Tackling VAWG through Laws, Policies and Institutions
Tackling VAWG through Laws, Policies and Institutions
Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) requires a holistic and multi-sectoral approach to ensure coordinated interventions in addressing the various aspects of this issue. The Spotlight Initiative (SI) takes a six-pillar approach to tackle VAWG. Through these pillars- Laws and Policies, Institutions, Prevention, Essential Services, Quality Data and Civil Society/Women’s Movement – the SI undertakes a comprehensive strategy that seeks to achieve long-standing and sustainable results.
With a focus on Laws and Policies and Institutions under the SI, UNICEF - one of the initiative’s Recipient UN Organizations (RUNOs)- and the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHSSS) conducted research on New and Emerging Forms of Violence and a Review of the Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Legislation, to support the base needed for driving reforms on domestic violence. Based on this foundational work, a new draft Domestic Violence Bill 2021 was proposed, which will seek to strengthen the current framework. In 2022, the Ministry is expected to extend the recommended reforms and propose a new Family Violence law (inclusive of intimate partner violence). The SI will also support a new legislation on harassment.
Further, with the University of Guyana, to build institutional capacity, a specialised course on addressing family and gender-based violence was drafted, titled "Resilience against and Disruption of Gender-Based Violence". This course is an introductory course that raises awareness on Gender-Based Violence (GBV), focusing on its causes and consequences and methods of intervention towards human resiliency and social change. The course content covers global and regional issues related to GBV and offers a unique local overview and intervention mechanisms that centre human resilience as the outcome. The course is expected to start in 2022. In partnership with the MHSSS, a Plan of Action on GBV is also being drafted, and a review of the Social Protection Framework in relation to Domestic Violence is also being done. Both are expected to be completed in 2022.
