The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder said a bill addressing gender-based and domestic violence would be released for public consultation this month and is expected to pass Parliament this year.

His comment came yesterday at the 43rd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review in Geneva, Switzerland. 

Elaine Sands, a gender expert in the Ministry of Social Services Department of Gender and Family Affairs, went into greater depth about the draft bill.

She said the bill would provide protection support for victims of violence, fulfilling the country’s international obligations. 

“The Draft Bill establishes a central authority or commission whose mandate expressly prescribes that it inter alia: strengthens involvement in multi-sectorial stakeholders through public private partnerships to combat and respond to violence with effective policies and strategies; and facilitate the provision of care and support services for victims of violence through shelters, counselling services, and care and custody of affected children,” Mrs Sands said.

“Recognising the importance of data and importance in eradicating violence, especially violence which results in death, the bill also establishes a protocol to be allowed. Under the draft bill, a fatality review team is duly empowered to investigate cases and make determinations which will ultimately enable the commission to collect and analyse data and maintain an accurate database to create effective solutions to eradicate violence, as well as report on the rate of femicide in the jurisdiction.”

Documents distributed to the press outlined that the commission would be empowered to grant funding to service providers for community programmes and projects as well as to provide technical assistance in programme and project management.

Other abilities of the commission would be to consult, coordinate and cooperate with other regional and international violence-based organisations and institutions; and engage private healthcare facilities to provide sensitive medical examinations and treatment to victims of violence. 

“The Bill prescribes the procedure for the making and handling of complaints by victims and outlines the care and support services available to victims of sexual and physical abuse, namely: medical treatments; safe housing and shelter for victims and children; psychological, medical and legal assistance; access to spaces and community; and re-adjustment programmes to assist with re-assimilation into public life post violent event,” a statement from the government said.

 Ms Sands said the government continues implementing a National Strategic Plan to address gender-based violence. She noted that a Family Island Coordination Council to address gender-based violence was recently introduced.

 Attorney General Pinder also noted the work of the council.

 “The National Task Force for gender-based violence continues to be active, particularly in the implementation of gender-based violence Family Island councils having been recently implemented on the islands of Grand Bahama and throughout the Abaco chain of islands,” he said. 

 “This focus will be on community-based partnerships to prevent gender-based violence in the island communities to ensure that survivors of gender-based violence receive support and service needed for their recovery. The Department of Gender and Family Affairs works with law enforcement and has conducted gender-based violence prevention exercises, with over 900 law enforcement officers and just over 500 residents from these island communities.”