According to the Ibero-American Youth Organisation reports, at least one out of every three women under the age of 35 has experienced gender-based violence during her lifetime. Regional statistics on the incidence of violence against women show that between 2002 and 2008, 20 per cent of homicides in Barbados were domestic-related and victims were all females. In Trinidad, there were 434 reported rapes in 2009, with domestic violence applications constituting approximately 19 per cent of all Magistrates' Court matters. In the Bahamas 17 per cent of deaths/homicides in 2007, were as a result of domestic violence.
In St Kitts sexual offences accounted for 24 per cent of the assizes list in 2009 and in Jamaica 49 per cent of girls surveyed between the ages of 15-17 reported some level of coercion. These statistics, while alarming, do not come close to the total reality: they just point to a few cases of violence against women and girls since out of shame or fear, the victims often do not report these occurrences. Efforts therefore are being galvanised to:
n Generate creative ideas to promote equality between men and women to bring an end to violence against women and girls.
n Create awareness about the underlying causes and triggers for the different types of violence that are perpetrated against women and girls (physical, psychological sexual and economic violence.)
n Promote engagement with the leaders in the community and popular culture who can play a key role in efforts to end violence against women and girls.
To achieve this, the United Nations secretary-general's campaign, UNiTE To End Violence Against Women, has invited 26 artistes from Latin America and the Caribbean, to participate in a workshop being held in Panama City. The workshop began yesterday and ends tomorrow, during which these musical, visual and performing arts artistes have come together, and through their artistic creativity generate compelling messages and other initiatives to raise awareness of and advocate for an end to this scourge of violence against women and girls.
Guests include Jonathan Harker (Panamá), Mikey (Barbados), TC (Barbados), Aja (Barbados), Tião Simpatia (Brasil), Phajsi Teatro (Bolivia), Miguel Solari (Costa Rica), Diana Avella (Colombia), Haila María Monpié (Cuba), David Torrens (Cuba), Stharre (Dominica), Paola Villacís (Ecuador), Alexia Miranda (El Salvador), Javier Ortiz (Guatemala), Lucy Argueta (Honduras), Magos Herrera (México), Gaby Baca (Nicaragua), Marcelo Medina (Paraguay), Yenia Rivarola (Paraguay), Wendy Castro (Perú), Pavel Núñez (República Dominicana), Nelly Masud Sadiki (St Kitts), David Rudder and Destra Garcia (T&T), Santiago Tavella (Uruguay), María Inés Calderón (Venezuela), Mariángel Ruiz (Venezuela).
Today the artistes will hear first hand from victims and survivors of violence and other people who have been affected by gender-based violence, and tomorrow the organisers and artistes will present the workshop outputs at a press conference. The sensitivity of the artistes who responded to this call, helps us to recognise that it is everyone's responsibility and not just the duty of care of the State to prevent the spread of a culture of tolerance towards violence against women and girls.
Additional information about Secretary General's Campaign UNiTE to End Violence Against Women available at: http://www.un.org/es/women/endviolence/; http://www.un.org/en/women/endviolence/index.shtml.
