Joint launch of sexual violence prevention and response programme

BELIZE CITY, BELIZE 17 FEBRUARY 2022- Hon. Florencio Marin, Jr., Minister of National Defence and Border Security, and Hon. Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries, in conjunction with the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative, launched the Joint Sexual Violence Prevention and Response (JSVPR) Programme for the security forces. The launch of the JSVPR was held at the Belize Biltmore Plaza in Belize City on 17 February 2022 and will support the Belize Police Department, the Belize Defence Force, and the Belize Coast Guard.

The JSVPR aims for women and girls to enjoy their right to a life free of violence within an inclusive and gender-equitable Belize. The JSVPR Programme will provide response services when sexual assault occurs within the Belize security forces, focus on prevention strategies, support victim recovery, and assist members of the security forces to be fully mission capable. The launch began with the development of a roadmap of strategies to inform, educated and sensitize the security forces on the ministries zero-tolerance approach to sexual violence within the security sector.

In attendance at the launch were Hon. Dolores Balderamos Garcia, Minister of Human Development, Families and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs; Ms. Alison Parker, UNICEF Belize Country Representative; Ret’d. Brigadier General Dario Tapia, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of National Defence; Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard; Desiree Philips Magdaleno, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Belize Police Department; Col. Anthony Velasquez, Deputy Commander of the Belize Defence Force, and other key senior personnel of the security forces.