Funding Approved for National Programme on Gender Based Violence

Contact: John Emmanuel

Thursday, May 10, 2001 - Funding has been secured for the implementation of a comprehensive programme aimed at addressing gender-based violence on a national level. That disclosure has come from Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of the Health, Human Services, Family Affairs and Gender Relations the Honourable Michael Gaspard.

Addressing the latest training workshop for nurses as well as other health care providers on Thursday, May 10, 2001, Honourable Michael Gaspard announced that the national programme would augment the public education and training initiatives currently being undertaken by the Division of Gender Relations.

The programme will involve a three-prong strategy for effectively dealing with gender-based violence on the island. The three components are the establishment of a temporary safe house or support centre for women of spousal abuse, the setting up of a national committee to initiate and monitor responses to gender-based violence and public education and sensitisation to gender based violence, which is seen as a major public health concern.

According to Gaspard, gender-based violence is a very complex issue and effective management of that problem requires coordinated involvement of other services and institutions. “In St. Lucia, most of the times we believe that we can do it alone. That is not so, government cannot do it alone, neither can the nurses and doctors do it alone, we need to form partnerships and collaborate more with each other and health care workers need to be aware of these coordinated service so that appropriate referrals can be made,” Gaspard said.

The Ministry of Health has over the past three years deliberately placed increased emphasis on illuminating gender-based violence from society through various means and has welcomed the efforts on the part of the St. Lucia Nurses Association in dealing with the scourge.

Thursday’s one-day training workshop formed part of activities in observance of Nurses Week that culminates on Saturday, May 12, 2001 with a first time Award Ceremony to be held at the Glencastle Resort in Gros Islet. Thirteen awards in the areas of clinical practice, long and dedicated service and contributions to the professional association will be given out at the ceremony beginning 7 p.m. 

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