Senator to host November child-rights talks

INDEPENDENT Senator Hazel Thompson-Ahye will convene a regional conference on the rights of children on November 13-15 at the Hilton Trinidad.

Held by the International Society of Family Law (ISFL), the conference theme is: The Convention on the Rights of the Child at 35 years: The promise kept or a dream deferred?

Thompson-Ahye, vice- president of ISFL and chair of the Child Rights and Restorative Justice Organisation, the conference organisers, said there was an air of excitement about the conference.

"Judges, masters, magistrates, law professors, doctors, social workers, psychologists, educators and administrators from North and South America, Europe, United Kingdom, Asia, Africa and various English speaking and Dutch Caribbean territories, will discuss their states’ responses to a variety of child rights issues, in light of their states’ obligations after ratification of the CRC."

She said the conference will discuss child abuse and neglect, maintenance, custody and access and newer issues such as the human rights of migrant and refugee children, child justice, children with disabilities, children’s mental/emotional health, breaking the school-house to jail-house pipeline, cyber crimes against children, environmental health and restorative practices.

Thompson-Ahye said despite a July 15 submission deadline, great proposals were still coming in, especially from India and Africa.

Information can be found at the conference website, www.crarjo.org, or by e-mailing the secretariat at isflregionalconference2024@gmail.com