Conflict resolution intervention launched
– to address interpersonal violence, parenting skills
− Min. Ramjattan underscores need to nurture skills of at-risk youths
− “Reducing crime and violence is high on govt’s agenda”
Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan says more work is needed to prevent domestic violence, improve parenting skills and strengthen conflict resolution skills.
Today, the minister launched an intervention to address these issues, as part of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funded Citizens Security Strengthening Programme (CSSP).
The event, hosted at the Umana Yana, featured presentations from agencies on their strategies and policies employed to manage crime and violence in their areas of specialisations.
The Parenting, Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Conflict Resolution Intervention are being facilitated by ADCO Engineering and Consulting Incorporated.
Minister Ramjattan, who issued the call to action noted:
“I want to say that our government is trying its best in a very substantial way to help adolescents and youths both perpetrators and victims who should be in school and otherwise gainfully occupied to help in the prevention of this violence.”
He noted the need to nurture the existing talents of the at-risk youths and not allow their idleness to lead them down the wrong paths.
“Reducing crime and violence is high on government’s agenda because both crime and violence pose a real threat to public security and to the human rights and of all Guyanese.”
He also underscored the importance of having a comprehensive understanding of violence even as the government, along with other stakeholders strive to curb this social ill.
Reference was made to the recent training of 46 young persons, primarily women, in cosmetology and computer science.
The United Nations (UN) recently concluded a study looking at women’s health and life experiences with violence as one of the challenges. The minister expects that the findings will guide measures to combat violence countrywide.