The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MoHSSS) responded to 15,000 reports through its 914 hotline and had 12,000 interventions from the Survivors Advocate programme during last year.
“This year alone, we received over 15,000 calls on 914, when compared to the 12,000 received last year. For the Survivors Advocate programme, we had over 12,000 interventions. Helping those survivors of Gender-Based violence,” Minister of Human Services, Dr Vindhya Persaud announced during her presentation on the budget yesterday.
Amid the continuing gruesome killing of women, Persaud concluded her presentation by addressing Gender-Based violence, an issue which she said has always “troubled” her.
In doing so, she pointed out a number of the Ministry’s achievements over the past year through the various initiatives.
Late 2020, a 914 hotline was launched under the Spotlight Initiative in direct response to the escalating number of domestic and sexual violence cases.
The Spotlight Initiative is a global, multi-year partnership between the European Union and the United Nations to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls by 2030.
Persaud told the House that this year, the Ministry received a commendation from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for the work it has done in conjunction with the Spotlight Initiative.
“…I think some of you may have to call 914 from time to time. It works and it has helped a number of persons,” she told the National Assembly in response to heckling from the other side of the House during her presentation.
“Mr Speaker this Spotlight Initiative works towards providing support on the draft Domestic Violence bill, the Gender Based violence essential service package for Guyana, the 914 24-hour hotline service, the GBV (Gender Based Violence) app and the COPSQUAD initiative…together we would have achieved training of 1400 plus police officers through the COPSQUAD 2000 initiative,” Persaud said as she read excerpts from a document which she said was the UNFPA Spotlight Country report.
“Mr Speaker the Survivors Advocate programme continues to work all across in the courts of Guyana. We also have shelters and a collaboration between this ministry and the Ministry of Legal Affairs will yield justice centres where we will provide all the services required for persons experiencing domestic violence under one roof,” she added.
Persaud further noted that the pro-bono legal initiative which complements the Government subvention to legal aid, continues. “Mr Speaker we have 500 free cases so that we can at least help 500 persons experiencing violence,” she said.
In addition, she said the Community Advocate Network was also established and hundreds of persons were trained in 8 out of the 10 administrative regions.
