Dear Editor,
This Child’s Month theme is “Stand up, Speak out, Protect the rights of the Child”. I would like to add one more element to this theme, “Stand up, Speak Out, Take Action – Protect the Rights of The Child”.
In May 1991, Jamaica made into law the United Nations “Convention on the Rights of the Child” This convention spells out the basic human rights that every child under the age of 18 has.
- The right to survival – food, shelter, clothing, medical attention, immunization etc
- The right to develop to the fullest- home, family, education, nationality, play, privacy
- The right to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation
- The right to participate fully in family, cultural and social life.
So the Government and its many agencies have put in place a plan of action to try and enforce these rights and to meet the many needs of our Children. They have set up programs and agencies like:
- Child Development Agency
- Child Protection and family service
- Center for the investigation of sexual offence and child abuse
- Early Childhood Commission -Education
- Office of the Children’s Advocate
- Call in hotlines for children, guidance counselors, social workers
These are just a few of a long list of them.
These efforts by the government are extremely important to meet the needs /rights of our children . And it is the responsibility of all Jamaicans to Stand up, Speak out and Take Action in any way we need to support them.
But do you notice anything missing from these rights of the child and the plan of action?
They are focused on the physical, intellectual, emotional, social needs of the child.
There is nothing that speaks to their spiritual needs/rights. As important as their physical, intellectual needs are, I believe, their spiritual needs/rights are the most important of all.
If the spiritual needs of our children are met, then they will more likely grow up to be a part of the solution to build strong families and communities rather than becoming perpetrators of the problem of violence, abuse, child neglect etc. We would be giving them values to live by and the source of their strength to overcome.
What are these spiritual rights of the child? These are their God-given rights.
- Every child has the right to know his Creator in whose image he has been made- Ezekiel 18:4 “Behold, every soul belongs to me.”
- Every child has the right to know the purpose for which he was born. Ps.139:16 All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
- Every child has the right to hear the Gospel of the Kingdom so he can choose which road he wants to travel – the broad or narrow. Matthew 7:13-14
- Every child has the right to know Jesus Christ, the Saviour of his soul and to experience freedom from sin and death. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Every child has the right to know God as their Father. John 1:12 But to all who receive him, who believe in his name, He gave the right to become children of God.
- Every child has the right to know and practice the laws/commandment/Word of his Heavenly Father to guarantee for himself a life of obedience and blessings. Luke 11:38. Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it.
- Every child has the right to receive the promise of the Holy Spirit as his Advocate. John 14:16. And I will ask the Father and he will give you another advocate and he will help you and be with you forever- the Spirit of Truth.
- Every child has the right to a future of everlasting life with his Heavenly Father.
John 6:40 14:2-6 In my Father’s house are many rooms …I am going there to prepare a place for you…I will come back and take you to be with me where I am.
These are rights that speak to the child’s eternal spirit and soul that, if they are met, bring results, not only in this life but in the next.
So who is going to advocate for these rights of the child? So who is responsible to Stand up, Speak out , Take Action to meet these spiritual needs of the children?
Certainly not the government and its many child service agencies. They are focused on the physical, emotional, intellectual and social needs of the children and rightly so. That’s their call.
It is the Church, the Body of Christ that has been given that mandate under the Great Commission. Matthew 28: 19-20,” Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you and be sure of this I will be with you even to the end of the age.
I am,
Donna Werdenie
