Bureau of Women’s Affairs to Embark on Advocacy Campaign

The Bureau of Women’s Affairs will, on Wednesday, November 25, launch a three-month social media campaign, aimed at providing a platform for advocacy and collaboration around the issue of gender-based violence, particularly as it affects women and girls.

The initiative, which will be undertaken in partnership with a wide cross-section of stakeholders, is also intended to facilitate constructive conversations on strategies to eliminate violence against women and girls.

This was disclosed by Prime Minister the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, in a message read by Minister with responsibility for Information, Senator the Hon. Sandrea Falconer, during Sunday’s (November 22) commemorative church service, at Boulevard Baptist Church, in St. Andrew, to launch the observance of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

The day will be on November 25, under the theme: ‘‘Violence does not Discriminate: Unite to End Gender-Based Violence’.

Mrs. Simpson Miller informed that the campaign will entail a series of sensitization activities being undertaken across several parishes to heighten public awareness about the National Strategic Action Plan to Eliminate Gender-based Violence in Jamaica.

The Plan is a comprehensive multi-sectoral framework, involving partnerships incorporating government agencies, civil society groups, international development agencies, the private sector, and other key stakeholders.

The Prime Minister said it was designed to raise awareness about and provide guidance for developing and implementing programmes and strategies to address the incidence of violence against women and girls, in a coordinated and holistic manner.

The Bureau’s media campaign also aims to engage men and boys as advocates and agents of change, to challenge harmful social cultural norms and gender stereotypes; as well as reengage youth, in particular millennials, through social media, to create and disseminate anti-violent and empowering messages to accelerate the progress towards achieving gender equality.

Each year, November 25 is observed as International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

On that day, groups and persons globally pause to pay tribute to women and girls all over the world who are, or have been victims, particularly of gender-based violence.