CIVIL society experts are calling for more male involvement in their drive to eradicate the escalating cases of gender-based violence in Guyana.

This appeal was initiated at a recent film screening and panel discussion hosted by the Guyana Equality Forum (GEF), and its partners in observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
The screening and discussion at Moray House in Georgetown was a jump start for 16 days of activities to end gender-based violence which culminate on December 10, 2013 – Human Rights Day.
Two films were screened to stimulate the panel discussion, the first being “Audre Lorde – The Berlin Years: 1984 – 1992”, produced by Dr. Dagmar Schultz. This film chronicles the years the acclaimed black feminist, lesbian poet and activist, Audre Lorde, spent in Berlin, and her contributions to the Afro-German women’s movement and her contributions to the German discourse on racism, xenophobia, antisemitism, classism, and homophobia within the black movement, and the black and white women’s movement.
The second film, “Voices of Survivors”, is a short documentary produced by Red Thread which shares the heart-wrenching stories of Guyanese women who have been victims of domestic violence.
Addressing the gathering at the event, African Cultural Development Association (ACDA) Executive Director, Eric Phillips, appealed for the need for masculine intervention to end this issue. He however mentioned that feminine leadership, especially in the political arena, is also vital in addressing this issue.
Karen De Souza from Red Thread, and Daunta Radzik, representing Help and Shelter, noted that the level of violence within the family is alarming, emphasising that more needs to be done to encourage involvement, thus dissuading others from being passive spectators in cases of domestic abuse.
De Souza indicated the need for religious organisations to be part of a comprehensive national plan to end gender-based violence and that their voices have to be heard in the move to end domestic violence.
Radzik related that violence exists because of inequalities in relationships between men and women and that, to some degree, it is perpetuated by fear.
Other recommendations from the panel and the audience included the need to address violence against children, and expanding the Health and Family Life Education curriculum to include topics about sexuality and violence. There was also a call for the strengthening of institutional frameworks created to protect victims of gender-based violence, even as calls were made for material resources to be provided to support persons who are attempting to leave abusive unions.
Partnering with the GEF to host the event were GRPA, Red Thread, Help and Shelter, The Mothers’ Union of the Anglican Church, Guyana Rainbow Foundation and the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD). The GEF is a network of civil society groups working cohesively to achieve equality and realise human rights for all Guyanese. The GEF is currently chaired by Red Thread, while SASOD serves as its administrative secretariat. The event was funded by the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice through SASOD.