Guyana - December 2022

The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security announced Guyana’s Domestic Violence Act will be amended to the Family Violence Act in 2023. The new draft bill has been designed in conjunction with several pieces of legislation proposed by the government will redefine interpersonal relationships, adjust powers ascribed to the police and to the courts, and implement new punitive measures for perpetrators introducing criminal liability for violence. Domestic violence is a prevalent issue in the country, with 28 related deaths reported in 2022. Since taking office in 2020, the government has implemented a number of policies, initiatives, and programmes that deal with abuse against women, alongside intensified training and awareness efforts with the aim to achieve a cultural and behavioural shift in the population.

Sources: Caribbean National Weekly, Guyana Chronicle, Stabroek News, Department of Public Information of Guyana, News Room, Guyana Chronicle (2)