A safer Dominica for all, particularly children, and other vulnerable members of society – the elderly, disabled persons, women, and minority groups, including migrants – is at the heart of a new campaign launched on 13 June by the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services.

With its slogan “Awareness + Action = Change”, the campaign is made possible with funding from the International Organisation of Migration, UN Migration (IOM), and aims through education, to spur a national effort to take action toward eliminating all forms of abuse in Dominica.

“One of the objectives [of the campaign] is to improve service delivery to victims of gender-based violence, child abuse, mental health, and substance abuse,” said the Honourable Kent Edwards, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Health Wellness and Social Services, during his remarks at the campaign launch.

The parliamentary secretary also noted that increased reports of child abuse are among several reasons that led to a restructuring of the Government’s Social Welfare Division, which has been renamed the Department of Social Services, and is now comprised of four specialized units, which include the Social Welfare Unit, Probation Unit, Child Protection Unit, and the Counseling Unit.

“To enhance the important role which data collection plays in any institution, a Data Officer has been included among the staff of the Department,” the parliamentary secretary said. “A Communications Officer is also employed with a view to the dissemination of relevant information.”

Speaking on behalf of the IOM, Project Coordinator, Vynliz Dailey, underscored the importance of the project, stating that it is not merely an initiative, but concretizes IOM’s commitment to working with the Government of Dominica to ensure no one is left behind, particularly the most vulnerable in society, as efforts progress to build safer communities.

“One of the most critical aspects of our project is the emphasis on partnerships. We recognize that no single entity can address the complex issues of social protection alone,” Dailey said. “It requires the combined efforts of government, civil society, international organizations, and the private sector.”

These partnerships, said Dailey, bring together diverse perspectives, resources, and expertise, that enable the creation of more comprehensive, effective solutions that drive meaningful progress and change.

It was also outlined during the launch that one key partnership is with the media, since their dissemination of campaign information and materials, and informed reporting, is critical to raising awareness, as outlined in the “Awareness + Action = Change” equation.

To this end, IOM will be funding webinars designed to assist media practitioners with safely and effectively reporting on such sensitive topics as child and domestic abuse.

In closing the campaign launch, Glenora Pacquette, Coordinator, Social Services Unit, implored all Dominicans to pay close attention to, and where necessary, act on the initiatives and information provided as part of the communications campaign, since this level of public involvement is critical to the Department’s efforts “to help build a caring, inclusive, and resilient society in which everyone can live with dignity.”

The launch event culminated with an open house at the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services, during which members of the public, and the media were invited to visit each unit under the Social Welfare Division to gain more information about what they do, and how the respective units can be effectively utilized to enhance efforts to end abuse.

For more information contact Project Coordinator, Vynliz Dailey at vdailey@iom.int or visit https://www.iom.int/countries/dominica