By Sue-Ann Wayow
FORTY-SEVEN women have been killed for the year in Trinidad and Tobago contributing to the alarming trend of increase of violence in families in the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a media release on Friday, the Spotlight Initiative stated that the trend that persisted as restrictions continue must not go unaddressed.
The Spotlight Initiative stated, “Shining the spotlight on domestic and gender-based violence (GBV) in Trinidad and Tobago means a sustained focus on the root causes and the harmful normalisation of violence against women and girls (VAWG) to shift attitudes and behaviours where society as a whole says zero tolerance to violence.”
Trinidad and Tobago is one of six countries in the Caribbean to benefit from The Spotlight Initiative — A global multi-year partnership between the European Union and the United Nations (UN) the Government and civil-society to eliminate all forms of VAWG by 2030.
The Spotlight programme is designed to address legislative and policy gaps, strengthen institutions, promote gender-equitable attitudes, provide quality services for survivors, address impunity for perpetrators, produce detailed data and empower women’s movements.
“Spotlight Initiative stands in solidarity with survivors and victims of family violence. The United Nations stands with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and our civil-society partners to reaffirm its commitment to advance gender equality, end indifference, and address impunity for family and gender-based violence,” the media release stated.
