Commissioner Antoine Rony Bazil, of the office of the Department of the West, of the Brigade for the protection of minors (BPM), a specialized unit of the National Police of Haiti, revealed that during the first 5 months of the year BPM had intervened with more than 200 minors.

Commissioner Antoine explained that in the case of runaway children, depending on their family situation, they returned home or entrusted to the Institute of Social Welfare and Research. In cases of abuse, an investigation is initiated, which can lead to arrests (40 cases were thus be transmitted to prosecutor and nearly thirty people arrested the first 5 months of the year). Finally, in the case of delinquency, after investigation, the young convicted of violations of the law and his case, are transferred to the public prosecutor, where a judge is in charge of follow up.

Note that the BMP is a specialized unit of the National Police of Haiti under the auspices of the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police who work in the prevention, suppression and protection of minors,

BPM supported by UNICEF is carrying out public awareness and children in schools, churches and streets of sensitive areas. Commissioner Antoine regrets the lack of public information on certain fundamental rights of children and the risks to which it is exposed in the context of violations of children's rights.

Note that currently the western office includes a staff of thirty agents. Moreover, agents are deployed particularly at the airport and land borders to fight against child trafficking.

SL/ HaïtiLibre