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Ministry launched pro bono initiative for gender-based violence victims
Kaieteur News – The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHSSS) in collaboration with the Guyana Bar Association (GBA) on Thursday launched its Legal 500 pro bono initiative as a part of its mandate to end gender-based-violence, specifically against women and girls in Guyana.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindya Persaud
This initiative will ensure free pro bono legal services to 500 gender-based-violence victims, which will be provided by the GBA, as it is equipped with the necessary resources and expertise to provide high quality essential legal services.
The accessing of justice and legal services can be a challenge for vulnerable groups of people across Guyana, as legal costs are relatively high. There might also be limited aid reach in certain regions, backlog of lengthy trials, lack of resources, and many other challenges.
The accessing of free legal resources by victims can diminish the losses experienced by women, children, families, and communities across Guyana.
“We have been crafting, tailoring and working dedicatedly and committedly on many factors towards the one goal of eradicating, eliminating violence against women and girls and I always say men and boys too, because we must not forget them. And, so if we look at the broader structure of our service delivery, as it relates to gender-based-violence, domestic violence in all of its dimensions, it is imperative that we also have tactical solutions that can be considered low high-end fruit, access to justice is an important, very important and significant aspect to curb what we see right across our country” Human Services Minister, Dr. Vindya Persaud stated.
President of the GBA, Pauline Chase and the permanent secretary of the MHSSS, Shanielle Hoosain-Outar signing the MOU
The Minister expressed thanks to the GBA for its contribution to the initiative, which will help assist 500 victims. The minister further stated that she looks forward to that number expanding in the future. The partnership was finalized by the singing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the MHSSS and the GBA, which took place on Thursday.
To ensure this initiative is effectively managed, the ministry has engaged other international bodies to provide funding and technical support, through the establishment of a legal pro-bono referral department within the MHSSS.
The Minister has signaled her intention to engage other existing law societies to provide legal pro bono services and stated that, “access to justice is even more important when someone has experienced domestic violence, and this initiative will complement the already existing and overburdened legal aid services”. The Minister acknowledged the contribution of the GBA and thanked it for “unhesitatingly partnering with the Ministry”. The Minister indicated that she looks forward to a time when, “there will be a lesser need for this type of service, but for now, the Ministry is ensuring that every survivor has access to justice as is their fundamental human right”.
“At the Bar Association of Guyana we are happy to lend our assistance in this fight against gender-based violence. As officers of the court we are duty bound to serve you. The initiative being launched today is one part of the series of actions we would have noticed within our society to fight gender-based-violence. It is one part of a bigger machine and when all the parts are put together provides a cohesive and complete approach at all levels of the system” the President of the GBA, Ms. Pauline Chase responded.
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