ADVOCACY group Hear the Children’s Cry (HTCC) has called on the Government to launch a multibillion-dollar project to tackle poor parenting practices in the country.

In a media release on Thursday, Hear the Children’s Cry said that Jamaica is on a slippery slope because of poor parenting and this needs to be addressed immediately and continued over the next 10 years.

“The idea behind the project essentially is that we are aware that the crisis we are facing among our children is not a quick fix. It is not a matter that can be easily addressed within a short-term plan. We believe it is a cultural change, a mindset; something that has to be changed from the mind; in our behaviour, our practices, and our social views and cultural perspective,” HTCC spokeswoman Priscilla Duhaney told the Jamaica Observer on Thursday.

According to Duhaney, the Government has been focusing a lot on growing the economy, however the children are the future and, as such, more needs to be done to protect them.

“If we don’t have our children and we don’t have a safe environment, then we don’t have persons investing. If you are looking at a futuristic plan, then we have to think what is it, and how is it, that we can help our children to thrive and flourish. We want to stand against violence and exploitation among our children,” added Duhaney.

She pointed out that there is a high rate of abuse among children, with mothers being deemed as the most abusive.

Duhaney argued that there is a need for parents to be more engaged and equipped in terms of being more hands-on and aware of what their children are exposed to and doing.

“Abuse is not confined to just sexual or physical, it also has to do with neglect, emotional abuse, and verbal abuse among our children. And we are seeing where those types of abuse cases are having a rippling effect on our children in the long run. They themselves become abusers, so we are looking at a generation curse,” she said.

“Crime and violence is the order of the day amongst our children, whether it is that they are the perpetrators or the victims of these offences. Some of the most recent cases that we have had we may want to hold our parents accountable — which they ought to be held accountable,” Duhaney argued.

She described the issue as a national crisis as she highlighted that the project is not to be deemed in isolation as this initiative will have to be a collaborative effort.

“We are looking at holding hands with the Child Protection and Family Services Agency, the National Parenting Support Commission, other stakeholders and other advocates for children’s rights. So we are expecting everyone to come on-board because we have one common goal.

“We are not saying we have all the answers. What we are saying is that we can definitely liaise with the Government to give them the ideas. We don’t have the resources for sure, but we can be a part of the team that push the project forward in terms of how this can be executed,” Duhaney added.