National Women’s Commission Host Educational Fair for Children

Gender-based violence remains a serious issue, with studies revealing that one in three women has faced physical or sexual violence. In 2023 alone, over fifty-one thousand women were killed by partners or family members. Belize has also witnessed some shocking incidents in 2024. To combat this, the National Women’s Commission launched its Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence last week. As part of their events, they held an education fair today aimed at empowering children on this critical issue. News Five’s Paul Lopez has more on this story.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Just over a week ago, the National Women’s Commission kicked off its Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence with the theme #NoExcuses. They’ve planned a series of events over these sixteen days. Today’s focus was on empowering children to help end gender-based violence. Primary school students from across the city gathered at The Hub, where representatives from various NGOs and government departments engaged with them. Stacie Gladden, a program officer at the commission, was also present.

 

Stacie Gladden, Program Officer, NWC

“We are here celebrating the sixteen days of activism, ensuring that we ensure that information is being shared when it comes to relationships, what one should accept from what they shouldn’t accept, especially seeing in our country the rise in domestic violence has been on, it is going up. So, we are trying our best to put the information out there.”

 

The Safe Belize Project provides lessons on what human trafficking is and how to spot it. Eve Banks, the Community Engagement Officer, emphasizes that this information needs to be simplified so children can understand it.

 

Eve Banks, Community Engagement Officer, Safe Belize Project

“We need to break it down as simple as possible, because having some of the terms, like vulnerability they might not know and recruiting, harboring and servitude, as simplified as possible just so they could know what human trafficking is. For example, we would say it is something mommy can do even if you are not comfortable with it, and she is getting the money and know you know that you should be getting, even though you should not be out there working under the age of eighteen, especially for someone that you know is not, and especially things that are against your will.”

 

We spoke with thirteen-year-old Elsworth Logan from James Garbutt S.D.A Primary School. He was particularly intrigued by women entrepreneurs who were present representing their business.

 

Elsworth Logan, Student, Jamez Garbutt Primary

“I went to the woman’s booth, and I learnt that you don’t need get yourself low about starting a business. You just need to get something, like one little opportunity and take it because it could be your first and last. That is basically that women don’t have to pressure themselves starting a business and it is very easy. It is about connecting with other women and talking about starting their businesses and how to start it and when to start it.”

 

The Ministry of Health and Wellness set up a booth to teach kids how to avoid catching or spreading the flu. They also shared tips on nutrition and physical exercise. Some kids even got to show off their strength by doing planks.

 

Shadrack Ariola, District Health Educator, HECOPAB Unit

“Living health is more than just the nutritional part. Living healthily has to do with emotional health and mental health. Gender-based violence, while you might be eating healthy, you might be stressed out, emotionally burdened but what you are going through. Living healthily encompasses the whole spectrum. It is more than just eating well and physical exercise, we also have to take care of our emotional and mental needs. That has to mean sometime tackling gender-based violence.”

 

For eleven-year-old Shania Lamb, a student at Saint Luke Methodist Primary School, being present at today’s event taught her valuable lessons on women empowerment.

 

Shania Lamb, Student, St. Luke Methodist

“I went to gender booth, and they taught us about the different genders, ladies having kids, boys, girls, twins and they taught us about different abuses and emotions and people’s feelings and how you can hurt them really much. We learnt about how women can stand up for themselves, open business of their own, just with a little bit of hope and encouragement.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

 

16 Days of Activism: No Excuse for Violence Against Women