KINGSTON, Jamaica – Children across the island will participate in a series of child-abuse sensitisation marches on Friday.

The marches, organised by the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), are part of activities to mark World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse, which will be observed internationally on Saturday, November 19.

Public Relations and Corporate Communications Manager at the CPFSA, Kristen Laing, said the decision was taken to have marches this year instead of candlelight vigils, to encourage greater turnout and support from the public.

Hundreds of students representing schools from the northeast, southeast, southern and western regions of the CPFSA are expected to participate in this ‘Stop the Silence, End the Violence! Children’s March and Remembrance Rally’.

Laing said the parishes in which the marches will be held have reported the highest number of child-abuse cases.

For the southeast region, which covers Kingston, St Andrew, St Catherine and St Thomas, the march will start at St William Grant Park, downtown Kingston and culminate at the Secret Garden Monument at the corner of Tower and Church Streets.

For the northeast region — Portland, St Mary, St Ann — the march is scheduled to begin at 9:00 am at the St Ann’s Bay roundabout, going through the town and ending at the St Ann’s Bay Parish Library.

St. Elizabeth will be the focus in the southern region, with the march to start at the JAG Myers Park at 9:00 am, travel along the main street then back to the Park. This region also covers the parishes of St Elizabeth, Clarendon and Manchester.

Meanwhile, in the western region, Westmoreland, Hanover, Trelawny and St James, the march will be held in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, starting at 9:00 am. The marchers will go from downtown Great George’s Street then on to Independence Park in the town.

Schools are being asked to create banners denouncing child abuse to be displayed as they march.

Laing said that each march will culminate with a rally, mini concert and a remembrance activity in honour of all the children who died under tragic circumstances from November 2021 to October 2022.

“Members of the public are being invited to join the marches and let their voices be heard, because as a nation we must stand together against child abuse,” she said.

Activities will continue on Saturday with a church service at Andrews Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church at 11:00 am. This event will be streamed live on the CPFSA’s YouTube page.

The commemorative events end on Sunday (November 20) with the celebration of Universal Children’s Day, under the theme ‘Equality and Inclusion for Every Child’.

Children officers assigned to the CPFSA will read messages in churches across the island denouncing child abuse and sharing ways to protect children from abuse.