Addressing Gender-Based Violence Against Women and LGBT People in the Caribbean

In order to achieve SDG 1 No Poverty, SDG 5 Gender Equality, SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities and of course SDG 3 Good Health and Well-Being, women, men and all LGBTQI+ persons must be protected from the ongoing violence and discrimination they experience. To achieve this civil society and the state must work together. As long as SIDS do not prioritize and invest in gender-responsive policies and as long as SIDS continue limit gender to a binary there will never be full gender equality for all.

We hope to use this side event to:

• Acknowledge how prevalent GBV (physical, sexual and other forms of violence) is in Caribbean SIDS;
• Highlight the impact on the mental and physical health of survivors and victims of GBV, in particular women and LGBTQI+ persons;
• Encourage States and their relevant decision-makers to invest in addressing these issues by adopting and implementing inclusive policies at the national level for example, national strategic plans on GBV; health and family life education and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education in schools to equip young people with the knowledge to protect themselves and be protected from GBV and sexual violence
• Per the Samoa Pathway para.99, this event aims to create a space to forge and strengthen genuine and durable partnerships between governments, civil society and other stakeholder in order to advance sustainable development.

Speakers include:

• Nurse Alexandrina Wong – Director of Women Against Rape (Antigua and Barbuda)
• Alverna Inniss – Director of Meeting Social and Emotional Needs Holistically (MESH Inc.)
• Catherine Sealys – Director of Raise Your Voice (St. Lucia)
• Raisa Charles – Directorate of Gender Affairs (Antigua and Barbuda)

Moderator: Leah Thompson, Caribbean Advocacy Officer, Outright International

Partners:

• The Frontline Alliance Against Gender-Based Violence;
• Outright International,
• Meeting Social and Emotional Needs Holistically (MESH);
• Women Against Rape Antigua and Barbuda (WAR);
• Raise Your Voice St. Lucia