Forde: GBV battle must extend beyond disasters

The government on Monday called for intensified action and an all-community approach to stamp out gender-based violence.

This as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Bureau of Gender Affairs began a two-day workshop themed ‘Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies (GBViE) Coordination Mechanisms Capacity Building at UN House. 

Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Adrian Forde, said the fight against GBV must be constant, regardless of circumstances.

“The reality is that gender-based violence and its ugly head permeates our society, full stop, and so the fight must be a fight, an equal fight, respective of the situation and the circumstance, if we are facing a natural disaster or not.”

He stressed that systems must be strengthened to reduce instances of GBV, pointing to the impact of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica.

“Unfortunately, women were adversely affected, more so than the men, based on data collected, and we can understand why the lack of water presents a different challenge for female folk, the lack of food and other supplies, hygienic supplies adversely more so affect women than any other group in the midst of disasters.”

Forde noted that in 2019 Cabinet approved a National Committee on Gender-Based Violence, tasked with developing a national action plan to address GBV. He said the initiative, being undertaken through the Bureau of Gender Affairs, began structured coordination meetings with stakeholders the same year to strengthen responses.

He commended the committee’s work to date.

“That committee has been doing its work collecting the data and we are now in a position, a better position to be able to say to the entire world, these are the measures that Barbados will take to ensure we protect those persons in the vulnerable group.”

But the minister said more must be done to ensure resources are available, noting that climate justice is a growing concern.

“In the midst of a disaster, natural and otherwise, there is a clarion call to have the resources, the mitigation resources, and the adaptation resources being placed at the disposal of our women, this is a fair and justifiable call. I want to say that this government is committed to ensuring that the painful cries of our women are not only heard, but that there’s action to be able to respond.”

He is also calling for a whole-of-society approach to tackling gender-based violence.

“Every single person must then be an active player in the fight. If you see a situation where [someone] is being abused, you have to not only see it, but you have to say something and inform the authorities and equally go and lend assistance if necessary. This type of selfless approach should also be used when a country is faced with a natural disaster.”

Forde added that the government is strengthening the legislative framework to ensure GBV cases are dealt with firmly by the courts.

“The message must be sent not only in terms of the voice of the minister and the active players at the table, but those who provide the legislative framework. The legislation must be able to buttress our efforts here and that’s why we have committed to ensuring that cases that involve gender-based violence are met with the full arms of the judicial system.”

(LG)