In observance of the beginning of 16 days of activism, November 25th is being recognized as ‘International Day of The Elimination of Violence against Women’. The Hon Minister for Social Services, Family & Gender Affairs, Lady Catherine Daniel, is calling the Dominican public to bring awareness to the issues of discrimination and violence against women.
The United Nations has designated this day as a time to galvanize action to end violence against women and girls around the world.
In an address to the nation on Friday, Hon. Daniel informed that women and girls continue to contribute to international, regional and national development through the multiple roles that they play in the family, workplace, churches and the community.
In many cases, she expressed, they continue to be violated and prevented from enjoying their basic human rights to equality and security.
“We cannot turn a blind eye to the silent victims who fail to report their abuse because of the stereotypes that are attached to human behaviours. This year the international campaign against gender-based violence is being observed under the theme ‘Orange the world, raise money to end violence against women and girls.’ This theme strongly emphasizes the need for sustainable financing for efforts to end violence against women and girls towards the fulfilment of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development,” she said.
She highlighted one of the 17 sustainable development goals is to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
According to the United Nations, this goal has been identified as critical because while the world has achieved progress towards gender equality and women’s empowerment under the Millennium Development Goals, women and girls continue to suffer discrimination and violence in every part of the world.
“The Government of Dominica has worked relentlessly in ensuring the achievement of universal access to primary and secondary education; over 85% access to tertiary level education and the increase of female representation at the political level. In an effort to achieve the goal of reducing violence against our women and girls, the Government of Dominica has, through National Employment Programme, small business financing, adult education, youth skills training programme and several other programmes assisted many women and girls to empower themselves thereby becoming more independent and less vulnerable to gender-based violence.”
She vowed Government’s continued efforts to enhance various employment training and entrepreneurship programmes with a view to increasing the participation of women and girls with a special emphasis on vulnerable groups.
She promised that Government will continue to provide resources for initiatives to prevent and end violence against women and girls.
In partnership with various NGOs, the Ministry of Social Services, Family and Gender Affairs has planned a number of activities.
This includes the young women in leadership and diversity workshop, church leaders workshop, the clothes line project, the gender self-exploration tour, community meetings and bar hoppers lime. All of these are in an effort to bring awareness and mobilize support for ongoing campaigns, she said.
“I am therefore, appealing to the entire Dominican public to join forces to eliminate this scourge and to support ongoing efforts to provide an equitable and just society.”
Over the next few days several other important dates will be observed including; December 1-world aids day, December 3- international day for persons living with disabilities and December 10-International Human Rights Day.