The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women 2015 was marked by a “Voices Against Violence” Rally on 25th November Rally. Rally organisers, including the Anguilla National Council of Women (NCW), the Gender Affairs Unit and The University of the West Indies Open Campus – Anguilla, launched the “16 Days of Activism” with a powerful programme to assist in ending violence in Anguilla.
The march, from the Public Library to the World Harvest Assembly in The Quarter, was led by the impactful Pathfinders Drum Band. Women, men and young persons from a number of churches and community organisations raised their voices in song, dance, drama and prayer to speak out in order to stop violence against women and girls.
President of the NCW, Ursil Webster-Brooks, chaired the Rally which included remarks from the Honourable Evalie Bradley, Ministerial Assistant in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Gender; the Honourable Leader of the Opposition, Palmavon Webster; and Sgt. Crispin Gumbs of the Royal Anguilla Police Force (RAPF). Also present in support was the Honourable Minister for Home Affairs and Gender, Cora Richardson–Hodge.
The Anguilla National Council of Women, the Gender Affairs Unit and The UWI Open Campus Anguilla express their sincere appreciation to Pastors Hugo and Wanda Brooks and the Congregation of the World Harvest Assembly, Rev. Candis Niles, the Pathfinders Drum Band, our three elected female representatives, the RAPF, Tashanta Brooks, Celia Jones-Connor, Akaila Laing, Zharvin Walkes, Trey Niles, T’arah Niles, The Soroptimists, the Mother’s Union, the Bethel Methodist Church Women’s Association, Anglican Church Women’s Association, Radio Anguilla and other members of the media and supportive participants.
The 16 Days of Activism will culminate with a “Human Rights Day Poetry Night” on Thursday, 10th December and includes, amongst other activities, a Beach Clean-Up Day at the Forest Bay on Saturday, 5th December, and a Panel Discussion on the Domestic Violence Act on Wednesday, 9th December.
For more information about the 16 Days of Activism or any of the initiatives listed above, feel free to contact Dr. Ronya Foy Connor, Gender Development Coordinator at the Ministry of Home Affairs in The Valley, 497-2518 or at Ronya.Foy-Connor@gov.ai. Visit the “AXA Break the Silence” Campaign on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AXAbreakthesilence.
-Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
