We have a crisis in Guyana’s system for child protection

Dear Editor,

In 2025 at least 24 women and children lost their lives. Twenty-two of these women were victims of femicides, and among the 24 were four children aged 16 to 4 years. On international Women Day March 8, 2026, a 39 year old mother of 6 children was murdered by her partner becoming the latest victim of femicide in Guyana.^[1]

In the month of February 2026, a 15-year-old mother of a 10-month-old baby was stabbed 25 times by a man who is yet to be apprehended for this crime.^[2] This is indeed a very shocking escalation of domestic violence where teenagers are now also falling victim to attempted femicides and intimate partner lethal violence. The timeline of this pregnancy indicates that this teenage mother would have been 13 years old when she became pregnant. In February another teen mother between the age of 14-16 died at home due to heart failure and severe anemia. According to reports the teen, who lived with her parents and her one-month-old baby, was found unresponsive in her bed by family members. The timeline of this pregnancy also puts this teenage mother at either 13 or 15 at the time of her pregnancy.

The Sexual Offences Act is crystal clear no child under the age of 16 can consent to sex, making these rape offences.^[3] The Close in Age defence in the Sexual Offences Act would not have applied due to the gap in age difference between the 15-year old mother and her adult partner.^[4] In the other case the father of the teen mother has not been identified so we do not know his age.

DNA testing is available in Guyana and can be used to identify sexual abusers, predators and pedophiles, so there should be no problem in being able to identify the father of the teen baby especially if close in age defence is not applicable. We also know that the Child Advocacy Centre did forensic interviews with both of these teen mothers and would have followed protocols for reporting to State agencies whose legal, duties and responsibilities mandate that full follow up measures should have been taken for the protection, prevention, safety and well-being for these two teen mothers including ongoing psycho social counselling, sexual and reproductive health care, social and economic support including charging and prosecution of sexual abuse offenders if necessary. Neither the Minister of Human Services nor the Child Protection Agency has explained in any detail the failures of the national child protection system to protect these two teen mothers including breaches of the Protection of the Children Act.^[5] The brutal dragging of a schoolchild in uniform through the streets of Guyana by child protection officers on a truancy campaign is also a shocking public display of child physical abuse by those entrusted to protect the children of Guyana.

Clearly, we have a crisis in Guyana’s system for child protection and in protecting children from all forms of violence including child sexual abuse.

Guyana’s primary policy regarding teenage pregnancy is the 2018 National Policy for the Reintegration of Adolescent Mothers into the Formal School System^[6] which allows teenage mothers to return to school at least six weeks after delivery, with the aim of preventing school dropouts. The government according to UNICEF also focuses on sexual reproductive health, including contraceptive access and awareness campaigns. However, a lack of independent research, monitoring and evaluation of the impact of this policy on teen pregnancies in Guyana over the past 7 years is unavailable publicly. This continuing lack of public reporting undermines accountability and weakens national prevention efforts.

According to the 2022 World Bank’s Report “Addressing Teenage Pregnancy in Latin America” Guyana exceeded Latin American and Caribbean teenage pregnancy rate with over 80 adolescent girls out of 1,000 giving birth.^[7] According to the same World Bank report, Guyana rate of adolescent pregnancy far exceeded any other Caribbean country except for Belize.^[7] Other Caricom countries rates were between 51 to 30 for every 1,000 girls.^[7] The world average is 39.^[8] Even with these very high rates, rural and hinterland regions have recorded even significantly higher rates of over 100 per 1,000 girls with teen pregnancies accounting for 20-24% of all pregnancies in Guyana.^[7]

Too often blame is assigned disproportionally to teens for their unplanned pregnancies without taking into account contributing factors.

A major factor contributing to teenage pregnancy in Guyana is the lack of comprehensive, accurate, and age-appropriate sex education. Comprehensive sexuality education teaches young people about the cognitive, emotional, physical, and social aspects of sexuality, helping them make informed decisions and being able to negotiate issues such as consent. However, Guyana’s Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) programme does not provide comprehensive sexuality education.^[9] In addition, many teachers feel

uncomfortable or lack the training and resources to teach the limited material currently included in the curriculum. Some parents also oppose sex education because they believe it encourages sexual activity, despite strong evidence showing that comprehensive sex education actually delays sexual initiation and promotes responsible decision-making.

