On behalf of the Government of Aruba and the Ministry of Justice and Social Affairs, we are thankful to the entire field of professionals, working undeniably hard with determination for the well-being, security, and protection of our children and youth. We would also like to thank the entire team of the Codigo di Proteccion, who has been working unsparingly since November 2019 to execute the law in a structural manner. Last but not least, a big thanks to all the professionals and the entire team behind the magazine; Departamento di Mucha y Hoben, Augeo Foundation, UNICEF the Netherlands, who helped contribute to the first digital edition of this magazine.

The Codigo di Proteccion works with many other stakeholders, one of them being the Departamento di Mucha y Hoben, which is currently working on making the program a sustainable one, by creating a platform specifically for the supervision of the Codigo, where the objectives are clearly outlined. There are plans of raising a sister organization, with regard to securing and anchoring the Codigo. This way information and knowledge can get passed on, but also to provide appropriate coaching and training to the supervisor of the Codigo.

To this aim, the Ministry of Justice and Social Affairs has asked UNICEF the Netherlands and the Dutch association of attention officers for domestic violence and child abuse (LVAK) to work with Departamento di Mucha y Hoben the to develop a plan for a centre of expertise on tackling child abuse and relational violence.

As of the 1st of April 2021, based on the legislation book 1, article 243 of the Burgerlijk Wetboek of the national order, containing general measures (National Ordinance Reporting Code Child Abuse), every professional working directly with children has the obligation to use the Codigo di Proteccion, the moment suspicions are raised regarding child abuse.

Using the five steps instilled in Codigo di Proteccion, the professionals are able to voice out their concerns, based on facts, to the parents/guardian of the child, and are also able to talk to the child when necessary. Thanks to the Codigo, all professionals are now able to work preventively, using a more unified system when handling suspicions of child abuse.

The Government of Aruba and the Ministry of Justice and Social Affairs have The Codigo di Proteccion high on their agenda. This has been prioritized ever since the beginning of the Cabinet Wever-Croes I in 2017.

An alarmingly high percentage of Aruban children experience abuse. This requires actions, like educating parents on early indicators of all sorts of abuse, empowering children and empowering parents in parental skills. The Codigo di Proteccion encompasses strategies to end violence against children, including implementation and enforcement of laws and regulations relating to policies and reporting of child abuse. With this magazine, we aim to inspire both professionals who work with children and professionals who work with parents.

Let’s be assertive and empower our community