Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Information on the protection and resources provided by the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to orphaned children and orphans who have one parent subject to a prohibition order
| Publisher | Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Publication Date | 19 May 2011 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | VCT103742.FE |
| Cite as | Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Information on the protection and resources provided by the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to orphaned children and orphans who have one parent subject to a prohibition order, 19 May 2011, VCT103742.FE, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/4e43a66d2.html [accessed 20 June 2013] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Family Services Division of the Ministry of National Mobilization, Social Development, the Family, Persons with Disabilities, Youth, Sports and Culture offers programs for orphans in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 29 Apr. 2011; ibid. n.d.a). In a telephone interview with the Research Directorate on 29 April 2011, the Director of Family Services discussed protection measures and resources available for orphaned children.
The Director noted that when a particular case involving a child is brought to the attention of the State, either by a citizen or a social worker, the State tries to provide assistance (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 29 Apr. 2011). However, the Director pointed out that since Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is not a rich country, it can only provide "limited assistance" (ibid.). The Director also explained that children are considered orphans if one or both of their parents have died (ibid.).
According to the Director, members of the orphaned children's families are sometimes the ones looking after them after their parents have died (ibid.). In some cases, the people who have taken the children in have the means to look after them without assistance from the State (ibid.). However, the Director also explained that the State may offer monthly financial assistance, depending on the specific needs of the children (ibid.). He indicated as an example that the State may provide assistance in purchasing school supplies (ibid.).
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines also has a foster home placement program (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 29 Apr. 2011; ibid. n.d.b). According to the website of the Family Services Division, this program is intended for children who cannot live with their biological parents and includes orphans (ibid.). The children placed with foster families also include children whose parents cannot take responsibility for them and those whose parents have rejected, mistreated or abandoned them (ibid.). According to the Director, there are approximately 225 children living with foster families in the country (ibid. 29 Apr. 2011). The website explains that children between the ages of 0 and 16 can be placed in foster families (ibid. n.d.b). According to the site, the foster family may be provided with some financial assistance by the State (ibid.).
Nevertheless, a report by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on the situation of children in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean notes that there are street children in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Nov. 2009, 28). However, according to a study published in April 2008 on the phenomenon and cited in the UNICEF report, none of the 36 children who participated in the study lived exclusively on the streets (Woodley 6 Apr. 2008, 8). The study does mention, however, a 14-year-old boy whose parents were dead who was living without adult supervision (ibid, 27). According to the UNICEF report, "the country is still experiencing some challenges in meeting its commitments to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other ratified human rights instruments" (United Nations Nov. 2009, 28). UNICEF also notes that "[i]n 2007, of 511 cases of child abuse reported, only 47 victims actually received care and support" (ibid.).
According to the UNICEF report, "[l]aws, policies and systems to govern the care and protection of children are woefully outdated" (ibid.). However, according to the Director of Family Services, new legislation will "soon" be implemented (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 29 Apr. 2011). According to the Director, the Childcare and Adoption Act was passed in 2010 and the Status of Children Act in April 2011 (ibid.). According to him, these pieces of legislation deal with children in general, but will also have an impact on orphaned children (ibid.). The Director stated that the main purpose of the Status of Children Act is to ensure that children are equally treated regardless of whether they are born inside or outside a marriage (ibid.). Further information on the content of these pieces of legislation could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
The Director of the Family Services Division pointed out that the Ministry of Education is responsible for ensuring that all children in the country go to primary school (ibid.). The Director also noted that the Ministry of Health offers free health services to all children 16 years of age and younger (ibid.). The Director also mentioned the existence of the Liberty Lodge Training Centre, a government-managed reception centre that offers supervision for delinquent boys (ibid.) between the ages of 7 and 16 (ibid. n.d.c).
The centre accommodates around five boys, some of whom may be orphans (ibid. 29 Apr. 2011). According to the Director of Family Services, the State also facilitates the efforts of organizations that provide direct and indirect assistance to orphaned and homeless children, notably the Salvation Army and the Catholic Church (ibid.). He mentioned that the Catholic Church manages Bread of Life, a reception house that helps the children of parents who have AIDS/HIV; St. Benedict's Day Nursery and Children's Home, which is in part a reception house for orphans; and Our Lady of Guadeloupe, a reception house for girls who have been the victims of abuse (ibid.). Information on the services provided for orphans by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
Information on protection or resources offered to orphaned children who have one parent subject to a prohibition order could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. 29 April 2011. Ministry of National Mobilization, Social Development, the Family, Persons with Disabilities, Youth, Sports and Culture. Telephone interview with the Director of the Family Services Division.
_____. N.d.a. Ministry of National Mobilization, Social Development, the Family, Persons with Disabilities, Youth, Sports and Culture. "Programmes."
_____. N.d.b. Ministry of National Mobilization, Social Development, the Family, Persons with Disabilities, Youth, Sports and Culture. "Frequently Asked Questions about Foster Care."
_____. N.d.c. Ministry of National Mobilization, Social Development, the Family, Persons with Disabilities, Youth, Sports and Culture. "General Information."
United Nations. November 2009. United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Children in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean: Child Rights - The Unfinished Agenda.
Woodley, Monica Thomas. 6 April 2008. The SVG National Committee on the Rights of the Child (NCRC). The Conduct of a Survey on Street Children within a Specified Geographic Area of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. (United Nations Children's Fund - UNICEF)
Additional Sources Consulted
Oral sources: A representative of Marion House did not provide information within the time constraints of this Response. Attempts to reach a representative of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Human Rights Association (SVGHRA) were unsuccessful.
Internet sites, including: Amnesty International (AI), Child Rights Information Network (CRIN), Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), European Country of Origin Information Network (ecoi.net), Freedom House, Globalex, Human Rights Watch, International Labour Organization (ILO) - NATLEX, Law Library of Congress, National Committee on the Rights of the Child (NCRC), The Official Website of the Government of SaintVincent & the Grenadines, Searchlight [Kingstown], Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - House of Assembly, SVG Express [Kingstown], The Vincentian [Kingstown], United Kingdom - Home Office, United Nations - Refworld, United States - Department of State, The World Law Guide, World Legal Information Institute (WorldLII).
