ECYS Minister Rodolphe Samuel (fourth from left) with government and UNICEF the Netherlands partners.
~ CRPP achieves progress in child protection ~
PHILIPSBURG--Partners in the Child Resilience and Protection Project (CRPP) met for their annual planning session to reflect on the progress of project implementation during 2022 and to plan for 2023, according to a press release from UNICEF the Netherlands on Wednesday.
According to the release, the CRPP aims to strengthen the child protection system, nurture children’s and adolescents’ well-being and help support schools to be better equipped to respond to disasters.
The project is being executed by UNICEF the Netherlands in collaboration with the government of St. Maarten.
“The planning for 2022 was ambitious and demanded a lot of time and dedication from the many stakeholders who play a part in child development and protection in St. Maarten. We are proud of the results that have been achieved and look forward to our continued collaboration with the government of St. Maarten and taking many more steps forward in 2023,” said UNICEF the Netherlands Programmes and Public Affairs Director Sacha Bökkerink.
The achievements for the year include strengthening disaster and emergency planning in schools, developing a national positive parenting support programme, activities to foster meaningful youth participation, strengthening child protection referral systems and setting the foundation for the establishment of an inter-ministerial National Child Protection Platform, amongst others.
The annual planning schedule included a presentation for Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Rodolphe Samuel, who expressed his continued support for the project.
“The progress made in 2022 is a great achievement. The planned activities indicate the seriousness and commitment of all stakeholders regarding child protection and ensuring children are safe. My gratitude goes out to everyone, and I wish you much success with the programme of 2023,” said Samuel.
The CRPP’s key government partners from the Ministries of ECYS, Justice and Public Health, Social Development and Labor VSA include the Department of Youth, Student Support Services Division (SSSD), the Court of Guardianship, Foundation Judicial Institutes St. Maarten and the Department of Community Development, Family and Humanitarian Affairs (CDFHA).
The CRPP is financed by the government of the Netherlands through the St. Maarten Recovery and Resilience Trust Fund administered by the World Bank.
For more information, visit:
www.unicef.nl/trustfundsintmaarten.
