By: Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News |
The Government of Guyana has reiterated its commitment to combating domestic and gender-based violence through stronger legislation, national coordination, and survivor-centered support systems. This reaffirmation came as Attorney General Anil Nandlall and Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr. Vindhya Persaud represented Guyana at the High-Level Symposium on Enhancing State Responses to Domestic Violence in the Caribbean, held in Bridgetown, Barbados, from October 27–28, 2025.
Dr. Persaud, in her presentation during the panel discussion “Integrated Survivors’ Protection through One-Stop-Shop Centres,” outlined Guyana’s national framework for tackling gender-based violence. She highlighted the establishment of Hope and Justice Centres across the country, which provide coordinated and confidential services to survivors.
“The Hope and Justice Centres were conceptualized with the intent of having a comprehensive response to gender-based violence in Guyana,” Dr. Persaud explained. “They are gender-neutral and emerged from an in-depth look at where our gaps lay as a country in tackling this issue.”
The symposium featured emotional testimonies from survivors of domestic violence across the region, underscoring the urgent need for stronger state protection, better access to justice, and more consistent enforcement mechanisms.
Attorney General Anil Nandlall, in his panel presentation, reflected on Guyana’s progress in modernizing its legal framework. He noted that while the Domestic Violence Act of 1996 laid a foundation, it has since been replaced by the Family Violence Act of 2024, which provides a more comprehensive and modern approach to addressing domestic and family-related abuse.
“We have a fairly modern, comprehensive statutory framework,” Nandlall stated. “But of course, we are reviewing it again. It was only passed last year, so I am yet to get empirical data to see how it has performed. We now have a Law Reform Commission to ensure legislation like this remains under constant review.”
The panel, which brought together Caribbean Attorneys General and regional policymakers, examined the effectiveness of domestic violence laws across the region, identifying key legal gaps and exploring reforms aimed at creating stronger, survivor-centered protection systems.
The High-Level Symposium was hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in collaboration with the Government of Barbados and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).
