In an effort to prevent and eliminate violence against women, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in partnership with the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN) and other partners has launched the Spotlight Initiative Regional Programme Caribbean which is aimed at bringing focused attention to the issue.
According to a press release yesterday from the CARICOM Secretariat, the newly launched programme seeks to move the issue into the spotlight by placing it at the centre of efforts to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment, in keeping with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The release said that Deputy Secretary-General of the CARICOM Secretariat Dr. Manorma Soeknandan who spoke at the virtual launch of the signing ceremony on Tuesday expressed that violence against women and girls “is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations,” while noting that it was a major obstacle to the fulfilment of women’s and girls’ human rights, and to the achievement of the 2030 goal.