The National Inter-Agency Task Force for Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention and Response is reinforcing the importance of stronger collaboration and accountability across sectors in addressing gender-based violence in Saint Lucia.
The Task Force held its 2nd Quarterly meeting on September 23, at the Division of Gender Affairs, bringing together representatives from the health, social, policing, justice and education sectors.
The meeting also marked the introduction of the new Permanent Secretary, Ms. Esther Rigobert, to the Task Force. Ms. Rigobert thanked members for their continued work and underscored the importance of coordinated action and accountability among agencies responding to gender-based violence.
Members also heard presentations from the UN Women Multi-Country Office for the Caribbean, Do Nation Foundation, the French Embassy and the Saint Lucia Chapter of CIWiL, with each organization emphasizing the urgency of strengthening partnerships and action to end gender-based violence in all its forms.
The Task Force also reviewed and validated its draft annual report and began preliminary discussions on critical next steps to strengthen its work.
The Task Force brings together key national stakeholders to support a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach to the prevention of and response to gender-based violence.