Statement on International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women - 25 November 2007

The theme for the 2007 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is "Demanding Implementation, Challenging Obstacles: End Violence Against Women".

Help & Shelter recognises the following obstacles to alleviating violence against women:

1) The failure of the Government to implement of the Policy Recommendations submitted by the Domestic Violence Task Force

2) Delay in the introduction of a Family Court

3) The degradation of women in advertising and popular culture

4) The further impoverishment of women resulting in a dependence on abusive relationships

1) Implementation of the Domestic Violence Policy Recommendations

Domestic violence remains the most pervasive form of violence against women. This is happening in an environment in which violence is celebrated as an appropriate form to resolve problems

Help and Shelter calls on the Government of Guyana to implement the policy recommendations submitted by the Domestic Violence Task Force in January 2007 (available on http://www.hands.org.gy/files/dvtaskforcepolicy.pdf)

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The policy recommendations of the Domestic Violence Task Force are grouped around the themes:

- Providing support services for survivors

- Monitoring and enforcing legal sanctions

- Developing a multi-sector approach which includes the health and education sectors

- Ensuring that persons with disabilities and persons who are elderly have access to services

- Building the capacity of rural and hinterland communities to respond to domestic violence

- Providing adequate support for the monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the interventions from police and other sectors

It is recognised that adequate funding has to be found to resource the strategy and Help & Shelter calls on the Government and the donor community to recognise that domestic violence is a challenge to human development.

2) Family Court

In April 1995 the Family Maintenance and Related Matters Committee was established by the then Minister of Labour, Human Services & Social Security. This committee was chaired by the Honourable Madam Justice Desiree Bernard. In the final report recommendations were made for the establishment of a Family Court, the report stating: "Over the past several years all of the major women's organizations have been clamouring for the establishment of a Family Court………….The National Coordinating Committee of the International Year of the Family has added joined the clamour and it is appropriate that such a court be established during this year."

A Bill for the establishment of a Family Court was drafted in 2002 and has been circulated, revised and further circulated but the Court is still to be made a reality: a shameful state of affairs more than 12 years after recommendation by a ministerial committee headed by Guyana's most respected and distinguished judge and repeated calls from NGOs and other civil society groups.

3) The degradation of women in advertising and popular culture

The proliferation of the use of women's bodies in advertising and the increase of music lyrics that commodify women as sexual objects are antithetical to all efforts made to achieve gender equality and ensure that women's sexuality is not their only form of power.

4) The impoverishment of women

Help & Shelter joins with other NGOs and individuals who are concerned that the rising cost of living due to both international and national factors will further impoverish women who seek to escape from abusive situations and impact on their ability to sustain their livelihoods and those of their children when a decision is made to leave. We call on the Government to review the impact of VAT as well as the impact of global factors and to implement the policies that will bring a halt to the increase of poverty in Guyana.

Sexual offences reform

Help & Shelter uses this opportunity to endorse the proposal for long-overdue reform of sexual offences legislation outlined in the consultation paper "Stamp It Out". We will take advantage of the consultation process to submit our comments and suggestions on the details proposed.

Need for ongoing funding

We call on donor agencies to recognise that gender-based violence requires specific interventions and that ongoing funding is required for initiatives that provide counselling, shelter and other services for survivors.

Appreciation

On this 12th anniversary of Help & Shelter, we would like to again thank all organisations and individuals – both governmental and non-governmental - who have assisted and worked with us in our initiatives.

Help & Shelter

22 November 2007