Kamla: UNC committed to women's rights

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said the UNC is the only political party in TT that is committed to this country's women and girls.

In her International Women's Day message, Persad-Bissessar said, "I am, and the party I lead is, committed to protecting and empowering our nation’s women and girls."

"In me, you have a champion, in me, you have someone who will fight for you, and who will never turn a blind eye to issues facing us."

Persad-Bissessar claimed that during the last four years under the PNM "we have seen limited progress in correcting gender imbalances".

In contrast, Persad-Bissessar said, "Under the administration, I led, work was done to empower women and girls, including opening up more educational opportunities, as well as providing training in skills such as entrepreneurship."

She said violence against women and girls had been allowed to go unchecked as the PNM "turns a blind eye to the increasing levels of violence against women and girls."

Persad-Bissessar said the impact of violence against women and girls is a major factor hindering women’s ability to participate and contribute to society.

"On an almost daily basis, we see our women are under threat. We have seen more than 50 women killed last year and it is unfolding to be no different this year with 13 women murdered in just over two months," she said.

Persad-Bissessar said the UNC has called for the Domestic Violence Act to be amended to close the loopholes that allow these crimes to occur.

She added proposed amendments from the Opposition include removing the offender from the home instead of the victim and a better-defined time frame for the police to respond to these complaints.

"We remain hopeful that these proposals will be accepted so that the legislation can be strengthened."

She also said the UNC has spoken with several non-governmental organisations about ways to deal with the growing threat to the safety of women and girls in TT.