Just for the record...The AFC on Violence Against Women

Guyana has signed the United Nations Convention Against The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women. This is a very historic document which Guyana signed and ratified on July 17, 1980.

This convention defines discrimination against women as “any distinction, exclusion, or restriction made on the basis of sex, which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment, or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field”.

>>>The first resolve clause on page 3 of a Motion passed last year, calls on the National Assembly to (1) condemn violence against women as socially and culturally unacceptable in our society (2) assist victims to seek help (3) consciously develop programmes.

The AFC noted that it does not require resources to condemn. Anyone can do this. However, to assist victims, and to develop and execute programmes call for human and financial resources. Is the government of the day prepared to spend in this area?

Will shelters be built to help victims? When the government signed this convention it committed itself to establish tribunals and public institutions which can protect women against domestic violence.

After more than two decades of the signing of this Convention our innocent women are still languishing in bloodshed, murders and other forms of brutality.