Canadian agency donates CAD25,000 to train Police on gender-based violence

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) has donated CAD$25,000 to Merubdoi, to facilitate and train ranks of the Guyana Police Force on how to deal with cases of domestic and gender-based violence.
The four-day ‘Legal Literacy and Access to Justice to End Gender-Based Violence’ training workshop, which commenced on Tuesday will conclude on Friday, and cover six modules.

Day one delt with violence against women; day two laws affecting vulnerable groups, day three guidance on interacting with victims/ survivors/general public, day four how to document human rights violations, day five review, and day six international legal remedies.
At the launching ceremony Superintendent, Shivpersaud Bacchus, Force Training Officer, at Guyana Police Force said that this initiative came at a time when the Police Force is hoping to train 2000 ranks at the end of the year to deal with domestic violence.
“This comes in partnership also with the United Nations Population Fund, and it plays an integral role in regards of this program as it relates to your role and function. You the participants, I would like to challenge you all to harness your energy so that it would be utilised effectively to make a tangible impact wherever you are”, he said,
Meanwhile, Training Consultant, Kobe Smith, said access to justice for acts of gender-based violence is lacking, and the justice system continues to deny women, girls, and other vulnerable groups equal protection before the law.
“This situation is not only inconsistent with the constitution of our country, but it also gives perpetrators the license to continue with their acts with impunity, because they just feel like nothing can be done to them, to hold them to account for their actions.
Access to Justice for All is a critical litmus test of peaceful, just, and inclusive societies and really underscores and tells the picture of how we really see vulnerable groups in our society and how we treat them, and how we respond to their issues”, he said
Also attending the launching ceremony was the Director of Social Services at the Human Services and Social Security, Wentworth Tanner, who said that domestic violence continues to be a troubling issue and needs our immediate attention.
“We are below the international standard. It’s an issue that requires our immediate attention. Collaborative efforts such as this are required in order for us to move forward because it’s not only a government responsibility, but it’s everyone who resides within the land of the cooperative republic of Guyana”, he said.
High Commissioner of Canada Mark Berman, in his address also pointed out that on the global stage, Canada has been a leading advocate for the elimination of violence against women and girls, as both a human right and a development priority.
He also stated that the Covid-19 pandemic has increased gender-based violence and it is imperative that countries continue to work together to combat the spurge of these cases. (G9)