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Minister of Home Affairs, Information and Public Affairs Wilfred Abrahams speaking with students outside of Worthing Corporate Centre, yesterday.

Minister: End gender-based violence!

Minister of Home Affairs, Information and Public Affairs Wilfred Abrahams is appealing to Barbadians “not to turn a blind eye” to acts of gender-based violence.

“Violence against women is a serious issue,” he stressed.   

 

“For the bulk of my legal career I probably did more domestic violence cases than any other lawyer in Barbados, and most time I did it for free because I don’t believe that anybody who is stronger than anybody else, should ever use that strength to force their opinion or their will, or to subject somebody to inhuman and undignified behaviour.”

 

Minister Abrahams’ remarks came after he was presented with an orange ribbon in recognition of the United Nation’s 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence “Say No to Violence Against Women: An Orange Presence”.

 

Yesterday, Soroptimist International of Jamestown (SIJ) ramped up its activities for the 2020 campaign by inviting students of The St. Michael School, Ellerslie School, Princess Margaret Secondary School, and the Girl Guides Association of Barbados to Worthing Corporate Centre to present each Member of Parliament with a ribbon, and literature to raise awareness to the issue of gender-based violence.

 

Minister Abrahams, pleased to see both male and female students embrace the campaign expressed, “You are not just pinning pins, you are making a statement.”

He also urged them to spread the word about this important topic of gender-based violence, “I need you to at least start talking to people who are your age – talk to people in your communities; your families”.

 

“Also, any time you see somebody bullying somebody else – it doesn’t even have to be gender-based – once you see a stronger person taking advantage of a weaker person, it is your duty to speak-up and do something about it. You have to help those who are less able to help themselves because at some point in time, someday, you might be in that position and somebody may step in to help you – bullying takes many forms”.

 

“So, always do what is right…When you see something happening sometimes you shake your head and say you can’t believe it’s happening and then people whip out their phone. Before you whip out your phone to take a picture, try to help; it is very important…At some point in time you may do a simple thing that might actually save somebody’s life – force somebody to think about what they are doing, and save somebody else’s life,” he said.

 

President of SIJ Andrea Farmer extended gratitude to the Canadian Government funded IMPACT Justice Project and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) for coming on board to make the initiative a reality.

 

In addition to attending Parliament, she disclosed that three teams of Soroptimists also lined Broad street for a similar exercise to raise awareness. (TL)

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