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National Organization for the Prevention of Child Abuse
Belize, Central America
Lorna McDougall, Director
The National Organization for the Prevention of Child Abuse
(NOPCA) is a voluntary, not for profit, non-governmental organization
established in January 1992 as a direct response to The United
Nation's Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and
Belize's identified need for a primary prevention project
to address the needs of children and families experiencing
family violence and those living in especially difficult circumstances.
NOPCA's projects provide a wide range of educational/awareness
activities throughout Belize aimed at preventing the abuse
and neglect of children and helping professionals and other
care givers improve services to children and families.
The philosophy of NOPCA is to promote the basic human rights
of children and their families by bringing awareness and sensitivity
to the rights of children as described in the UN Convention
and by further balancing children's rights and the role of
the family.
The main objectives of NOPCA are:
- To increase awareness and knowledge with respect to the
CRC, helping parents, professionals and the community in
becoming sensitized to human rights issues, specifically
children's rights.
- To educate and empower children on their basic needs and
fundamental rights as human beings, to help them understand
the concept of rights and their responsibility in ensuring
these rights.
- To increase understanding, awareness and knowledge of
parenting issues through parenting education.
- To promote child abuse prevention initiatives through
education, advocacy and research in communities, with a
view towards developing and strengthening preventative programs
that are culturally sensitive and acceptable.
In furtherance of its mission, NOPCA supports and develops
research into child rearing attitudes and parenting practices
that provides data relating to the causes, prevention and
treatment of child abuse and neglect. It also conducts research
on the prevalence and nature of sexual abuse in Belize.
NOPCA responds to requests for information on child abuse
and neglect, parenting education and the Convention on the
Rights of the Child through dissemination of leaflets, brochures
and by telephone. Requests are received from other social
service agencies, researchers, advocacy organizations, the
media and the public.
Through our education and public awareness programs NOPCA
is able to conduct national conferences, focus meetings, workshops
and seminars on issues relating to the prevention, intervention
and treatment of child abuse and neglect, as well as current
knowledge and skills building for child care workers, including
teachers and other professionals. NOPCA also makes referrals
to appropriate agencies or organizations for clients needing
further support and assistance.
The monitoring and analysis of requests for training, information
and discussions with other agencies or individuals enables
NOPCA to keep a pulse on emerging issues and needs in the
field of child protection. These trends are taken into consideration
for program strengthening and development.
As a result of this monitoring and analysis a social service
hotline was established in March 1994. The primary aim of
the Belize Helpline is to provide support for persons experiencing
stress and personal crisis. The helpline also provides referrals
for callers to the appropriate resources or organizations
after assessing their needs. The helpline is facilitated through
the kind support of a Volunteer Corps.
In an attempt to address the high rate of teenage pregnancy
in Belize, NOPCA has begun to provide a special teen parenting
program which promotes peer support and life skills training
for single mothers experiencing the difficulties of an unexpected/
unwanted pregnancy. It has been proven that the lack of parenting
knowledge and skills combined with the enormous stress factors
related to teen parenting, place the child of an adolescent
at significantly greater risk for child abuse and neglect.
NOPCA's efforts to combat child maltreatment are done in
collaboration with government and non-governmental agencies.
Our efforts have resulted in a much clearer awareness throughout
society on the extent of child abuse and neglect and the importance
of addressing these critical problems.
Ms. Lorna McDougall, Director
NOPCA
153 West Street, P.O. Box 1441
Belize City, Belize, C.A.
Telephone: 501-2-78834
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