Roadtown, Tortola - The Ministry of Health and Social Development and the Office of Gender Affairs, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Regional Office in Barbados have begun a 16-week psycho-educational programme entitled Partnership for Peace: A Violence Intervention Programme.

Six men who were recently involved in domestic disputes have been referred by local magistrates to the programme, which officially commenced today. Head of the Office of Gender Affairs Ms. Patricia Hackett told the Department of Information and Public Relations that a progress report on the participants will be made available to the Magistrate Court at a date and time fixed by the Court.

According to Ms. Hackett, topics to be covered during the programme include understanding and managing feelings, effective communication, conflict resolution, manhood, womanhood, stress management and trauma recovery, power and control in a relationship, sexuality, sexually transmitted infections and HIV prevention.

“One of the objectives of the programme is to help participants develop the necessary skills, so that they can choose non-violent ways of dealing with anger,” she noted.  Ms. Hackett further stated that the programme is geared at decreasing male violence against women as well as family violence.

Since the launch of the Partnership for Peace Violence Intervention Programme last October there was a five-day intensive training workshop for facilitators, which gave them the tools to deliver the programme over a 16-week period.

“One of the Government’s strategic areas is to eliminate family violence. This violence intervention programme is one of the measures being introduced to end the scourge and build healthier relationships,” noted the Head of Gender Affairs. 

The Ministry of Health and Social Development aspires to provide leadership that promotes health, social wellbeing, and a safe environment as positive resources for living and sustainable development of the Territory.