The Government of Guyana has reaffirmed its regional leadership in advancing legal and policy responses to domestic violence, as Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, and Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindya Persaud, represented the country at a high-level symposium in Bridgetown, Barbados.
The two-day event, held from October 27–28, was hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in collaboration with the Government of Barbados and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). It brought together Attorneys General, Commissioners of Police, Gender Bureau heads and senior technical officers from 18 CARICOM member and associate member states to strengthen state responses to domestic violence through coordinated legislative and policy reform.
In her invitation to Attorney General Nandlall, IDB Country Representative Lorena Solórzano-Salazar praised Guyana’s strides in tackling domestic and sexual violence, describing the country as having “demonstrated true thought leadership for the region.”
During a panel discussion on “Legislative Gaps and Opportunities”, Nandlall outlined Guyana’s progressive journey in modernising its domestic violence laws. He reflected on the Domestic Violence Act of 1996, highlighting its achievements and shortcomings, and underscored how lessons learned over nearly three decades informed the creation of the Family Violence Act of 2024, which repealed the earlier legislation.
“This innovative legislative intervention addressed many of the substantive, procedural and jurisdictional deficiencies that were identified in the previous Act,” Nandlall said, adding that the new law draws from regional best practices and is “arguably the most modern and embracing legislation of its type in the Caribbean.”
Nandlall was joined on the panel by Dale Marshall, SC, MP, Attorney General of Barbados; Garth Wilkin, Attorney General of St Kitts & Nevis; and Rhondalee Moreen Braithwaite-Knowles, OBE, KC, Attorney General of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The session was moderated by Roberta Clarke, Commissioner of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).
Meanwhile, Dr Persaud participated in a session titled “Integrated Survivors’ Protection through One-stop-shop Centres”, where she shared Guyana’s experience in implementing the Hope and Justice Centres—a network of one-stop facilities providing survivors with comprehensive support, from counselling and legal aid to police and medical services.
Her presentation underscored how these integrated, survivor-centred models, along with Sexual Offences Model Courts (SOMCs), are transforming justice delivery for victims of gender-based violence across the Caribbean. The discussion examined how such initiatives bridge service gaps, improve case management and promote compassionate, timely justice.
The symposium also heard firsthand testimonies from victims of domestic violence across the region, highlighting the need for stronger systems of redress and accountability.
At the conclusion of the event, Guyana joined other participating states in signing a regional agreement on legislative and policy priorities to combat domestic violence. The accord recognises domestic violence as a persistent regional challenge and commits governments to strengthen state responses, close policy gaps, and ensure accountability while advancing survivor-centred justice through deeper regional cooperation and harmonisation.
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