HGP Nightly News – More than 500 girls under the age of 18 were removed from harmful circumstances and placed in emergency care between 2020 and 2025, according to figures disclosed to the National Assembly.
Human Services and Social Security Minister Vindhya Persaud said the Childcare and Protection Agency recorded 532 placements involving girls who had experienced abuse during the six-year period.
The children were accommodated in state-run care facilities, privately operated homes and foster-care arrangements.
Persaud provided the information in a written response to Opposition MP and Forward Guyana Movement Leader Amanza Walton, who had asked how many emergency safe-housing placements were provided to girls under 18 fleeing domestic violence.
The minister’s response described the 532 placements as arising from abuse generally. It did not specify how many involved domestic violence, sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect or another form of harm.
It was also unclear whether the figure represented 532 individual children or included girls who were placed in emergency care more than once.
Separate information supplied by Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond showed that the Guyana Police Force received 124 reports of domestic and family violence involving girls under 18 between 2020 and 2025.
Region Four recorded 42 reports, the highest total nationwide, while Region Eight had the fewest, with three. Region Seven recorded six and Region Nine seven.
The highest annual figure came in 2025, when 28 reports were filed.
The police and CPA figures measure different things and should not be compared as though they represent the same cases. The police data cover reports classified as domestic and family violence, while the CPA total relates more broadly to emergency placements following abuse.
Walton also requested information about the number of social workers assigned to adolescent protection matters nationwide.
Persaud said 63 child protection officers are deployed across the country.
Region Four has the largest complement, with 23 officers spread across the East Coast, East Bank, North Georgetown and South Georgetown. Region Six has 12, while Regions Two, Five and 10 each have five.
Region Three has four officers. Regions Eight and Nine have three each, Region One has two and Region Seven has only one.
The distribution highlights the different pressures facing the child-protection system. Region Four has the largest number of officers and recorded the most police reports, while hinterland teams must serve widely dispersed communities across difficult terrain with considerably fewer personnel.
The parliamentary responses did not state how many children were reunited with relatives, remained in institutional or foster care, received counselling or were connected to criminal prosecutions arising from the alleged abuse.
