Budget 2020 has recorded increased allocations to fight Domestic Violence

The government will be accelerating the Spotlight Initiative, which had seen little traction by the previous Administration. This Initiative is designed to address violence against women and girls.

The EU and UN global partnership to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls was launched in September 2017- EUR 500 million globally and focus on galvanising political commitment to achieving SDG5 on gender equality.

In the Caribbean, the Spotlight Initiative – which is implemented in Guyana, Belize, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago – focuses on addressing all forms of family violence, which covers physical, social, sexual, economic and emotional abuse and acts of aggression within relationships that are considered as family connections or akin to family connections.

Presenting the National Budget at the Arthur Chung Conference Center (ACCC), Minister of Public Works, Hon. Bishop Juan Edghill, on Wednesday, announced that the programme will commence in the last quarter of 2020, and has a financial envelope valued at €4.5 million.

In addition, the Government will continue to support programmes to enhance the physical infrastructure at police stations to accommodate the privacy that is required when dealing with domestic violence and other sensitive issues. “We will also be enhancing the capacity of law enforcement officers and prosecutors to better deal with these issues,” the Minister Pledged.

In recognition of the fact that Domestic Violence is something that cannot be tackled alone, Minister Edghill said that the Government will also continue to encourage civil society organisations to partner with government.

Budget 2020 has recorded increased allocations to several such organisations to help strengthen their ability to respond to this uncivilized, inhuman behaviour for which there should be zero tolerance.