Belize launches new committee to strengthen child protection

By Breaking Belize News Staff (HP): The Government of Belize, in partnership with UNICEF and key national stakeholders, has taken a major step toward better protecting the country’s children, convening child protection actors to prepare for the formation of the Child Protection and Child Justice Steering Committee.

The new committee, known as the CPSC, brings together government ministries, the National Commission for Families and Children, the Office of the Special Envoy for Families and Children, and development partners. The aim is to create a more integrated and effective child protection and child justice system, one better equipped to shield children from violence, abuse, and neglect.

The establishment of the committee responds to the findings of a 2024 national assessment, which pointed to the need for stronger coordination, clearer accountability, and improved alignment across the country’s child protection and justice systems. By bringing existing mechanisms together under a single national body, the CPSC will guide the implementation and monitoring of reforms, while keeping the best interests of every child at the center of all decisions.

The working session served to formally establish and operationalize the committee, including its mandate, governance structure, and a five-year action plan.

Shawn Vargas, Director of the Department of Human Services, said the move was about more than administration. “The merging of the Child Protection Thematic Working Group and the Child Justice Steering Committee is not simply an administrative process, it is a recognition that the issues affecting children do not exist in isolation,” he said. “A child who is abused, neglected, exploited, in conflict with the law, in contact with the justice system, or in need of care and protection requires a coordinated, timely and child-centered response.”

UNICEF Representative for Belize, Sajid Ali, also welcomed the milestone. “The launch of the CPSC marks a significant step forward for Belize. Protecting children requires coordinated, cross-sectoral action,” he said. “Collaboratively, we can strengthen systems that ensure every child is safe, supported, and able to reach their full potential.”

The Government of Belize and UNICEF reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening the systems that prevent and respond to violence against children.

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