WMW Jamaica Talking FACTSS to Help End GBV

Monday, November 25, 2024 - Kingston, Jamaica

In a nation where 1 in 4 women experiences sexual or intimate partner violence in her lifetime, 35-year-old women’s rights non-profit WMW Jamaica is calling on all Jamaicans to join and participate in its ongoing WE-Talk FACTSS (Fostering a Culture of Safety and Support) campaign by taking simple advocacy actions over the upcoming 16 Days of Activism.

The 16 Days of Activism are observed annually from International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW) on November 25 to International Human Rights Day on December 10. The days are globally designated as a time to collectively unite voices and efforts to decry violence against women and girls (VAWG).

This year, WMW Jamaica is observing the 16 Days through an online social media campaign, supported by two events designed to engage members of the public in powerful discussions and advocacy. “This year, we want to talk to people about how we can create an environment of safety and support,” says Programme Manager Ruth Howard. “So our activities are centered around giving hope to victims, sending positive messages to survivors, and calling for legislative change to create a safer society for our women and girls.”

WMW Jamaica invites all Jamaicans - at home and abroad - to add their voices to their online campaign by creating 30-second videos of themselves dressed in black, condemning VAWG in Jamaica and offering a message of encouragement to survivors of VAWG. These can be posted to social media on THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, and THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, using the hashtags #wetalkFACTSS #thursdaysinblackja #endGBVja, and tagging WMW Jamaica on Facebook (wmwja), and Twitter, Instagram and TikTok (wmwjamaica).

On Monday, November 25, 2024, WMW Jamaica will partner with Mary Seacole Hall at the University of the West Indies to host a public discussion on the theme: ‘The Domestic Violence Act: Continuity or Change’. The event will take place in the Mary Seacole Hall Senior Common Room from 6:30-8:30 p.m., featuring a panel of advocates answering questions on the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act and the need for legislative reform.

On Thursday, December 5, 2024 from 3-5 p.m., WMW Jamaica will join with other civil society partners to stage a peaceful Thursdays In Black protest in Papine Square, St Andrew. They will gather as a group, wearing full black, bearing placards, and engaging passers-by in creative chants and discussions on the importance of reducing and preventing VAWG in Jamaica. This peaceful protest is open to members of the public.

WMW Jamaica’s 16 Days activities are being implemented as part of their WE-Talk for the Reduction of Gender Based Violence Project, a five-year effort funded by Global Affairs Canada and Oxfam Canada. Since the project’s start in 2022, the organisation has engaged more than 500 people in virtual and in-person workshops and seminars; and produced landmark research on GBV in Jamaica. Those interested in learning more and joining the 16 Days of Activism activities can check their website at www.wmwja.org, or email hello@wmwja.org.