Africa-Press – Cape verde. On Friday, the island of Sal hosted a workshop to introduce the *Guide for Awareness, Information, and Prevention of Child Maltreatment*—an event held to mark the conclusion of Positive Parenting Week and to reinforce the initiatives of the “Blue April” campaign.
The gathering—which brought together representatives from the Cape Verdean Institute for Children and Adolescents (ICCA), the Sal Municipal Council, and the National Police, alongside educators, teachers, and kindergarten administrators—focused primarily on operationalizing protective measures designed to ensure that children experience healthy growth free from violence.
Queila Soares, the ICCA delegate for the island of Sal, emphasized the critical importance of translating theoretical knowledge into daily practice.
According to Soares, the guide serves as an essential tool to support professionals who work directly with children, offering clear guidelines for responding to situations involving physical or psychological violence, neglect, or sexual abuse.
“This guide is not merely a document; it is a call to action. We aim to transform these guidelines into concrete actions, ensuring that every child—in every setting—is treated with dignity and safety,” she stated.
Soares further noted that prevention must be a daily practice, centered on fostering safe and nurturing environments.
For her part, Maria João Brito, the Sal Municipal Council’s Councilor for Education, underscored the need for collaborative action between public institutions and civil society to ensure child protection—particularly within a local context heavily influenced by the tourism sector.
“Tourism has brought development, but it has also brought its own set of challenges. Many parents work schedules that limit their direct interaction with their children. As institutions partnering with families, we must remain vigilant and step in wherever gaps exist, supporting parents and caregivers to ensure that children remain in safe environments,” the councilor explained. Maria João Brito further emphasized that protection work does not entail replacing the role of the family, but rather ensuring the necessary support to safeguard children’s upbringing and well-being, regardless of the parents’ professional challenges.
The workshop also served as an opportunity for capacity building and reflection, allowing participants to align strategies to ensure that the motto “Growing with love, living without violence” becomes a permanent reality—rather than merely a message associated with commemorative dates.
The initiative culminated with a recognition of the work carried out by all partners within the Child Protection and Education System on Sal, reiterating the commitment to keep this issue at the top of the public agenda—well beyond the month of April, the month internationally dedicated to the fight against violence against children.
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