Social norms and policies grounded in unequal gender and power relations must be addressed to change discriminating attitudes and behaviours and advance gender equality so everyone is valued equally and can reach their full potential.
One in every four women in the country has experienced some form of violence in their lifetime. Yet, entrenched notions, attitudes, and practices of gender stereotypes and stigmas continue to underpin sexual, physical and other forms of violence against women, girls, and other disadvantaged populations.Ībout 44 per cent of Jamaicans consider intimate partner violence a private matter that does not require the involvement of authorities. The country has made important strides to protect the rights of women and girls.
In Jamaica, women and girls experience some of the highest rates of intimate partner violence in the Caribbean. Gender-based violence (GBV) is one of the most prevalent human rights violations that disproportionately impacts women, girls, and people from other disadvantaged populations worldwide. When we first created Project UP, we had no idea it would.
