A total of 300 Sexual Assault Evidence collection kits valued at $3.7 million were delivered to the Ministry of Health and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for use by women in remote Amerindian communities.
The Department of Public Information (DPI) yesterday said that the donation is part of the Justice Education Society (JES) project funded by Global Affairs Canada, ‘Strengthening Justice for Women, Girls and Indigenous People.’
Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, and Commander of 4C, Senior Superintendent Khali Pareshram received the kits yesterday from JES Project Director and Country Representative, Lisa Thompson, and Head of Development Cooperation for Guyana in the High Commission of Canada, Adam Loyer.
During the handing over at the ministry’s Brickdam office, Anthony underscored the need for trained professionals to properly collect evidence to prevent sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) cases from being dismissed.
Although the project is primarily for Regions One and Four, “We certainly would work with our professionals to make sure that they’re properly trained especially at our emergency rooms…We would also use the opportunity to train our healthcare staff in all our emergency rooms across the country,” he stated.
Thompson noted that health professionals will receive training on how to effectively use the evidence collection kits as part of the programme.
DPI said that the Justice Education Society of British Columbia is implementing a four-year programme to deliver greater equality in access to justice for women and girls who have experienced SGBV including those who live in remote communities in Regions One and Four.
