Independence from British rule is well underway. It was a long journey to this auspicious achievement which materialised on May 26, 1966.
The workshop in session yesterday
To observe the milestone, many organisations and individuals have been engaged in various celebratory and reflective activities. And the Rights of the Child Commission has not exempted itself from such activities.
In fact, its contribution to the celebration took on an interesting style, characterised by an interactive workshop which saw the attendance of 10 city secondary schools. The intent of the event, according to Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Mr. Amar Panday, was to examine the history and significance of Guyana’s Independence.
The workshop also examined the importance of leadership and personal development, factors that are needed to make a truly independent Guyanese. Panday, moreover, stressed the importance of youths understanding the importance of leadership in the quest for independence.
Yesterday the Commission sought to examine the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and other human rights instruments which seek to protect and establish democracy and independence.
“We really want to share with the students, concepts and ideas that are relevant to a country being truly independent,” said Panday, as he revealed that the Commission has been working on a daily basis with stakeholders throughout Guyana in various Regions in the quest to protect and advocate for the rights and interests of children.
Students were intrigued by the collection of publications on display.
According to Panday, “in 2016 a very important component of our work involves reaching out to Guyana’s hinterland, because a recent situational analysis done into women and children in Guyana, established that Amerindian children are particularly vulnerable.”
Moreover, an important part of the work of the Commission this year, Panday said, will include outreaches to indigenous communities continually embracing its message of empowerment and protection.
But a particularly important aspect of yesterday’s forum, according to Chairperson of the Commission, Ms. Aleema Nasir, is the fact that the students in attendance were given an opportunity to learn what Guyana was like, pre- independence; how it attained independence and who were the persons who were instrumental in achieving this feat.
Nasir yesterday shared her optimism that “you (students) will go away very enriched with Guyana’s history.”
Also speaking at yesterday’s forum too was Rights Commissioner Suelle Williams, who pointed out that yesterday’s forum was intended to give the students the wherewithal to stand up for themselves, friends, family members and by extension, all of Guyana.
Established at the National Commission on the Rights of the Child in 1992, it was later rebranded the Rights of the Child Commission, to play the role of an agency tasked with advocacy and raising awareness.
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has been supporting the Commission in the implementation of the Birth Registration Campaign as well as the coordination of initiatives to raise awareness on child rights. Additionally, there are six regional committees on the rights of the child. These committees are constantly being served as monitoring bodies and advocates on child rights.
At yesterday’s forum, which was held at Herdmanston Lodge, Peter Rose Street, Queenstown, Georgetown, students were also exposed to a selection of publications about Guyana.
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