MESSAGE FROM THE CARIBBEAN FAMILY PLANNING AFFILIATION
IN OBSERVANCE OF THE
INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
Today, we join the global community in confronting a stark and painful reality: countless women and children across the Caribbean and beyond live each day in fear, silenced by violence and oppression. Their suffering is not just a personal tragedy; it is a systemic failure – one that calls for immediate and decisive action.
Roxanne Christopher, Board President of the Caribbean Family Planning Affiliation, reminds us of the gravity of the situation: “Despite the devastating impact of gender-based violence on families and communities, it is still not treated with the urgency it demands. Critical services for survivors – emergency sexual and reproductive health care, psychosocial support, safe shelters, and access to justice – are unavailable to far too many, particularly the most vulnerable.”
This year’s theme, Unite to End Violence Against Women and Children, is both a rallying cry and a call to conscience. Violence against women is not an inevitability; it is a preventable injustice. It persists in the shadows of patriarchy, inequality, and impunity, but it doesn’t have to. Together, we can and must dismantle these systems of harm.
Rev. Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth, CEO of the Caribbean Family Planning Affiliation, emphasizes the transformative vision needed to create lasting change: “Addressing violence is not just about responding to harm; it’s about reimagining a society rooted in love, dignity, respect, and equality. This means amplifying survivors’ voices, challenging harmful religious teachings and cultural norms, and holding systems accountable to protect the most vulnerable among us.”
True unity demands more than statements; it calls for deliberate, courageous action. It requires crafting policies that safeguard the vulnerable, establishing services that heal, and nurturing communities grounded in empathy and safety. It also means equipping the next generation with values of equality and respect, inspiring them to carry forward the fight for justice.
Today, as we honour the resilience of survivors and the relentless work of advocates, let us remember that the power to end violence resides in collective resolve. Together, we can rewrite this legacy of pain and create a future defined by hope, where every woman and child can live free from fear, free from violence, and full of opportunity.
This is the vision that drives us. This is the world we will build – united, resilient, and flourishing.
#IDEVAW, #16Days #NOEXCUSE
