SEVERAL Indigenous communities have been sensitised about the Sexual Abuse and the Sexual Offences Act, Domestic Violence Act, Human Trafficking and the Counter Trafficking in Persons Act and other labour related issues.

They received the vital information when a team from the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry and Social Protection’s Labour Department recently conducted a two-day sensitisation workshop with 18 village councils in Region Nine.

The participants were drawn from Central and South/Central Rupununi and the workshop was held in St. Ignatius.

The Ministry’s team was led by Senior Social Worker, Pauline Welch and Welfare Officer, Onika Bishop.

The collaboration seeks to inform village councils of their rights and responsibilities under the Sexual Offences Act, the Domestic Violence Act, the Labour Act and the Combating Trafficking in Persons Act.

It was noted that when social issues arise, persons in the communities are sometimes unaware of the procedures that should be followed, thus, the importance of the sensitisation workshop.

The villages were asked to select two persons who are community-oriented to receive training so they can return with a reservoir of knowledge to be shared with residents of the respective villages.

“Coming out from this important exercise, persons were able to have a better understanding of critical aspects of the labour, sexual offences, domestic violence and trafficking in persons act. Misconceptions were clarified as it relates to the roles of law enforcement officers and the various agencies involved in addressing these issues,” Welch said.

She also noted that “participants pointed out the need for additional human resources to assist in addressing these issues, while there must be a more concerted effort by those in authority to prosecute perpetrators”.

Participants welcomed this initiative and requested future training in parenting skills, while a request was also made to the Ministry of Social Protection to establish a labour office in the region.

Statistics on trafficking in persons indicate that more indigenous persons are susceptible to trafficking, sexual and labour exploitation.

To bring awareness, similar initiatives are being held countrywide by the Ministerial task Force in trafficking in Persons (includes several Government and non-governmental agencies) to bring awareness to this scourge.

As part of its commitment in the fight to empower indigenous peoples, the Ministry has recognised the need for villages to become more aware of society’s social ills and the approach needed to adequately address them.

The Ministry is in the process of planning a similar session for Aishalton Village, Deep South Rupununi in early August, while similar interventions will be made in Annai and Karasabai are set for later in the year.