Care, protection of boys central in new ChildLinK campaign

LOCAL child rights organisation, ChildLinK Guyana, on April 16, launched a localized Blue Umbrella Day (BUD) as part of its two-year public education campaign focussing on the care and protection of boys.
The BUD campaign has been initiated by Family for Every Child (a global network) and launched in several member countries including India, Philippines and Paraguay. It is aimed at raising awareness on how to better care for boys and protect them from sexual violence.
The findings from the Caring for Boys research conducted by Family For Every Child indicated that “sexual violence affecting boys remains largely unknown, unacknowledged and not responded to, across a wide range of contexts and cultures, mostly as a result of gendered social norms, which influence perceptions of boys’ vulnerability. These also pose an obstacle to disclosure by boys, identification and acceptance by others, recognition of harm caused, and recognition of the support needed to recover”.
Sexual violence against boys is often an unexplored issue, resulting in lack of awareness and support for those who are survivors of abuse. Given the urgent need for focussed care for boys, ChildLinK incorporated BUD into its existing One Thousand Boys (OTB) initiative.

The OTB action commenced in July 2020 and has been widening collaboration, while increasing target groups and delivering services in regions where no services currently exist. It places greater emphasis on men and boys, both as victims and perpetrators, but more critically, as advocates for preventing Child Sexual Abuse (CSA).
“It is an inverted gender issue to speak about the abuse of boys, because it touches on so many taboos. I am happy that the EU can support an initiative that not only promotes discussions but also are actively working on the issue. Boys are often neglected victims and I am glad that we can search for the truth with this project,” Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation of the European Union, Karel Lizerot highlighted, at the launch of the research-backed campaign.
The EU has provided ChildLinK with a three-year grant that covers 90% of the OTB initiative that centres on the care of boys. Lizerot said that, through the EU’s efforts to promote positive values, it has been working with governments and civil society organisations (CSOs) in partner countries.
“ChildLinK is a very successful implementing partner. They are very responsible, accountable and a true civil society leader in Guyana. This is not an isolated project as it works as part of a holistic dialogue with the government. It is a sustainable approach that is owned by Guyana,” Lizerot stated.

Lead Researcher on the One Thousand Boys research, Dr Paulette Henry, explained that there are many social norms and practices that contribute towards CSA. The research will address the deeper societal and cultural complexities of CSA and identify the harmful social norms that drive CSA so as to increase the responsibility on adults in protecting children.
She detailed that harmful sexual behaviours are often taught to boys and girls through their parents’ actions or inactions, and further noted that harmful family structures, lack of enforcement of child protection laws, absence in reporting from family members, and insufficient protection for survivors of abuse all contribute towards the prevalence of CSA.
“There is a great underreporting of sexual assault of boys. It is believed to be far more common than is currently thought, with boys being just as vulnerable as girls, but shame and guilt often inhibit reporting,” Henry added. Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, in delivering the feature address at the launch, underscored the importance of placing the spotlight on violence against boys.

“This partnership that exists between government and CSOs is integral to seriously tackle and bring about the main outcome of having safer children. I would like to commend and congratulate ChildLinK for their passionate advocacy, their creative approaches and especially this one that focuses on one thousand teen boys and also partnering with hundreds of men so that they can become advocates for the awareness campaign and end stigma as it relates to reporting and intervention,” she stated.
The OTB initiative will expand the Child Advocacy Centre (CAC) services to children who report child sexual abuse. ChildLinK is currently operating CACs in Regions Three, Four, Five and Six. Support gained from the Spotlight Initiative Guyana was instrumental in operationalizing the CAC in Region Six. Under the OTB, new CACs services will be made available in Regions Eight and Nine. The aim is to ensure that children in all regions in Guyana have access to the CAC services.