The University of the West Indies (UWI) named Rayanna Williams, a student of Holy Childhood High School in Jamaica, the 2024 overall Outstanding Caribbean Child Researcher at the 19th Annual Caribbean Child Research Conference.

The two-day conference took place from November 28 to 29 at the university’s Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business and Management in Barbados.

Rayanna Williams stood out among 23 competitors with her research paper, Progress or Stagnation: Evaluating the Impact of School Hair Grooming Policies on Children’s Rights in Jamaica. She also won Best Methodology, Best Written Paper, and Best Oral Presentation prizes.

Another Jamaican student, Tahnelia Forth, William Knibb High School, placed second with her paper, Exploring Self-Mutilation Among Adolescents in Western Jamaica. The third place prize went to Jeanic Polius, St Joseph’s Convent, St Lucia, for her paper, Progress in Children’s Rights in Saint Lucia, 35 Years After the Adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

UNICEF Eastern Caribbean sponsors the annual conference with the School of Graduate Studies and Research, and the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute at The UWI, as well as the Ministry of Education in Barbados. It showcases academics and child researchers sharing their insights on various subjects over the two days. This year’s theme was “The CRC @ 35: Evaluating Our Adherence to Children’s Rights in the Caribbean.”

Commenting on the initiative, Professor Aldrie Henry-Lee, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chair of the annual Caribbean Child Research Conference said that UWI is pleased to partner in hosting a conference that promotes children’s rights and builds capacity among our youth. She added, “While we value the academic presentations and publications emerging from the conference, we take even greater pride in our Caribbean children’s oral and written submissions. These contributions provide insight into their perspectives on the adherence to children’s rights and how we can enhance their quality of life.”

In the other competition categories, Osa-Marie Hunter, Convent High School, Dominica, won first place for her essay on the adherence to Children’s rights in Dominica. Ariel Alexander, South-East Port of Spain Secondary School and Bradley Ramjohn, ASJA Boys College, both from Trinidad and Tobago, won second and third places for their essays. There were 56 essay submissions.

Over 50 submissions were also received in the poster competition segment. Faith Williams, Marabel Anglican Primary School, Caylan Donawa, Sacred Heart Boys R.C, Ariya Ramdass, and Avocat Vedic (APS) School, all from Trinidad and Tobago, won 3rd, 2nd, and 1st places for their posters depicting adherence to children’s rights in their country.