Violence and women take centre stage at special forum

Nov 26, 2008 News

While there is a United Nations declaration concerning violence against women, much more needs to be done worldwide to have a convention to this effect, rather than a mere declaration, Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire said yesterday.

A section of the gathering at yesterday’s observation of International Day against Violence

Justice George-Wiltshire made the comment while addressing the members of various organisations that yesterday gathered at the YMCA auditorium, when the Mother’s Union within the Diocese of Guyana hosted a panel discussion on ‘Violence against women: If one part suffers, all suffer together.’
The discussion was hosted as part of the observation of International Day against Violence in a manner that can be enforced in a better way.
Guyana, Justice George-Wiltshire said, is a signatory to the United Nations declaration, but she noted that violence against women has to be dealt with promptly in a manner that can be enforced in a better way.
International Day against Violence was yesterday celebrated under the theme, ‘Demanding implementations, Challenging Obstacles.’
During the ensuing discussions, issues such as violence and women, substance abuse, violence and the law, violence – a Biblical perspective, and violence and children were addressed.
President of the Mothers’ Union in Guyana, Sheran Harper, in her message, stated that she believes that violence against women is impeding women’s opportunities to achieve legal, social, political and economic equality in society.
She added that, despite all that is being done at organizational and national levels, violence in its many forms is still causing physical, sexual and psychological harm to women. She added that the alarming fact is that many of the individuals affected still suffer in private.
It is only by uniting to break the silence that individuals can begin to overcome violence, she added.
Mrs Harper told the gathering that, through the offering of one and another understanding, help and support, the society can break the cycle of violence and contribute to the positive change that is needed in every corner of Guyana.
Among the organizations that were represented at yesterday’s discussion were Men of Purpose, Ministry of Human Services, Police Wives’ Association, Help and Shelter, and members of various churches across the country.