The ASR is a network formed by fifteen Haitian grassroots organizations that help at risk children and youth and child domestic workers (restaveks) through recreational activities, school monitoring, vocational training and advocacy with authorities and within the community. Jean Salomon, the network’s president and Nadine François, the network’s advocacy coordinator, had the chance to participate in this important regional meeting where issues related to violence against children were discussed.

Jean and Nadine, who attended the meeting as observers, stated, "Our participation in such regional meetings strengthens us to better address the problem of violence against children in our country".
The event’s organizing committee invited representatives from both Haiti and Jamaica, prior to the sub-regional meeting to address similar issues to be held in the Caribbean in March 2012.

During the meeting the representatives from the ASR Network, had the chance to meet representatives from the Institute of Social Wellbeing and Research of Haiti (IBESR) with whom they shared moments of exchange and workshops during the conference. About this topic Nadine says, "We are pleased that IBESR authorities have expressed that they believe that ASR´s work deserves more attention and support of the Haitian government".

The final day of the meeting, the participants adopted a strategic declaration to promote progress in the implementation of the recommendations of the UN Study that will be complemented by a regional roadmap which will frame the development of national strategies to prevent and address violence against children. Jean commented, “We have realized that other states that are signatory of conventions also make an effort to assign resources so that these conventions are enforced and respected. We must advocate for the Haitian government to do the same".

As a conclusion, Nadine François said “Our participation in this conference about the protection of the rights of children has given us the opportunity to learn about how other organizations that face similar problems to ours work, to have access to learning materials and also to share our experience with colleagues from other countries”.

The participation of representatives of the ASR network at this meeting is part of CWS-supported actions that aim to help strengthen Haitian organizations and promote their inclusion in regional spaces of participation and learning.

CWS thanks REDLAMYC, the Latin American Chapter of the Global Movement for Children, and Proyecto Educativo Caminante (Caminante Educational Project) for their collaboration in making this participation possible.

For more information, please contact Luciano Cadoni, Program Officer for the Protection of the Rights of the Child, at lcadoni@cwslac.org   

Photo: Encuentro Centro Americano de Violencia.