Canadian-funded Guyana Justice Project wraps up after four years

Over 2,000 people from across 80 communities were empowered through Justice Education Society Guyana Justice Project, according to Country Representative, Lisa Thompson.

The four-year project has come to an end.

The CAN$2 million Global Affairs Canada funded project – Strengthening Justice for Women, Girls and Indigenous Peoples in Guyana – was designed to deliver greater equality in access to justice for women and girls in the country. Additionally, it served to empower indigenous women and girls to be less vulnerable to violence.

During the closing ceremony at the Police Officers Training Annex, Thompson explained that extensive training was conducted in Baramita and Santa Rosa in Region One, in Georgetown in Region Four, and in Aishalton and North Rupununi in Region 9, in addition to other communities in those three districts.

Thompson said while 2,000 people were directly reached, more than 34,000 were indirectly reached and impacted.

“We were able to reach over 2,000 persons across 80 communities in those regions – one, four, and nine. Over 600 persons participated in more than one training course. And there were 135 training activities, which were completed with participants recording approximately 30% increase in knowledge,” the JES Country Representative said.

Through the training sessions, the project sought to build the capacity of village councils, women’s groups and civil society organizations to deliver gender-transformative and rights based legal education, with intention of addressing head-on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV).

“We worked closely with communities to build their capacity to address sexual and gender based violence and to support residents,” Thompson said.

At the national level, the project also built the technical capacity of justice sector actors to respond to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence through extensive training.

The JES Country Representative and Project Director said 50 judges and magistrates as well as other judicial officers were trained in the application of a trauma informed gender and culturally sensitive approach to justice.

Additionally, 70 prosecutors and state counsel were trained in addition to more than 500 police officers at all levels of the force. They were provided with basic skills training to provide effective response to SGBV crimes both as supervisors and first responders. Interviewing techniques, policing in Indigenous communities, forensic video analysis and blood pattern analysis were among other areas covered during those training sessions.

Head of Development Cooperation at the Canadian High Commission, Adam Loyer said Canada was pleased to support the Strengthening Justice for Women, Girls and Indigenous Peoples in Guyana Project

He said success of the project was as a result of the commitment and dedication displayed by all partners, including the justice sector actors.

“One of the project’s most significant achievements has been its contribution to strengthening the capacity of justice sector institutions. Hundreds of police officers, prosecutors, magistrates and justice sector professionals received specialized training,” he said.

As part of the project, the Police Force received $14 million in computers and printers, sim operated desk telephones for remote communities, sexual assault evidence collection kits, and solar operated radio.

Chief Executive Officer of the Justice Education Society of British Columbia, Carmen Zabarauckas, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Senior Counsel Shalimar Ali Hack, and Senior Superintendent, Dr Nicola Kendall were among the officials present to witness the close of the project.

The project started in September 2022.

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