SINCE 2000, November 25 has been observed as United Nations (UN) International Day for the elimination of violence against women, and in observance of this occasion, governments, international organisations and non-governmental organisations arrange activities to raise public awareness of violence against women. This year, the UN has chosen to celebrate the day under the theme, “Eliminating discrimination against women in order to end gender-based violence”; and in commemoration, Guyana is observing 16 days of activities that will stretch from November 25 to December 10 across the country.
Guyana has long recognised the importance of eliminating violence against women and government has shown its strong commitment to ‘stamping-out’ this epidemic.
The Government Information Agency (GINA) sat with Minister of Human Services, Jennifer Webster who put into focus the effort to end all forms and where ever it exists, domestic violence.
“This is a very important issue in our society and more so it has been over the past years… although it is a global issue our concerns at the national level are not unfounded,” Minister Webster stated. Government has ensured that legislations were put in place to protect, not only women, but to ensure that persons who are victims of violence will be able to have greater access to justice.
 Interventions
Several key pieces of legislation have been passed in the National Assembly, including the Sexual Offences Bill. More recently, government has tabled the amendment to this bill, which, when passed, is expected to allow for a level playing field with regard to the submission of evidence by the prosecutor and the accused.
There has been the establishment of organisations like the Women’s Affairs Bureau and more recently, the Men’s Affairs Bureau. The latter undertook initiatives to encourage men to support the need to end violence against women.
The National Conversation on Domestic Violence has sought to further raise awareness of this issue, and altogether, these have aided the effort of reducing and preventing violence against women, Minister Webster said.
The Human Services Ministry is developing a national action plan based on the outcomes of the National Conversation on Gender Based Violence and will outline government’s and its partners’ roles.
Since domestic violence is an important pandemic that cuts across all borders, ethnicity, race, socio economic status and religion, many international bodies have also chosen to partner with government to undertake several initiatives all aimed at “promoting awareness and sensitising the entire populace to the effects of domestic violence and the social ills that domestic violence have placed upon the Guyanese society,” Minister Webster said.

Public’s role 
Getting the public involved has been very crucial, as domestic violence has a cost. “It has a social cost… domestic violence affects women’s health and well-being, it hurts our children and our families, and it holds considerable cost to societies economically and socially,” she said.
As such, society has the right, and must get involved.
“As a society we have seen women lose their lives for varying reasons within the household, at the hands of their partners, and we have noted how some of these women have lost their lives, but I think we all must recognise that we all have to do a lot more,” the minister stated.
Especially, work has to be done with youth, and their socio- behaviour patterns have to be addressed. Children must be taught at a young age that if there is a problem in any relationship, that they should work it out and that the answer is not violence, she noted.
“We must be our brother’s and sister’s keeper. We must be able to identify someone who is in need of help. If we know of someone who is undergoing abuse in a home, or is in an abusive relationship, then the onus and responsibility is upon all of us to try and help that person in whatever way we can,” she urged.
Gender based violence adversely affects the welfare of communities and when women and children are abused, business is closed, income shrinks, families go hungry, and children grow up internalizing behaviour patterns that perpetuate violence.
There is no end to the economic and detrimental social health cost that arises from violence and for this reason, the epidemic requires the nation’s response and the ministry has been providing this very collaborative approach.
 Activities
The ministry, through its Women’s Affairs Bureau in each region, will be carrying out a number of activities during the 16 days for International Day for the elimination of violence against women, and these include a candlelight vigil in solidarity with the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones to domestic violence.
There will also be domestic violence talks in several schools and a walk against the social ill. (GINA)