Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) in the Caribbean – Tonni Brodber
“Societies and communities with higher levels of gender equality exhibit lower levels of violence and greater social cohesion. Recent research conducted by UN Women on the economic cost of Violence Against Women and Girls in another Caribbean country in the region demonstrated that gender-based violence contributes to significant annual output loss to the private sector. This violence affects staff members’ health and their performance.”
Representative, UN Women Multi-Country Office – Caribbean, Ms. Tonni Brodber recently highlighted this nexus of eliminating gender-based violence as part of a comprehensive approach of centering gender equality in the development agenda. Currently, there are 17 private sectors companies in Guyana that are WEPs signatories who have demonstrated their commitments through workplace policies for Domestic Violence victims/survivors as well as Paternity Leave.
This activity is being conducted within the framework of Pillar 3 of the ongoing EU-funded Spotlight Initiative Project, which focuses on gender inequitable social norms, attitudes and behaviour change at community and individual levels to prevent violence against women and girls and design an inclusive future for men, women, boys and girls in Guyana.