Raise your voice st. Lucia inc.
Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia Inc was founded in February 2013 our main purpose to advocate on behalf of the vulnerable women and children who are victims of violence. To date with limited resources we have achieved the following:
Assisted a number of families and individuals who have been victims of violence, by providing counseling and moral and legal support in the Courts of Justice;
secured a perpetual donation of medicines and medical supplies from AmeriCares, working in partnership with St. Jude’s Hospital and the Procurement Unit of the Ministry of Health for use at all public health facilities, the Ministry of Health has benefited to the tune of over eight million US dollars’ worth of medicines and medical supplies from September 2015 to present.
Presented a declaration for action to former Prime Minister Dr. Kenny D. Anthony on International Women’s Day March 2016, recommending changes to specific pieces of legislation to realize gender equality, to minimize violence against women and children and to ensure swift access to justice;
Successfully organized a March on 25th November, 2015 supported by business both the public and private sector to say no to violence against women and children.
Donation of kitchen equipment to Upton Gardens Girls Center to assist catering students attending the institution;
Met with Commissioner of Police to discuss critical issues regarding violence against women and children particularly the prevalence of rape incidents and to offer assistance with the setting up of the new sexual assault victims unit;
Met with Minister of Social Justice and National Security to discuss issues within the social services and justice system which affects women and children, including the closure of the forensic laboratory and lack of access to swift justice for victims of violence;
Secured a grant from 100 Women Who Cares St. Lucia which was used to produce and air PSA’s to create public education and awareness on violence against women and children; these PSA’s was aired throughout the OECS and parts of North America.
Raise Your Voice is presently undertaking an ambitious project to raise funds to establish a Rape Crisis Center for Saint Lucia and have actively commenced fund raising in this stead.
Received a grant of £13,450 from the United Kingdom High Commission to fund a project entitled “Improving Service Delivery and Strengthening Institutional Response of Social Services Agencies in Saint Lucia” This project commenced in January 2017 and will end in May 2018. The activities under this project include:
- Opening Ceremony – Launch – January 12th. 2017
- Consultation with all social services agencies to discuss what they are doing now and what they should be doing in providing services to victims of violence – January 178th & 18th, 2017
- Consultation to review draft training module and process and procedures handbook for social services agencies – June 19th, 2017
- Five Days of Training for Social Services Agency Employees and organization which deals with victims of violence – 7th – 11th August, 2017.
- Monitoring & Evaluation – TBD
Collaboration between RYV and United & Strong with Human Right Watch from February 23rd – 27th to undertake a video documentation on “Lack of Access to Swift Justice Project in the OECS” to document issues within the justice system that prevent swift access to justice for women and children who are victims of violence.
Met with National Security Minister to present a community crime plan and to discuss the progress of the forensic laboratory and matters relating to crime.
Received approval from Thomas Reuters Foundation (Trust Law) for technical assistance i.e. Legal Law Drafters draft legislation taking into consideration all existing legislation to protect victims of revenge pornography and bring to justice perpetrators who maliciously distribute pornographic images.
Collaboration with Human Rights Watch to conduct a research project on access to justice for the vulnerable population within the OECS.