International Office of Child Rights

The International Office of Child Rights (hereinafter referred to as the “IOCR”) operates within the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs. This Department houses the Civil Child Abduction Authority (hereinafter referred to as the “CCAA”), which was established under and by virtue of the International Child Abduction Act of 2008 (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Act’). This Act serves to provide for the application of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Convention’) in Trinidad and Tobago and to provide for matters connected with or related thereto.

The Convention is a multilateral treaty developed in 1980 by the Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference on Private International Law that provides an expeditious method to return a child who was abducted by a parent from one member nation to another, where the child was a habitual resident.

Trinidad and Tobago became a party to the Convention in 2000. The Convention was then incorporated into Trinidad and Tobago’s domestic law via the Act.

The CCAA, by virtue of s. 6 (1) of the Act, is a Central Authority established to deal with all matters relating to the civil aspects of international parental child abduction between Trinidad and Tobago and contracting territories. To date, Trinidad and Tobago has partnered with over 50 territories under the Hague Convention. The CCAA is also responsible for discharging the duties which are imposed by the Convention.

This CCAA is a Statutory Body that reports directly to the Honourable Attorney General and the Permanent Secretary.

The IOCR:

1. maintains our country’s obligations under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction;
2. ensures the children are returned to their country of habitual residence;