Ministers Nandlall, Persaud lead high-level Symposium on state responses to domestic violence in the Caribbean

The Government of Guyana was represented by the Hon. Mohabir Anil Nandlall SC, Attorney General & Minister of Legal Affairs and the Hon. Dr Vindya Persaud, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, at a High-Level Symposium aimed at enhancing State Responses to Domestic Violence in the Caribbean held in  Bridgetown, Barbados on October 27th – 28th. The event was hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in collaboration with the Government of Barbados and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

 The event convened Attorneys General, Commissioners of Police, Heads of Gender Bureaus and other senior technical officers from eighteen (18) Caribbean Community (CARICOM) members and associate member states to examine existing legislative tools and policy responses to domestic violence, with a focus on coordinated action to address the most salient legislative gaps.

In the letter of invitation to the Hon. Attorney General, IDB Country Representative Lorena Solórzano-Salazar hailed Guyana’s efforts at combating domestic violence as follows:

“Guyana has demonstrated true thought leadership for the region in the areas of domestic and sexual violence legislation and policy. It would therefore be an honor to have your presence at this Symposium to participate in a panel of your peers on Reflections – Legislative Gaps and Opportunities.”

This panel discussion brought together Caribbean Attorneys General to reflect on current domestic violence legislation, highlighting key legal gaps and inconsistencies across jurisdictions to explore concrete opportunities for reform to strengthen protection frameworks and ensure more effective, survivor-centered responses. Attorney General Nandlall spoke at length on Guyana’s former Domestic Violence Act (1996), its successes and its deficiencies. He outlined that, armed with nearly three decades of experience, a modern, expanded and robust legislative framework is now set out in Guyana’s Family Violence Act enacted in 2024 that repealed The Domestic Violence Act. “This innovative legislative intervention addressed many of the substantive, procedural and jurisdictional deficiencies that were identified in the previous act. It also draws from an examination of similar legislation in the Region, and it is now arguably the most modern and  embracing legislation of its type in the Caribbean.” The panel included the Hon. Dale Marshall SC MP, Attorney General of Barbados, the Hon. Garth Wilkin, Attorney General of St. Kitts & Nevis, the Hon. Rhondalee Moreen Braithwaite-Knowles OBE KC, Attorney General of the Turks and Caicos Islands and was moderated by Ms. Roberta Clarke, Commissioner of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).

The Hon. Dr. Vindya Persaud, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, outlined Guyana’s policy position and support framework at the Symposium. She spoke on the Panel “Integrated Survivors’ Protection through One-stop-shop Centres”, such as the Hope and Justice Centres established by the Government of Guyana at several strategic locations across the country.  The session examined how integrated, survivor-centered justice models, including One-Stop Centres (OSCs) and Sexual Offences Model Courts (SOMCs), are transforming the way justice systems respond to gender-based violence (GBV) across the Caribbean. It showcased how these mechanisms bridge critical service gaps, improve case management, and ensure coordinated, compassionate, and timely justice for survivors. The discussion highlighted lessons from good regional and international practices, emphasizing how the Caribbean can deepen institutional collaboration, strengthen case handling, and align national justice systems with global standards for survivor protection.

The symposium also benefited from contributions made by victims of domestic violence across the region, where the victims outlined their personal ordeals, including how the system failed to offer them effective redress.

Guyana signed on to a regional agreement on legislative and policy priorities on domestic violence. This agreement recognizes that domestic violence remains a pervasive challenge in the region; it affirms the governments’ shared responsibility to strengthen state responses, close legislative policy gaps, and ensure accountability, while advancing survivor-centred justice. Further, it committed the signatories to regional cooperation and harmonization to build more effective, consistent and equitable responses across the Caribbean.