EMPHASISING the critical need for a multifaceted approach to tackling violence against women and other key societal issues, President, Dr Irfaan Ali underscored the necessity for specialised skills and partnerships to effectively confront these challenges.
Addressing ranks of the Guyana Police Force at the opening ceremony of the annual officers conference on Wednesday, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces stated that these cases require the force to adopt a different skillset.

“When you look at domestic violence, when you look at violence against women, when you look at childcare issues, all of these issues are key and critical issues that [the] police are involved in that require a different skill set, requires [sic] a different approach, that requires [sic] a different type of partnership,” the President said.

Recognising the evolving nature of these issues, the President outlined the importance of global partnerships and collaborations in tackling gender-based violence and improving law enforcement’s investigative capacity. “Right now, we are partnering with the New York Police Department [and] the Royal Canadian Police. We are also collaborating with key institutions, international institutions, to develop our capacity and develop strategies to deal with gender-based violence and enhance our responsiveness,” he stated.
The President further highlighted the importance of strengthening forensic capabilities in law enforcement, particularly in areas such as homicide investigations. “In this regard, we are now partnering with the National Forensic Science University in India to develop our forensic capabilities and capacity,” he said.

In 2024, law-enforcement agencies recorded a 33 per cent decrease in the number of homicides due to domestic violence.
The government invested $150 million to address sexual offences and gender-based violence at the start of 2024, which enabled the Minister of Human Services and Social Security to launch a number of measures.
The ministry supported approximately 1,500 individuals through its Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Unit. Also, initiatives such as the Hope and Justice Centre provided counselling, legal aid and other essential services to victims of abuse.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr Vindhya Persaud credited the 914 hotline for helping to reduce incidents of domestic violence.

During her year-end press conference at the ministry’s Georgetown office back in January,  Dr. Persaud disclosed that the hotline received over 14,000 calls, which included 293 that were related to domestic violence.
This service allowed the ministry to intervene in cases of violence when necessary, and to effectively monitor incidents.