THE CARICOM Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) has agreed, in principle, to the appointment of an envoy for Caribbean Children.

A release said the agreement was reached in Guyana, at the recently convened 12th Special Meeting on Children and the announcement was made by COHSOD Chairman, Belize Minister of Community Development and Transportation, Mr. Peter Martinez, at the conclusion of the three-day caucus.

He said, at the Guyana International Convention Centre, it was decided that the emissary be selected from a slate of nominees by CARICOM Member States and appointed by the Conference of Heads of Government.

Martinez explained that the delegate would be a distinguished person of sufficient legitimacy and credibility within the Caribbean, to be able to help Member States mobilise programmes towards the care and development of children.

The person would act on behalf of the CARICOM, to champion the cause of children in the region, he said.

Themed ‘Building a Region Fit for Children’, the conference was attended by regional and international stakeholders, including Ministers of Government, civil servants, child advocates and regional private sector officials.

Government Ministers at the COHSOD were urged to nominate suitable persons, in accordance with the stipulated selection criteria, in time for them to be presented to the Conference of Heads of Government in July, the release said.

The COHSOD also proposed the development of a CARICOM Kids Website that would create a virtual knowledge network for children of the community.

In addition, the COHSOD endorsed the approach set out for the establishment of the website and asked Member States to make available relevant resources to secure the efficient operation of this tool for regional integration and strengthening of a Caribbean identity, Martinez said.

He said the discussions surrounded progress towards the attainment of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the subsequent establishment of a revised regional framework of action for children.