Cabinet of Jamaica Condemns Violence Against Women and Girls; Pledges Renewed Action
The Cabinet of Jamaica unequivocally condemns all forms of violence against women and girls. Violence of any nature is a grave threat to the moral and social fabric of our nation, but violence against our women and girls is even more grave.
The Government is deeply disturbed by recent incidents of gender-based violence, which have caused immense pain to families and communities across the country. Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, the Honourable Dr Horace Chang, briefed the Cabinet on recent incidents that have distressed the Cabinet and indeed the public consciousness.
Prime Minister Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has reiterated that violence against women and girls will not be tolerated and that the full force of the law must be brought against perpetrators. “The protection of our women is non-negotiable. The protection of our girls is non-negotiable. We are taking a whole-of-government approach to end this scourge of violence, whatever form it takes, through legislative reforms, community engagement, and stronger enforcement. We will do all that we can to eradicate violence from Jamaica,” said Prime Minister Holness.
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange, emphasized the Government’s deep commitment to ensuring safety and dignity for all Jamaican women. “Every woman and child in Jamaica deserve to live free from fear. As a Government, we are accelerating efforts to provide support for survivors and to change the toxic cultural norms that enable violence,” said Minister Grange.
To this end, the Cabinet is advancing several key initiatives, such as the review of the Domestic Violence Act and other related legislation to ensure they are more responsive to the needs of Jamaica and our reality.
In view of the need to address the key issues of violence in our society, the Violence Prevention Commission is scheduled to make their report to the Cabinet next week.
The Government calls on every Jamaican to unite in rejecting violence, supporting survivors, and fostering a culture of respect and accountability. Violence against women is not only a women’s issue; it is everybody’s issue and demands urgent, sustained, and collective action.