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Commission advocates for violence investigation centre
In recognition of the daunting spate of domestic violence within the society, the Women and Gender Equality Commission is advocating for the establishment of a centre to investigate gender-based and family violence. And according to Chairperson of the Commission, Indranie Chandarpal, the Commission is currently preparing to engage President Donald Ramotar with a petition in this regard.
From left: Chairperson of the Women and Gender Equality Commission, Indranie Chandarpal and Commissioners Vanda Radzik, Nicole Cole, Karen Van Sluytman-Corbin and Hemawattie Lagan.
This disclosure was made Wednesday when the Chairperson and Commissioners held a press briefing at the entity’s Peter Rose and Anira Streets, Georgetown headquarters.
The idea to have the Investigation Centre implemented is in fact a move premised on Jamaica’s model of the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA). This strategic move, according to Chandarpal, has been known to yield positive results, though it is not expected to be a “quick fix.”
She explained that when the principles of the operation of CISOCA are carefully considered it is believed that they could be instrumental in helping to address the situation of violence in Guyana.
“We are hoping that when we have the discussions with the President, many people can buy into it (the centre) with a view of working towards its realisation…We believe this is the way to go,” Chandarpal assured.
She noted that the problem of violence, in any form, is one that requires a holistic approach, whereby it includes community-based, faith-based and civil society organisations.
Moreover, Chandarpal disclosed that the intention is that during the proposed meeting with the President, efforts will be made to not only make recommendations for the centre, but also to vocalise the need to host round-table discussions with the relevant state and civil society organisations. It is expected, she said, that the outcome of such engagements will lend to the establishment of a working group to move forward with the Investigation Centre.
According to Chandarpal, the innovative move was in fact initiated as a result of a series of recommendations emanating from the Access to Justice public education programmes which were conducted across nine regions of Guyana. A final session is likely to be held in Region Eight, on November 14, where key professionals from the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, the Guyana Police Force and Legal Aid will be among the organisations involved in educating the public.
And as International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women draws near (November 25), Chandarpal disclosed that the Commission will be erecting billboards bearing the message “Family Violence leads to Despair, Destruction and Death” in some of the administrative regions.
Also as part of the commemoration, the Commissioners will target 45 schools across Guyana for public awareness on family violence.
Meanwhile, it was disclosed that a delegation of Commissioners were on October 18 last tasked with visiting the Teenage Maternal Clinic where they interacted with some of the teens and were satisfied with the services offered. And the Commission has plans to soon visit the East La Penitence Lock-ups during the course of this month as well.
The members of the Commission revealed too that based on a recent meeting with Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Jacob Opadeyi, a Memorandum of Understanding between the Commission and UG will be drafted to support the establishment of a Gender Studies Centre and online courses on Gender and Development.
The collaboration has in fact allowed for the Commissioners to pledge support in terms of tuition fees to one UG student to do research on issues affecting women. This award, it was disclosed, will become available on March 8, 2014, to commemorate International Women’s Day.
Currently, the Commission is working in accordance with a five-year Strategic Plan which has four Thematic Strategic priorities, which are: organisational and institutional strengthening of the Women and Gender Equality Commission; Women, Leadership and Governance; Women and Economic Empowerment and Gender Based Violence.
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