The 20th Annual Caribbean Child Research Conference (CCRC) will open on December 1 at the Regional Headquarters of The University of the West Indies, bringing together child and adult researchers, educators, and advocates to amplify young voices and advance child rights research in the region.

In keeping with its focus on action as well as dialogue, the conference will continue on December 2 with a hurricane relief activity.

Under the theme ‘Leaving No Child Behind: Bridging Gaps for Marginalised Children in the Caribbean’, this milestone event celebrates two decades of empowering children and youth to speak out on issues affecting their lives, while engaging educators, policymakers, and advocates in advancing child rights across the region.

Hosted by The University of the West Indies, with support from UNICEF since its inception, the conference will feature a dynamic programme of keynote addresses, youth panels and research presentations. Dr Armstrong Alexis, Deputy Secretary General of CARICOM will address the opening ceremony.

UNICEF in the Caribbean has been a proud partner, providing funding and technical assistance as well as serving annually on the panel of judges for student submissions of research papers and creative work. Our enduring collaboration reflects UNICEF’s commitment to supporting children and youth as active participants in shaping a society that values and protects their rights.

“For twenty years, UNICEF has proudly supported this conference, reflecting our shared belief that when children learn about their rights, they are empowered to claim them and drive change,” said Olga Isaza, UNICEF Representative. A new Child Rights Awareness Video, featuring children speaking about their rights in the Jamaican language, will also be launched at the event. 

“The conference will showcase student-led research across seven concurrent sessions, covering topics such as education equity, child health, climate change, justice system reform, and governance,” explained Dr Aldrie Henry-Lee, Conference Chair, while adding that the contributions of children across the Caribbean over the years has been a key component of this conference. Highlights this year include:

• Youth Panel Discussions on child rights and lived experiences
• Research presentations by students and academics on issues ranging from diabetes care and homeschooling to climate resilience, use of mother languages in education and child sexual violence
• Children’s Panels and Creative Readings of top essays and poems
• Awards Ceremony recognizing outstanding child researchers

In light of the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that recently impacted several parishes, participants including youth volunteers, will engage in an outreach activity at Great Faith Basic School in St Ann, one of the affected parishes on December 2. They will distribute care packages to students and teachers, standing in solidarity with children whose lives were disrupted by the hurricane. This gesture underscores the conference’s commitment to not only discussing child rights but actively supporting children in times of crisis.

The Caribbean Child Research Conference is also strongly supported by the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Early Childhood Commission (ECC) and the Office of the Children’s Advocate (OCA) among others. The partners reaffirm their commitment to building a region where every child knows their rights and every adult works to make those rights real.