Statement from WPO

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is once again being observed when governments and civil society organisations use this period

to evaluate, promote and make new commitments towards the eradication of domestic and other forms of violence.

At the First Feminist Encounter of Latin America and the Caribbean held in Bogotá, Colombia in July 1981, November 25 was declared the International Day against Violence against Women. This day was designated in memory of the three Mirabel sisters of the Dominican Republic who were tortured and murdered by the Trujillo regime in 1960.

The United Nations Fourth World Conference held in Beijing in 1995 adopted Violence against Women as one of the Critical Areas of Concern in the Platform for Action.

The decision therefore, by the UN in recognising this day in 1998, was indeed welcomed by the women of Latin America and the Caribbean region who for years were lobbying for such an outcome.

Guyana, being a signatory to the CEDAW Convention and Belem Do Para convention, took steps in 1996 to pass the Domestic Violence Act in order to provide protection to women and all those who are victims of abuse.

Very many important actions, policies and programmes were taken by the government and other organisations to give effect to the Domestic Violence Act.

The WPO supports all the initiatives taken thus far, and would like to use this occasion to encourage more citizens of the country, as well as those institutions who have a responsibility to shape the lives of young people, to do even more to deter those who may want to go down the road of violence.

Members of the WPO will be speaking to residents in Berbice at Chesney/Kilkoy, Nigg North and South, Guava Bush and Topo, and in Region Ten at Three Friends Heath Centre.

A number of schools will also hear presentations on domestic violence by WPO members.  These are Cane Grove Primary School, the Health Centre as well as Shivita Business School; Helena Primary, Supply Primary and Mahaica Primary;  Hindu College Cove & John, Bath Primary ,Uitvlugt Secondary, Zeeburg Secondary and Leonora Primary.
The General Secretary of the WPO will also address workers at Denmor Garment Factory.  Flyers providing information and useful tips will be distributed at all of these places.

The WPO calls on all Guyanese to work together to reduce domestic and other forms of violence in our society.

IAC condemns violence perpetrated against women

THE Indian Arrival Committee (IAC), on the occasion of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, has joined with all Guyanese in condemning violence perpetrated against women.

While these sentiments were echoed many times before, the IAC said it would like to take this opportunity on this day, November 25, designated as International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to reiterate its position for such barbaric acts to cease.

Over the years, many acts of violence against women were noted in the media highlighting the continuation of such abuses. In many cases, mothers lost their lives leading to broken homes. These bastardly acts have far-reaching consequences, including affected children who are often left to fend for themselves. These situations are counter productive in building a cohesive family and eventually, society.

The IAC calls on all men who are guilty of abusing their spouses to stop such cowardly acts and to ensure that they provide protection for their women folk. Men who abuse women must realise that women are equal and must not be treated as objects for the venting of anger and dissatisfaction. The IAC urges these men to show compassion and affection to the women folk entrusted in their care.

The IAC is cognisant of the efforts being made by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and many Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), including those focusing on edifying men, in helping to curb domestic violence. While there is more to be done, the IAC commends these organisations for their tireless endeavours in this regard.

The IAC reiterates its willingness to work with any organisation and to support any initiative aimed at preventing women from being abused. The IAC also calls on all organisations to be relentless in their efforts to rid the society of violence perpetrated on women and for all to be vigilant and report any such incidents.

Statement from Women & Gender Equality Commission

The Women & Gender Equality Commission, in observation of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, takes the opportunity to express its profound support to the government agencies, civil society organisations, women organisations and all those who have been involved in the fight against domestic and other family violence against women and children.

The Commission wishes to remind everyone of the significance of this important day which gives recognition to the three Mirabel sisters who were murdered by the Trujillo regime in 1960 in the Dominican Republic, as well as the decision by the United Nations in 1998 to observe November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

The Commission acknowledges the heightened awareness since the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1989 expressed its concern that “Equality in employment can be seriously impaired when women are subjected to gender-specific violence, such as sexual harassment in the work place.”

Recognition is also given to the decision by Ministers Responsible for Women Affairs in 1991in Trinidad & Tobago when they recommended the CARICOM Model Legislation on Domestic Violence which eventually became the blueprint for the Region, including Guyana.

However, the most important decision that was taken to bring domestic violence out of the family closet into the arena of public policy action was the introduction of the 1994 Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women.

This decision adopted at the General Assembly of the Organisation of American States at the behest of Inter American Commission on Women provided the framework for policymakers who have signed the Convention as well as those who have ratified it.

Article 1 states: “For the purposes of this convention, violence against women shall be understood as any act or conduct, based on gender, which causes death or physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, whether in the public or the private sphere.”

Article 2 states “Violence against women shall be understood to include physical, sexual and psychological violence:

a) Violence that occurs within the family or domestic unit or within any other interpersonal relationship, whether or not the perpetrator shares or has shared the same residence with a woman, including among others, rape, battery and sexual abuse.

b) Violence that occurs in the community and is perpetrated by any person, including, among others, rape, sexual abuse, torture, trafficking in persons, forced prostitution, kidnapping and sexual harassment in the workplace as well as in the educational institutions, health facilities or any other places.

c)       Violence that is perpetrated or condoned by the state or its agents regardless of where it occurs. The Commission urges all organisations to access copies of this Convention to better understand the rights and responsibilities of citizens as well as the role of the state which has signed unto the convention; thus giving the undertaking to provide the enabling framework for the implementation of the Convention.

Similar actions should be taken to familiarise the public with the Domestic Violence Legislation and the penalties that are contained therein.

The Commission, while acknowledging the initiatives taken thus far, believes that meaningful change will only come about when a multi-sector approach is adopted for all actions. The involvement of all interested stake-holders in helping to shape a programme of action at the national level is critical for success. Thus, the Commission recommends a more aggressive involvement of all groups at their individual levels in helping to initiate the discourse on violence against women.

We applaud the President’s initiative when more than 600 religious and community leaders recently participated in a training programme to equip them with the requisite skills in counselling. The role of religious and community leaders is very critical since they can begin the process of counselling when the problem starts. Once the intervention is made early enough there can be positive outcomes.
The Commission believes that a new approach must look at the causes of violence against women, with particular attention being paid to an examination of gender socialisation practices in the home and the education system which reproduce or reinforce negative sex stereotypes and rigid gender roles.

Thus, the Commission calls on mothers to desist in promoting at an early age the categorisation of what is considered a woman’s job versus a man’s job and the continued discrimination by some parents in providing more to their sons than daughters.  We believe that boys at an early age should be encouraged to respect women and parents have a responsibility to encourage their sons to desist from using violence as a means to control and harm women. Therefore, the home must be the place where positive attitudes are adopted.

The Commission calls for more regular and effective data collection from those agencies  involved in dealing with violence against women, as well as continuous training programme for these personnel.

We believe that a system of indicators must be put in place to measure the impact of the various policies from time to time in order to assess their effectiveness.

The Commission stands ready to collaborate on all initiatives in the fight against domestic and family violence.