GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – The government has earmarked some GY$56 million (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004) to construct two domestic violence night shelters and aid women and families fleeing domestic violence.
Senior Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh said during the presentation of the Budget earlier this week that this is part of the government’s no-tolerance approach to tackling violence in all forms.
“Since taking office, we have focused on numerous interventions to curb gender-based violence in our country, which are also aligned with guidelines set out by the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women.
“While Guyana continues to work towards achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls, efforts will be intensified toward tackling the prevalent social issue of violence against women and girls. We are committed to ensuring that Guyana is safer for all women to live, work and enjoy a good quality of life,” he said.
The two domestic violence shelters are expected to be opened later this year, and together the shelters cost GY$27.3 million. The covers will provide needed refuge for women and children fleeing from abuse.
The remaining GY$28.7 million is being expended to support Help and Shelter – a non-governmental organization formed in response to the high incidence of violence, alcoholism, and poverty in Guyana – to enhance the services available for women and families.
The government has implemented several initiatives to combat domestic violence, including the 914 24-hour hotlines and the iMatter app for immediate reporting of violence.
The Survivor’s Advocate Programme, which is linked directly to the hotline to provide counseling services to victims of abuse, and the COPSQUAD2000 initiative, which saw over 1,476 police officers trained to deal with domestic violence-related matters, are other interventions.
In addition, the government’s contribution to support legal aid services increased to GY$114.9 million in 2022, which saw 7,597 persons benefitting from legal services. Other key initiatives included opening a new child advocacy center in Region Eight and launching a parent manual to promote child development, knowledge, and non-violent methods of discipline.
To this end, an additional GY$114.9 million was allocated in the Budget to continue the government’s contribution to legal aid services required by victims.
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