By: Jayda Jeune | HGP Nightly News |
Magistrates from across Guyana have undergone a crucial training workshop designed to strengthen the judicial response to survivors of gender-based violence and promote greater gender sensitivity within the justice system.
The one-day workshop, held on October 28, 2025, was facilitated by Honourable Chief Justice Melissa Gillespie of the Provincial Court of British Columbia. The session, themed “Applying a Trauma-Informed, Gender, and Culturally Sensitive Approach to the Application of Justice,” was hosted in collaboration with the Judiciary of Guyana and the Justice Education Society Guyana, with support from Global Affairs Canada.
The training aimed to increase awareness among judicial officers about how gender bias and stereotypes can influence court decisions and the overall delivery of justice, particularly for women and girls who are survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
According to global data, one in three women experiences physical or sexual violence in her lifetime. However, in Guyana, that figure is even higher — one in two women reports having experienced some form of violence.
Recognizing that many survivors carry histories of trauma, the workshop emphasized the importance of trauma-informed practices in courtrooms. These practices help ensure that survivors are treated with dignity, empathy, and respect, and that the judicial process itself does not re-traumatize those seeking justice.
By the conclusion of the session, magistrates had gained deeper insight into how trauma-informed, gender-aware, and culturally sensitive principles can be effectively integrated into their adjudication processes, ultimately enhancing the judiciary’s ability to respond fairly and compassionately to survivors of violence.
This initiative forms part of the Judiciary of Guyana’s ongoing collaboration with international partners to promote a more equitable, survivor-centered justice system and advance gender justice throughout the country.
