Strengthening Justice for Women Girls and Indigenous Peoples in Guyana

The project seeks to deliver greater equality in access to justice for women and girls throughout Guyana particularly empowering Indigenous women and girls to be less vulnerable to violence. Key project activities include (1) Training and coaching the Guyana Police Force in initial report taking using a trauma informed approach; (2) Training police in the Sexual Offence Units on advanced sexual and gender-based violence interviewing and reporting; (3) Training police prosecutors and judiciary on gender bias and stereotypes for better delivery of gender-sensitive justice for women and girls who have been victims of sexual and gender-based violence; (4) Training the police prosecutors and judiciary on the use of forensic evidence and expert testimony in criminal cases; and (5) Developing a training program on accessing and navigating the justice system directed at women and girls. The project will directly benefit 12 000 women and girls living in remote vulnerable communities but will have an indirect impact on the lives of all women and girls who live in fear of sexual and gender-based violence in Guyana.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) Strengthened human rights and gender-responsive capacity of justice institutions to address and respond to sexual and gender-based violence affecting women and girls in Guyana; and (2) Increased access to quality and gender-responsive justice for Indigenous women and girls who are vulnerable to or victim of sexual and gender-based violence in Guyana.