NOW equipped with the skills to address gender-based violence (GBV) and the discrimination associated with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), 16 persons will soon embark on a mission to put what they have learnt into practice.

They have successfully completed the trainer of trainers’ foundation course and will be targeting women and girls across Guyana.

Led by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and UN Women, the programme forms part of the activities organised under the Spotlight Initiative, which is funded by the European Union (EU), and implemented by the United Nations through the government, and Community Service Officers (CSOs) in Guyana. It aims to implement solutions to accelerate action towards eliminating GBV, specifically violence against women and girls within the context of family violence and HIV discrimination.

Speaking at a simple graduation ceremony held for the participants, on Friday, at the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute, Human Services Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud, highlighted the importance of a cohesive approach to addressing gender-based violence.

“Gender-based violence is not new, it is not confined to Guyana, it is not something that could be tackled by a single individual. It requires cohesive, concretive efforts. Every time we have an exercise like this, we are adding one more significant pivotal element to the whole,” Minister Persaud said during her remarks.

The minister further urged the participants to not speak after the fact, or wait until someone is injured or even killed to start the conversation but to target the issue from its initial stage.

She called on the participants to utilise the skills they learnt during the 12-session programme and to be passionate about the fight against gender-based violence.

“I want to galvanize you to be above the regular trainer. I want to motivate you to be beyond the ordinary recipient of a certificate and I want to harness all the energies of those of us here and those of us beyond here to work actively with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security through the community advocates network to one by one transform the lives of those who experience violence.”

In closing, the minister charged the participants to work hard in their various outreaches to make the change that is necessary to eradicate violent acts against women and girls.

“Change communities to become safer and make homes to the place they ought to be, loving, encouraging, supportive and to start the conversation, to continue it at the highest possible level so that in the near time this cannot be something that is dismissed and we become impervious to,” she said.
The participants, who were drawn from government agencies and several community and faith-based organisations, took part in workshops to deepen their understanding of gender constructs and pervasive cultural norms that perpetuate inequalities and focus on strengthening the prevention approaches employed to address gender-based violence and HIV discrimination.

Though the participants possessed conceptual knowledge of GBV with backgrounds in sexual and reproductive health, human rights advocacy or work with marginalized communities, or who have already worked with victims/survivors of GBV, the workshops provided specialised training to implement the 12-week psychoeducational programme at a community level.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle shortly after receiving his certificate, Adel Lily, who works closely with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, as manager of the Gender Affairs Bureau disclosed that he is particularly excited to go into the fields and share what he has learnt with others.

Lily received a Level One accreditation in the programme, which will enable him to become a trainer. He along with several other participants will soon be heading out into several communities to train other persons in the skills of gender constructs and pervasive cultural norms.

“Knowledge is power and we have to get people to understand the dynamics that exist, why gender-based violence exists and that’s why these programmes are important. Gender-based violence is not as simple as some people make it sound,’ he added

Meanwhile, Denise Ralph, another facilitator, also expressed her eagerness to assist the many women and girls who are affected by GBV.

Ralph, who is employed at the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA), said that she has had first-hand experience working with women who were severely abused.

“I have a passion for working with disadvantaged persons so to speak and I’ve seen gender-based violence. We notice that violent acts are perpetrated grossly against women and girls.”

This, she said, is what motivated her to further equip herself with the necessary knowledge needed to better assist the women and children who may come to her for assistance.