The Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago joins the call by the Minister of Gender and Child Affairs, Ayanna Webster-Roy and UNICEF, and encourages the youth across the country to use the social messaging tool U-Report. Developed by UNICEF, U-Report provides a valuable platform for the voice of the youth, connecting and empowering them as they speak on and exchange information about issues that matter to them.
U-Report is a free social monitoring tool for community participation, designed to address issues that young people care about. According to UNICEF, this mobile empowerment programme connects young people all over the world to information that will change their lives and influence their decisions.
Through U-Report, youth can provide valuable information when reporting on what’s happening in their communities, and with it help improve their own lives and that of their peers and families. Polls and alerts are sent out to U-Reporters and real-time response information is collected. Results and ideas are shared back with the community.1 The U-Report WhatsApp number is 296-7723.
Sharon Morris-Cummings, acting Director of the Authority said: “The increasing incidents of violence against children, the number of children being brought before the Courts for reasons including challenging behaviours, and the increasing number of children with mental health issues, all speak to some of the sensitive and traumatic experiences of our children. Providing more and better opportunities for them to have their voices heard, can only redound to the national benefit.”
The Authority will continue to advocate for the voice of the child and welcomes all initiatives aimed at giving children a voice so they can achieve their full potential. Their voice is critical in identifying challenges and creating solutions for the complex issues which confront them. Therefore, the Authority commends the use of this platform which in effect amplifies the opportunities for the voice of the child to be heard.
The public is reminded that concerns about the care and protection of children should be reported to the Authority’s Hotline at 996 or the Police at 999.