The absence of accurate information about reproductive health and contraception allows myths and misinformation to spread. This increases the likelihood of unprotected sex and teenage pregnancy. Peer pressure, the desire for social acceptance, and the lack of safe spaces to discuss relationships and sexuality further can contribute to early sexual activity among teenagers. In too many cases, teenage pregnancies result from sexual violence or coercion, making it even more important for teens to have accurate knowledge for prevention and protection from sexual abuse.

Limited access to youth-friendly reproductive health services and contraceptives is another major contributing factor. Confidential health services and easy access to effective birth control significantly reduce the risk of unintended pregnancies among adolescents. Emergency contraception, which can prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex, should be widely available at community health centres. and acts like a contraceptive, preventing the fertilization of egg and sperm and is not an abortion pill. The World Health Organization has long recommended that emergency contraception be easily accessible and free of charge to help prevent teenage pregnancy.

Teenage pregnancy carries serious health risks for both mother and child. Young mothers face higher risks of complications such as preeclampsia, anemia, infections, premature birth, and low birth weight and often receive inadequate pre-natal care. They are also more likely to experience postpartum depression and complications during childbirth due to the physical immaturity of their bodies. Beyond medical risks, teenage mothers often face major social and economic challenges, including interrupted education, reduced career opportunities, financial hardship, and increased vulnerability to abuse.

Access to contraceptives remains difficult for many adolescents. Even when contraceptives are available, teenagers may lack the resources, information, or confidence to obtain and use them. Stigma, restrictive policies, and health worker bias can further discourage young people from seeking reproductive health services.

Family dynamics also play an important role as does lack of parenting education. Open and supportive communication between parents and teenagers about relationships and sexual health helps young people make safer choices. However, many parents lack the knowledge or confidence to discuss these issues. Poor family communication, domestic violence, poverty, and social pressures can push adolescents toward risky relationships. Poverty can also be a factor encouraging teens to engage in transactional sex to help supplement basic needs, while others may view early motherhood as a pathway to independence or social status. These factors contribute to the continuing cycle of teenage pregnancies Without guidance, teenagers may seek validation through inappropriate relationships, leading to early, unprotected, risky sexual encounters and vulnerability to sexual predators.

What is needed in Guyana is an independent comprehensive and far-reaching investigation into the child protection system operating in Guyana with a view to making the necessary changes to ensure we have a national system that is accountable and works in the best interests of our children, adolescents, teens and families, reduces teenage pregnancies, incorporates best practices, recognizes and utilizes the skills, experience and expertise of key civil society organizations and individuals so as to ensure Guyanese children are fully protected, respected and nurtured to reach their full potential. Secrecy and lack of accountability must end for Guyana to fulfill its obligations to the children of Guyana.

References

1. Violence against women is increasing, Maria da Penha says — valorinternational.globo.com ↩
2. Good Hope teen dies one month after giving birth - Stabroek News — www.stabroeknews.com ↩
3. Sexual Offences Act set for major upgrade - Guyana Times — guyanatimesgy.com ↩
4. The close-in-age defences (the Romeo and Juliet laws) - Stabroek News — www.stabroeknews.com ↩
5. Child protection Act Guyana-cover page.pdf — assets.tobaccocontrollaws.org ↩
6. https://www.unicef.org/guyanasuriname/media/471/file/National-Policy-Reintegration-of-Adolescent_Mothers_into-Formal_School-System.pdf ↩
7. Addressing Teenage Pregnancy in Latin America and the Caribbean — www.worldbank.org ↩
8. Reducing Teenage Pregnancy in Latin America and the Caribbean — www.worldbank.org ↩
9. UNICEF survey begs the question about the usefulness of the Health & Family Life Education programme modules - Stabroek News — www.stabroeknews.com ↩