Specialised intervention needed to tackle gender-based violence – Chancellor

…as course launched at UG

The University of Guyana’s School of Behavioural Sciences and Research, in collaboration with the Judiciary of Guyana and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), on Tuesday launched a training programme that would see members of the legal profession in Guyana becoming better equipped to address gender-based violence.
Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonnette Cummings-Edwards, in opening remarks, made note of the fact that gender-based violence was an issue that plagued many societies.
“Violence committed against men, women and children is not only a criminal offence, but it is also a violation of their fundamental rights, their human rights,” Justice Cummings-Edwards expressed.
To this end, she noted that Guyana, in having a responsibility to protect citizens, has created legislative measures all directed at combating gender-based violence.
Even with these in place, Justice Cummings-Edwards noted, the unfortunate reality was that most of the cases were not reaching the courts.
“One of the main challenges in addressing gender-based violence as we would have observed is the lack of specialised interventions,” she said.
The acting Chancellor further noted that she saw the opportunity of partnering with UNICEF and UG as one area of specialised intervention to deal with the issue.
“[Given] the sensitive nature and serious nature of matters of this kind, our legislators saw the need for legislation to deal with the issue and to allow some measure of protection to protect persons who experience such violence,” Justice Cummings-Edwards said.
Highlighting that application can be made within the courts for certain protection orders, apart from the criminal charges that can be laid, she revealed that once filed, these applications are given priority.
“A member of society who seeks the protection of the court would need to have judicial officers and other functionaries who could understand their apprehension, who could understand their reluctance, their frustrations, even feelings of guilt and remorse as they make their complaints and seek their various orders,” she highlighted.

Working with UG
Meanwhile, UG Vice Chancellor, Dr Paloma Mohamed-Martin expressed that the University was delighted to be working with the Judiciary.
“This Chancellery in the last four years or so has been very focused on using the Judiciary to create wellness, to create justice, to create fairness for all our populations,” Dr Mohamed-Martin stated.
While noting that the programme would be delivered online, the Vice Chancellor stated that she has hopes of it also being delivered face to face when the University embarks on its blended learning initiative in the near future.
In giving a brief overview of the programme, Dr Mohamed-Martin shared, “We’ll be looking in detail at these localised reports when we work with the Judiciary and the Police over the next five weeks as we deliver the course. Because really understanding how we apply our laws, our policies to our local context in a very objective empirically-based way is something that we really have to embrace and I know that the Judiciary does embrace that.”
In addition to this, UNICEF Representative for Guyana and Suriname, Nicolas Pron stated that – ahead of 16 Days of Activism under the theme, “Orange the world: End violence against women now!” and World Children’s Day under the theme, “A better future for every child” – “I am very happy that we are all becoming activists today and doing all we can to make both themes a reality.”
The UNICEF Representative stated that while UNICEF did not have all the answers in regard to changing the current scourge of gender-based violence, the organisation was aware of a few key strategies that could work in answering the questions of how to change the reality of gender-based violence and what more could be done.
“These [strategies] include: more open discussions, greater ownership and accountability, and more capacity building,” Pron stated.
“Just this month, we were asked to reflect on those cases of domestic violence that have contributed to a national change or debate on the national matter of domestic violence. I am sure all of us may know of at least one case. And based on our work, including in the Judiciary, we can vividly remember cases and we must use these examples as a means of creating change now, and creating a better future for children.” (G2)