EU, United Nations & Government Launch Foundations Programme as a prevention method to tackle violence against women and girls

The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, in partnership with the EU funded-Spotlight Initiative, launched the ‘Foundations Programme: Strengthening Prevention Approaches To Address Gender-Based Violence In the Caribbean’ on September 21, 2021 recognised as International Day of Peace.  The programme is organized under the Spotlight Initiative which was created in partnership with the United Nations, European Union (EU), the Government, and CSOs in Guyana to implement solutions to accelerate action towards eliminating Gender-Based Violence (GBV), specifically violence against women and girls within the context of family violence.

The Foundations Programme is aimed at targeting youth aged 13 to 24 to become advocates for the prevention of Gender-Based Violence. The programme will support participants in understanding how to address the root causes of GBV such as socially and culturally bound concepts of the values placed on women and men, in their personal lives as well as socially.

During the launch, the Honourable Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud called on all key stakeholders, including youths in the wider society, to become advocates of non-violent interactions, equipped with the necessary skills to address violence against women and girls which will result in transformative impact on sustainable development.

She added: “This means that very neatly the pieces of this jigsaw puzzle (GBV Intervention Programmes) are falling into place and that's important because for us to truly get to the root cause of gender-based violence and have impact in a tangible way in our country, all of these pieces need to be there and for these pieces to be effective, all stakeholders need to be equipped with a deep understanding of their roles and how to effectively collaborate to become passionate advocates and passionate workers in this monumental task.”

Recent data pinpoint that gender-based violence and more specifically, intimate partner violence (IPV) is pervasive in Guyana with more than one in every 2 women (55%) in Guyana between the ages of 16 to 64, experiencing IPV in their lifetime, which is more than the global average of 1 in every 3 women (30%). The recently appointed United Nations Resident Coordinator, Yesim Oruc reiterated the urgent need to tackle GBV at all ages, especially in youths, considering the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic resulting in spikes in reported violence against women and children.

She said: “Guyana Women’s Health and Life Experiences Survey 2018 highlighted that solutions must result in behavioral change in both men and women especially since women themselves identify with beliefs which perpetuate inequality and increase the risk of suffering and violence. The prevention pillar recognizes that tackling these beliefs at the root requires investments beyond sensitization [but] it needs us to look at this [gender-based violence] in a multi-pronged approach focusing on the individual, relationships, families, communities and the society.”

The launch of the Foundations Programme kicked off with the Training of Trainers component to equip twenty-one facilitators with the capacity to implement the 12-module curriculum at the community level. Representative of the UN Women Multi Country Office – Caribbean, Tonni Brodber further explained the background and the expected outcomes of the programme.

She outlined that: “The Foundations Programme was developed in 2017 by UN Women MCO – Caribbean, with the support of the Maria Holder Memorial Trust in response to the increasing calls for the development and scaling up of gender-responsive violence prevention programmes for young people. The Programme is based on teaching concepts and techniques that help to challenge harmful and hierarchical gender norms, values and attitudes and encourage the adoption of social and cultural norms and values which emulate gender equality, respect, justice, fairness, open communication and healthy relationships.”

Given the unacceptably high incidence of gender-based violence in Guyana before COVID-19 and the pandemic’s further impact on the risks for women and girls in this crisis situation, the Foundations Programme is a key step in eradicating social norms that perpetuate GBV in all its forms.

Brodber added: “The culture of a society is a very powerful source of influence in shaping how we feel about ourselves and one another. All people in a given community contribute to how we engage and value each other, especially women and girls.”

The programme will also provide practical approaches to achieving the six (6) key objectives outlined in the curriculum:

• Empower young people to understand GBV and its genesis in gender inequalities and gender-based discrimination.
• Promote an understanding of the consequences of GBV to partner(s), children, communities and societies in general.
• Endow young people with knowledge, skills and attitudes for addressing conflict and responding to stress and stressors that arise in relationships.
• Establish and model an atmosphere of respect within group relations among and between young people.
• Promote self-sufficiency among young people in taking steps towards improving their relationships and their lives.
• Create a network of young people who will advocate for non-violent relationships.

Guyana is the second Caribbean country currently implementing the Foundations Programme under Pillar 3, the Prevention Pillar of the Spotlight Initiative that focuses on gender inequitable social norms, attitudes and behaviours change at community and individual levels to prevent violence against women and girls and harmful practices. For more information on the Foundations Programme, please visit: https://caribbean.unwomen.org/en/materials/publications/2018/11/foundations-programme#view

In the words of the Honourable Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud:

“When we have the knowledge, when we have the wisdom and when we have all the tools and equipment at our disposal, we must use them to empower people to be transformative.”