Statements

June 10 2024

Help & Shelter stands in solidarity with the thousands upon thousands of women and children who are being subjected to untold suffering as a result of the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, and calls for an immediate ceasefire.

A ceasefire is so crucial to all those who are being exploited and abused in the most horrific manner, in circumstances in which access to health care and other basis essentials is denied or medical facilities are non-existent.

This year’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is being observed under the theme “Invest to prevent violence against women and girls”. This is befitting and timely given the ongoing situation in Guyana.

We have seen the Guyana country narrative report in the U.S. Department of State’s 2010 Trafficking in Persons Report, which places Guyana yet again on the Tier 2 Watch List and which has as one of the Recommendations to Guyana: “ensure trafficking-specific shelter and care is offered to identified victims of trafficking”

The killing of 16-year-old Kelvin Anthony Fraser in Patentia comes as another example of the failure of promised police reform and reflects a disturbingly low point in the way in which the Guyana Police Force carry out their duties of service and protection to citizens of our communities.

Help & Shelter joins in extending our deep sympathy to the family, relatives and friends of Kelvin Anthony Fraser on their loss.

As we mark International Day for the Elimination of all Forms of Violence against Women and Help & Shelter’s 14th anniversary on 25 November 2009, the tragic reality is that Guyana is still a society in which violence is seen as an acceptable means of resolving conflict and enforcing control and discipline and that its use continues to escalate.

Domestic and other forms of violence against women and girls continue to result in a disproportionately heavy toll in lives lost, ruined and damaged.

From Kaieteur News of 11 June, 2009

On Tuesday last, Red Thread, in conjunction with Help and Shelter, again dealt with the issue of the need for the Sexual Offences Bill to be tabled in Parliament. This decision they say should be in conjunction with the ‘Stamp it Out’ and Child Protection legislation that have already been tabled.
Red Thread and Help and Shelter representatives at Tuesday’s press conference.

Help & Shelter is delighted to announce that it is to receive $3m from the government to cover the cost of rewiring of and repairs to its Homestretch Avenue crisis service office that was damaged by fire on 28th December 2009.

Help & Shelter extends sincere thanks to those who have already made donations to assist in fire recovery. These have been applied towards the cost of cleaning the smoke-blackened office and its contents to so that they could be put back in order and some basic administrative functions could be resumed.

International Women's Day 2009 finds us in a time of national and global financial crises and when the incidence of violence in Guyana, especially domestic violence, is not diminishing.

The recent murders of Nekecia Rouse, Alexis George, Deborah Allen and Latoya Conway Woolford have brought into sharp focus the intensity of domestic violence in our country, although we have had a Domestic Violence Act since 1996.

Help & Shelter acknowledges the courage it takes for any woman to make public statements about her married life, and notes with concern the recent allegations made by former First Lady Varshnie Singh about the
President's treatment of her during their marriage.

Domestic violence is not only the threat or infliction of physical harm but psychological abuse, which includes a pattern of behaviour that is 'performed to the dishonour, discredit or scorn of the personal worth of the person' (to quote from the Domestic Violence Act).

From Guyana Chronicle of 23 January, 2009

Acknowledging challenges…
H&S Coordinator identifies successes of Domestic Violence Act
By Vanessa Narine
HELP and Shelter (H&S) Coordinator, Margaret Kertzious, has pointed to successes of the Domestic Violence Act but acknowledged that daily challenges faced by the victims resulted in the agency developing a protocol for the implementation.

She said the blueprint aims to focus on the primary issue affecting persons who suffer, which is the process of filing for a protection order.