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The message of ending gender-based violence (GBV) was brought to another enthusiastic cohort of youngsters on Saturday including a contingent from the Antigua and Barbuda Girl Guides.
Overall, more than two dozen young people attended the second Change Starts Here: Youth Against Gender-Based Violence Workshop on February 8, 2025, with more than half of them being 12-14 years old.
The event aimed to sensitize youth about consent, healthy relationships, the nature of abuse, and the need to end violence against women and girls.
One of the Girl Guides, 17-year-old Jhorden, said she was most impacted by a slogan on the pamphlets provided at the beginning of the session.
It addressed consent and intimate partner violence. She said, “When we walked through the door, they gave you a pamphlet that said 46 percent of women experience different forms of violence, many in their relationships. It stood out to me because I wondered about whether in a relationship, if people experienced rape, but another message on the pamphlet also said ‘without consent, it’s always rape.’ That really stood out for me.”
The statistic Jhorden referenced relates to past surveys done by UN Women in the Caribbean in nine territories that indicate that 46 percent of women in the Caribbean region experience violence of some kind in their lifetime – physical, sexual, emotional, or economic.
Another member of the contingent of Guides, 15-year-old Anija, said what stood out most was learning that people can suffer from abuse that is sometimes not physical or sexual, but is nonetheless traumatic and destructive.
“Understanding that emotional and psychological violence are issues – that stuck with me. We usually think of the more physical types, but today I got a clearer understanding of the other forms of violence as well,” Anija said.
Also present on Saturday was 16-year-old Henderson, a fifth form student and Head Boy at the Ottos Comprehensive School. He said that while he had encountered some of the topics discussed on Saturday previously at school, it was the first time that he had the benefit of a more focused discussion.
Gabriella, a third form student who also attends the Ottos Comprehensive, said that it was the first time she was made aware of other types of violence such as emotional and psychological.
As with the first workshop, participants took part in an informative session before being given materials to craft placards for the March 8th Men & Women United 2025: Stop Gender-based Violence 5k Walk. A Guide, 16-year-old Kerisha, said that the second component of the workshop was the most enjoyable aspect. “It allowed me to express myself and to be creative,” she stated.
Women and girls are disproportionately impacted by sexual violence, or some form of violence by an intimate partner, whether emotional, sexual, physical or financial.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as many as one in three women globally has experienced violence from an intimate partner. In the Caribbean, these rates are higher than the global average. Surveys on GBV in the region also show that a high number of cases go unreported.
The workshop was organized by the Integrated Health Outreach Gender Based Violence Coalition (IHO-GBV) in partnership with the Directorate of Gender Affairs (DoGA).
The IHO GBV Coalition is an arm of the nonprofit organization Integrated Health Outreach Inc. (IHO). The walk, the youth workshops and other activities by the IHO-GBV Coalition are supported by Equality Fund and Global Affairs Canada.
The workshop team was led by IHO’s Karen Germain, a School Counsellor, with other core team members being Joel Germain and Jahna Peter.
The workshop happens on Saturdays in February and is a pre-activity ahead of the Men & Women United 2025: Stop Gender-based Violence 5k Walk on March 8, 2025, which will start from the Botanical Gardens at 2:00 pm. Registration for the walk is open here: https://qrco.de/bfg85S. Meanwhile, those who want to get youth registered to participate are encouraged to call or WhatsApp 736-4446.
For further information, inquiries, or interviews, please contact:
Kieron Murdoch
Communications and Admin Specialist
Integrated Health Outreach
+ 1 268-736-4446
About the Integrated Health Outreach-Gender Based Violence Coalition (IHO-GBV): IHO-GBV is an arm of Integrated Health Outreach (IHO) committed to addressing and combating gender-based violence through community outreach, education, and advocacy initiatives. By fostering collaboration and awareness, the coalition aims to create a society where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect.
About the Antigua & Barbuda Directorate of Gender Affairs: The Antigua & Barbuda Directorate of Gender Affairs is a governmental body focused on promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment and addressing issues related to gender-based violence. Through strategic partnerships and community engagement, the Directorate works towards creating a society that upholds the rights and dignity of all individuals, regardless of gender.
About Equality Fund supported by Global Affairs Canada: The Equality Fund partners with organisations, coalitions, and networks focused on building power with women, girls, and trans people, especially in the Global South. As our funding partner, they provide the support needed to make this event a reality. They are supported by Global Affairs Canada – the Canadian government department tasked with diplomacy, foreign relations and international development.
Antigua News when dem story so long you lose your reader after the first minute. This too looooong man.
From what Ive read so far though this is a good place to start educating on gender based violence