Dominica is an island country of the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It lies between the French islands of Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante to the north and Martinique to the south. The Kalinago Territory is located in a remote and mountainous area of Dominica's Atlantic coast.

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The Kalinago people have long been central to shaping Dominica and the broader Caribbean region, with a rich history of resistance to colonization and strong cultural traditions. For over two centuries, they fought against the Spanish and later European settlers.  Today a population of 2,145 people live in eight hamlets in the nine-mile Kalinago Territory along Dominica's eastern coast. They are the last remaining Indigenous community in the Eastern Caribbean.

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In 2022, the Child Abuse Prevention Unit of the Ministry Health, Wellness and Social Services identified the Kalinago Territory as a community for special intervention around children’s enhanced protection. UNICEF responded by launching a child protection program in 2023 to support the government's efforts to build safe and supportive families and communities for children. This year, UNICEF commissioned Child Frontiers to assess its programs and make recommendations on how to further support Kalinago children.

 

Martha Nelems, our Senior Associate, conducted the assessment remotely, collaborating closely with national consultant Jemma Azille. Despite the geographical distance, they formed a strong partnership, with Jemma's extensive local experience and connections enabling meaningful consultations that provided deep insights into the community's child protection challenges.

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The Challenges

The assessment revealed stark realities. Poverty affects nearly half the Indigenous population, with one in two persons living below the poverty line. Children face multiple risks as a result of: food insecurity, not living with both of their biological parents, weak community leadership, and a diminishing connection to their cultural heritage.

 

Participants candidly shared the complex landscape of child protection in the Kalinago Territory. Sexual abuse, including incest and transactional sex, physical and emotional abuse, corporal punishment, and systemic racism emerged as significant threats. One participant poignantly noted, "Children are looked down upon because of their Kalinago heritage... people look at the Kalinago as inferior to the other races and may call them derogatory names or place them in a low class (at school)"

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Defining Safety and Support

For the Kalinago, a safe and supportive family and community means more than physical protection. It encompasses:

• Feeling loved and cared for by parents and extended family

• Access to education

• Strong cultural identity

• Respect for the natural environment

• Positive community interactions

 

Children identified their primary sources of safety and support as biological parents, friends, teachers, nurses, and mentors from UNICEF-supported programs.

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Cultural Identity: A Shield of Resilience

The assessment highlighted a strong cultural identity as a critical protective factor for children. Traditional practices like dancing, canoe fishing, basket weaving, provide children with a sense of belonging.

 

"Environment is critical - the land, the sea, the river, the resources," one participant explained. "Children participate in hunting, catching crabs and crayfish in the river," demonstrating how deeply connected Kalinago children are to the natural world.

 

Understanding Kalinago history and core values – especially resilience and respect for family and the knowledge they can share – helps build children’s confidence in their identity as Kalinago people and equips them to better protect themselves from harm, including when they leave the Kalinago Territory as young adults.

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These findings are in keeping with global research with Indigenous peoples on the importance of a strong cultural identity to a child’s well-being and protection.

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Insights from Leadership

As part of the assessment, Martha interviewed President Sylvanie Burton, the first Indigenous and first female President of Dominica. President Burton spoke passionately about the Kalinago people and articulated a vision for building safer, stronger families and communities for children.

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Innovative Approaches

Martha explored the concept of a culture camp for Kalinago children with Julie Birdstone, a colleague from the  ʔaq̓am First Nations in Canada, who shared insights about similar programs in her community. This exchange of ideas demonstrates the potential for innovative, culturally-rooted solutions to support Kalinago children.

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Recommendations for Change

Recommendations for change focus on holistic community support:

1. Invest in parenting and mentorship programs

2. Invest in kinship care to improve the care of Kalinago children not living with their biological parents and to reduce adoption rates outside the Territory

3. Support cultural revitalization programmes to strengthen the connection of girls and boys to their traditional cultural heritage, to Kalinago elders and to the natural environment. Ideas include a culture camp where children learn about their rich history and values, and also spend time with their elders learning life-skills such as canoe fishing, how to smoke meat and fish, how to use herbs for medicinal purposes, and how to make traditional crafts such as basket weaving

4. Teach children how to protect themselves from harm and where to find support in their communities if they have been harmed

5. Engage community leaders in promoting the wellbeing of children and in supporting vulnerable families 

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The Path Forward 

The assessment underscores that protecting Kalinago children requires more than policy - it demands a community-wide commitment to preserving cultural identity, providing economic opportunities, strengthening communities, and creating supportive family environments.

 

As one participant hopefully noted, "Now, more Kalinago children are getting involved in cultural activities that help them understand their own identity... but more work needs to be done."

 

This journey reveals not just challenges, but the extraordinary resilience of a community committed to protecting its children's future. Through collaborative efforts and cross-cultural learning, this assessment lays a foundation for innovative, culturally sensitive approaches to child protection in the Kalinago Territory.

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