Violent crimes against women accounted for 50 per cent of the nation’s murders last year. This finding has prompted the Government to consider the establishment of a Task Force on Domestic Violence, as part of a strategic approach to deal with this problem.
Minister of Social Services and Community Development Melanie Griffin made this recommendation during the opening ceremony of an exhibition commemorating the 75th anniversary of The Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM).
Highlighting the accomplishments of women in The Bahamas, Minister Griffin also expressed concern about the role domestic violence has played in snuffing the lives of women.
Having attended the her first meeting of CIM, an arm of the Organization of American States (OAS), which was held in the Dominican Republic in October 2002, she said ” though our languages may be different and our cultures diverse, the general concerns of women remain the same.”
One of their primary concerns is the continued acts of violence against women despite the member states’ endorsement of the Convention Bolem do Para, the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against Women.
“It is hoped that the work of the CIM in conjunction with our own local agencies will indeed one day see the eradication of domestic violence and indeed violence against women,” she said.
“Already this year, domestic violence has played a role in murders committed. This is indicative of the fact that although we have made some advances in the fight against violence against women, we still have a long way to go,” she said.
With regard to the Task Force on Domestic Violence, Mrs. Griffin said that she was advised that research in the United States and the United Kingdom have endorsed the success of a coordinated, multifaceted approach to domestic violence.
She described CIM, which was launched on February 18, 1928, as a pioneer, being the first inter-governmental body to devote its attention exclusively to the upliftment of women.
“While I am certain that other members of the CIM are grateful for the role it has played over the years in promoting the status of women, The Bahamas is particularly pleased to share in this milestone, as we have been the recipient of funding from this agency; such funding permitted further partnership with both government and non-government organizations, in areas that included skills training, legal literacy and law reform as it pertained to women and inheritance,” Mrs. Griffin said.
In attendance at the exhibition opening were the first female Governor General of The Bahamas Dame Ivy Dumont; first female Speaker of the House, Italia Johnson; former Senator Telator Strachan and Senator Gladys Sands.
By Vanessa C. Rolle, The Nassau Guardian
