No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveGov’t Improves Child Safety Networks

Gov’t Improves Child Safety Networks

NEARLY two years of governmentstudies and alliance-building efforts haveresulted in significant improvements forchild-safety efforts, especially on the locallevel, the director of the National CommunityDevelopment Office (DINADECO),Anabel Lang, announced last week.In a presentation at President AbelPacheco’s weekly Cabinet meeting, Langsaid her organization has worked with avariety of other national and internationalgroups to improve community resources forthe prevention of violence against children.The murder of 8-year-old Kattia VanesaGonzález in July 2003, (TT, July 11, 2003)prompted Pacheco to request thatDINADECO and other agencies examineways to improve the protection of minorsnationwide, Lang said.Shortly after the tragedy andPacheco’s subsequent request, DINADECO,along with the Child Welfare Office(PANI), the Confederation ofDevelopment Associations (CONADECO),the United Nations’ Children’s Fund(UNICEF) and the Local Initiatives Fundof the Canadian Embassy, examined existingstructures for child protection.According to Lang, they found measuresto protect children were top-heavy,with strong national organizations butinsufficient local initiatives.“There was limited citizen participation,”Lang said, adding that local childprotection committees were “very weak.”TO date, 170 new local Committeesfor Child and Adolescent Rights havebeen founded across the country, and 453community development organizationshave received training in child and adolescentrights.To ensure this increased attention tochildren’s rights does not end whenPacheco leaves office next year,DINADECO founded a Childhood andAdolescence Office and CONADECOfounded a Childhood and AdolescenceSecretariat, according to Lang.

Popular Articles

Costa Rica Launches Drone Program to Monitor Crocodile Populations

In Costa Rica, the exact number of American crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) remains unknown, despite signs of population recovery in recent decades. To address this...

Costa Rica Observes Workers’ Day with Marches and Public Holiday

Costa Rica observed Workers’ Day (aka Labor Day) today, May 1, which is a public holiday dedicated to recognizing the contributions of our country’s...

Latin America Reacts to Trump’s 100% Tariff Threat on Foreign-Made Movies

“We want movies made in the United States again!” declared President Donald Trump, as he announced a 100% tariff on films produced abroad. Without...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait

Latest Articles