CASTRIES St. Lucia, February 15th, 2012 – The recently launched initiative is part of a wider project spearheaded by the Division of Gender Relations, in collaboration with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women focused on sensitizing young people about gender based violence.

Director of Gender Relations, Chams Gaspard explains one important component of the project is youth focused.  

“And the violence is not an option activity was geared at bringing young persons of secondary school age together to include them in the dialogue on gender based violence in Saint Lucia. So we targeted all secondary schools on the island and we had at least 19 schools represented at the National Cultural Centre at an event that was well received by the young participants.”

 The activity also included the launching and unveiling of four Public Service Announcements highlighting the problem of gender based violence, to stir feedback from the youth. 

“We know that addressing the issue of gender based violence requires a holistic approach, and so we felt it very important to bring young persons who perhaps themselves have witnessed the violence within their own family setting, within the schools, in the environment in which they live, etc. To bring them in as part of the discussion and to empower them- to make them aware of what the violence really entails.”

The participants made a pledge, Gaspard says, to go back into their schools and communities to engage their peers and neighbours on the issue of gender based violence.

The Division of Gender Relations will be conducting follow up activities with the participants,  Gaspard says, to receive progress reports on the sensitization activities
 

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