Photo: Gracita Arrindell and Carl John
PERIDOT FOUNDATION WELCOMES AGREEMENT REACHED AND SUPPORTED BY 130 COUNTRIES ON THE PREVENTION AND ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF VIOLENCE
AGAINST WOMEN"
"ARRINDELL TO START SERIES OF LECTURES TO LOCAL POLICE ORGANIZATION ON THE SUBJECT OF RELATIONAL VIOLENCE"
Drs. Gracita R. Arrindell, Member of Parliament and Founder of the Peridot Foundation over the weekend welcomed the news by the United Nations (UN) that an agreement by more than 130 Member States on the prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls had been reached. Governments are urged to translate the agreement into concrete actions to protect and promote women’s human rights and fundamental freedoms.
UN Women said; "it welcomed the important focus on prevention in the document, particularly through education and awareness-raising, as well as placing an emphasis on addressing gender inequalities in the political, economic and social spheres.
According to the UN release, thousands of representatives of governments, inter-governmental organizations, civil society, the private sector and UN partners, collaborated on the outcome document of the two-week 57th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York.
Among the priorities in the 17-page ‘Agreed Conclusions’ of the Commission, is the establishment of multi-sectoral services for survivors of violence, including for health, psychological support and counseling, as well as the need to protect the right to sexual and reproductive health.
Ending impunity is also highlighted in the text, according to UN Women, in the context of punishing perpetrators, along with improving collection of evidence and responding to victims".
Arrindell states; " This is timely and very encouraging news to all who are locally involved and committed to eradicate violence against women and children in all shape and form. Starting Tuesday afternoon March 19th I will give a ‘workshop’ to police officers on this critical subject. The presentation will be given in two hours sessions over a four- day period to approximately eighty (80) police officers divided each time into groups of twenty officers who are represented in different sections of the law enforcement organization."
Gracita concludes; "I highly commend the police management, especially officer Carl John, for being pro-active including putting a program together which includes this presentation by Peridot foundation. His initiative to further train and sensitize police officers in the subject of domestic or relational violence shows that the organization is on the right track.
We are happy to work with the law enforcement agencies and make a positive contribution towards their understanding of the magnitude of the effects violence against women and children has on our society. In this regard Sint Maarten remains focused and joins the international community in doing all in our power to improve on the collection of evidence and respond timely and adequately to victims.