Amid a slew of strategies designed to tackle violence against children, United Nations Special Representative on Violence against Children Dr Najat Maalla M’jid on Tuesday appealed to Jamaica to intensify its efforts as time is running out.

In an exclusive interview with the Jamaica Observer, M’jid, who is on a four-day visit to the island, pointed out that Jamaica has presented its second voluntary national review about the sustainable development goal of Vision 2030, which includes eradicating violence against children.

“Ending violence against children is a promise that all governments made to eliminate by 2030, and we have only seven years remaining and the clock really is ticking and this is important,” said M’jid, who is the special representative of the secretary general for violence against children.

She stressed that, while there are several plans implemented to deal with violence against children, it is more important to ensure that the initiatives are “not only on paper” but are easily accessible to children.

“You have many plans, many strong political will to be very frank, but what are the plans to understand why violence is still there and what kinds of violence are increasing and what are the impacts and how we can do better?” she said.

“Currently there is legislation regarding all the violent discipline and that is still a concern, but that isn’t the only form of violence, you have domestic violence, corporal punishment, and other forms of violence with gangs and sexual exploitation,” she said.

Noting that it would be “wonderful” to put an end to all forms of violence as it impacts the mental health and development of children, there should be more alternatives involving the parents to create positive change.

“It is possible. There is a continuum of violence worldwide and what is important for me is how we can switch this continuum of violence into this continuum of care and protection,” she said.

“We need to tackle all forms of violence and exploitation at the same time and to tackle the drivers [of violence], and we know what to do and we know how to do it. We need to ask ourselves why we are not doing it quickly and better in a coordinated manner,” she said.

Last year, during a Jamaica Observer Press Club, information minister Robert Nesta Morgan said every effort was being made to drastically reduce the impact of violence on children by 2023.

Morgan noted that move was among eight targets outlined in the five-year National Plan of Action for an Integrated Response to Children and Violence.

One target is reducing the number of reported cases of violence against children in targeted communities by 15 per cent, while the other target is increasing adult population awareness of the link between corporal punishment and trauma as well as alternatives to violent discipline by 30 per cent.

M’jid, during her stay, is expected to engage in various field visits and interactions with the Government, human rights representatives, children, and young people to discuss the challenges in relation to children’s rights and access to justice.

The visit aims to reinforce the long-lasting close collaboration of Jamaica with the Office of the United Nations Special Representative on Violence Against Children.

In 2014 a regional consultation on the prevention and elimination of violence in early childhood was held in Kingston with the office of the special representative in close cooperation with United Nations Children’s Fund and the Government.