Love Foundation Launches Campaign to Combat Gender-Based Violence Among Youth

A visibility awareness campaign was launched today that will see a series of activities geared at educating young people on gender based violence, its long term effects and its cycle.  The Love Foundation along with its partners, the US Embassy, the Office of the Special Envoy and the Angelus Press are heading the narrative on how important it is to break the cycle of gender based violence.  In addition to that, Executive Director of the Foundation, Deborah Erskine, noted young minds are the primary target audience.

Deborah Erskine, Managing Director, Love Foundation: “By reaching young minds early we can shape the values of respect and equity that are essential for building a just society. That is why I am particularly excited about this new collaborative effort between the Office of the Special Envoy, the Angeles Press, the Love Foundation, and the United States Embassy. Together we are launching an initiative to integrate messages about gender-based violence into every fabric of our educational system through exercise books. These exercise books, which will be in the hands of students across the country, are more than just tools for learning mathematics or science. They will carry within them vital messages of respect for all, rejection of violence, and the importance of standing up against injustice. It will be a constant reminder that every person deserves to live in a world where they are treated with dignity and fairness.”

Kamesh Chivukula, Carsi Grants Manager at the US Embassy, was the ceremony’s keynote speaker.  He echoed the importance on educating youths on what gender based violence is and the ramifications if the cycle is not broken.  Additionally, Chivukula expressed gratitude for the work that the Love Foundation has undertaken in recent years.

James Chivukula, Political Officer, Carsi Grants Manager: “The issue is that, you know, it’s very easy to think of gender based violence in Belize, you know, yes we see the statistics but the truth is it exists everywhere. It exists in the United States and it in the United States it exists in all 50 states and territories. And it’s something that we all have to work to improve. It’s reported that one in three women, one in three women, experience sexual or physical violence and often perpetrated by intimate partners. That is truly, truly shocking and it’s time to change. And although gender-based violence directly affects women and girls, it’s actually a societal problem, as Deborah pointed out before. It affects everybody. And this truly global scourge that has armed women and girls for millennia must stop, must stop now. One of the tools to help stop this, you know, this scourge is public awareness. The increased knowledge that is available can lead to more successful interventions by the government and by civil society organizations, resource allocation, legislative changes, and ultimately contributing to a more informed and sympathetic society that actively addresses and prevents gender-based violence.”

Today’s launch saw the introduction of a new exercise book cover.  The artwork has been placed on four thousand printed copies with information on gender based violence printed on the inside cover.  Operations Director of the Angelus Press, John Gillett expressed pleasure at partnering on this venture and how important the initiative is.  Meanwhile, Special Envoy, Rossana Briceno, noted that her office was the first to make a purchase which is being donated to the Anglican Schools.

H.E. Mrs.Rossana Briceño, Special Envoy of Belize: “These notebooks, which will soon be in the hands of students across the country, are more than just tools for education, as Mrs. Sewell rightly said. They are powerful reminders of the reality that so many individuals, particularly women and girls, face daily. Gender-based violence is a pervasive issue that affects lives, shatters families, and damages communities. Yet too often it remains invisible, hidden in the shadows of stigma, silence, and fear. By putting this information directly into the hands of students, we are taking a bold step toward making gender-based violence visible. These notebooks are not just meant for note-taking. They are designed to spark conversations, to raise awareness, and to inspire action. Inside the cover page as Ms. Debbie just showed us, it contains facts, information and resources that will educate and empower our young people to recognize the signs of gender-based violence and to understand that violence in any form should never be accepted as normal.”

The printing of the books is the first in a series of the campaign.  Each exercise book is being sold at the Angelus Press for a dollar and twenty five cents.  From the proceeds, twenty-five cents will be donated to the Office of the Special Envoy to assist with its work at fighting gender based violence.