Participants at a "Forum for Men" last Thursday were urged to aggressively pursue initiatives that will stamp out gender-based violence in the Guyanese society.Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Trevor Thomas said that "Our challenge is not to passively condemn but to aggressively pursue initiatives that can positively respond and stamp out gender-based violence in our society."As part of the observation of "National Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women" the ministry and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) held a "Forum for Men" last Thursday which was aimed at giving men the opportunity to do "some serious introspection," the Government Infor-mation Agency (GINA) reported.Thomas pointed out that, "Gender-based violence is real and men need to do something about it, most men condemn domestic violence but we cannot any longer allow condemnation to be just a personal view. I would like to see some form of resolution that does not merely articulate our condemnation of violence but one that can form a catalyst for the way forward that we as men can aggressively respond to domestic violence."The ministry has been conducting consultations throughout the country and working with institutions and groups to see how domestic violence can be eradicated from society.(via stabroeknews.com/news)
- sstadum