The research aims to highlight the current situation of child protection laws, systems and community issues in the country and to look at the legislations and regulations to see how they are aligned with the conventions on the rights of the child.
According to Carl DeFaria, Regional Research Coordinator UNICEF Pacific Office — who is heading the project together with Berry Moon Watson, Manager for the Office of Health Policy, Research and Program Evaluation of the MOH — the research involves a survey in randomly selected households all over Palau to see whether children and families know how to access services that are meant to serve them, like the MOH, social services, schools, the court, police, and those that deal with Juvenile Justice issues.
“For example, we are looking to see the perceptions of people on the right way to discipline children, whether in school, at home or the community,” DeFaria said in an interview. “The outcome of the research will be a valuable source of information for government policy makers and those who want to conduct further research.”
According to Watson, the research will also help the country proceed with making changes and amending legislations and regulations to be protective of the rights and wellness of children.
“Today is the launching of the project,” Watson said. “And in the past week we’ve gone through trainings and setting up rules regarding the project, how we are going to conduct it. Next week we will start the survey and the community activities.”
Palau is the first country in the Northern Pacific to launch the Child Protection Baseline Research. The same research will also be conducted in the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Marshall Islands. The project has also been done in the South Pacific countries, such as Kiribati, Vanuatu, Samoa and Fiji.
DeFaria added that the report will be issued sometime in February next year.
“This report will guide the government in developing programs for children for the next five years. It will also guide UNICEF in developing programs for children in Palau.”
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