Statement by the Alliance for State Action to End Gender-based Violence (ASA) on concerted action for gender equality and ending gender-based violence

THE ASA congratulates the United National Congress-led Coalition of Interests on its assumption of office.

We understand that the Department of Gender and Child Affairs will be a part of the Ministry of the People and Social Development, and we welcome the focus on children given their specific developmental and protection needs. In addition, ASA is calling for specialised and well-staffed and resourced machinery with the authority to advance gender equality.

Some may ask why the need for this specialised attention and what is the relevance to issues such as poverty, corruption, unemployment, the underperforming economy, crime and violence, and inadequate public services.

Much of how we live is shaped by societal ideas, beliefs, expectations and practices about masculinity and femininity. These impact every facet of life including the economy, family, health, security, leadership, and cultural and social practices. Gender inequality/discrimination, and the harm that restrictive gender stereotypes continue to pose to everyone, is a global reality which we ignore to our collective detriment.

Women’s leadership, whether in the state or in non-governmental organisations, has brought progress in reducing some aspects of discrimination. We recall that it was during the previous administration led by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar that the Medal for the Development of Women was instituted to mark the contributions of those working for women’s rights and empowerment. During that administration, we also note that a ministry of gender, youth and child development was established.

But the work is far from complete. Notwithstanding decades of national income from the petroleum sector, it is hard to deny that income inequality constrains the lives of many. While poverty affects a cross-section of people, it affects women in unequal and far-reaching ways because they are the ones who carry the burden of care for children, the sick and the elderly.

Whether as caregivers, homemakers, or domestic workers, women’s labours are often taken for granted, under-valued and not yet equitably shared. Many women doing this work are not included in social protection schemes. Even with educational achievements, women earn less on average than men and have lower labour-force participation rates.

All women and girls feel the threat of particular forms of violence, whether in their homes, the workplace, or the streets. Just last week we received the heart-breaking and enraging news of a 65-year-old woman kidnapped and raped twice. A few weeks ago we learned of the 15-year-old girl who was raped and murdered, after leaving her home and being reported missing.

Many girl children are victims of sexual assault. This week we read of a woman killed by a former partner in the presence of her eight-year-old child, despite a protection order and past reports of severe violence to