PARAMARIBO – Statistics indicate that a growing number of young girls between the ages 12 to 25 are runnung away from home. Several youth and neighborhood organizations recently expressed their concern about his  trend. Youth Councillor Dwight Samuel explained that in most cases the relatives of these runaways ask people for information on social media.

But when they are reunited with their loved ones they fail to mention the reunion on social media. Samuel pointed out that most of these young girl run away from home to move in with their boyfriend or multiple men. “The young girls who run away from home to move in with a man must receive the same punishment as the men who allow them to move in with them without permission of their parents. A shelter must also be opened for these girls to make sure that they do not keep running away from home,” said Samuel who added that every day desperate mothers or relatives turn to social media to ask people to help them find their daughter or niece.

He explained that if the girls are also out ished, there will be a drop in the number of female runaways. The youth organizations made it clear that effective policies are required to address the issue. They seem it regrettable that the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs was divided into two ministries that have nothing to do with youth policies. “No information is given regarding sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV.”…[+]