15/09/2026
Gender Affairs Minister Calls for Renewed National Action to End Violence Against Women
Castries, September 14, 2026 - The Department of Equity, Social Justice, Gender and Older Persons considers the recent discovery of the body of a young woman off the Millennium Highway, a cause for serious concern.
The discovery comes amid an increase in reports of missing persons, including women, in recent months, and follows the murder of another young mother just four months ago. The Ministry extends its condolences and solidarity to the grieving and affected families and communities. The Ministry shares in your pain and grieve for your loss - every life matters and every loss counts.
Violence against women remains one of the most pervasive forms of human rights violations. Saint Lucia has demonstrated its intolerance of this form of violence through various initiatives, including the implementation and review of national laws, the signing and ratification of regional and international instruments condemning violence against women in all its forms, and the establishment of Institutional mechanisms to provide support services to women, who have been affected by violence. Protocols and processes are continually reviewed and strengthened to improve the delivery and impact of these services.
In recent years, Saint Lucia has also placed greater emphasis on addressing the specific needs of men and providing interventions aimed at reversing the trend of male violence, including violence against women perpetrated by men.
According to Gender Affairs Minister Hon. Emma Hippolyte, “The apparent increase in such acts of violence, coupled with the public outcry against them, suggests that the public believes national efforts to eradicate violence against women are inadequate or that new approaches must be employed. While it is true that a country cannot thrive when its citizens feel unsafe, it is equally true that progress is hindered by division.”
Minister Hippolyte is therefore calling on all Saint Lucians to embrace a renewed commitment to unity in the shared goal of eradicating violence in all its forms, including violence against women.
According to Minister Hippolyte, unity requires both honest self-reflection and collective action. It means looking inward at how each person may be contributing to the problem, while also advancing solutions that involve individual, community and institutional interventions.
Given its overall responsibility for social justice, the Department of Equity, Social Justice, Gender and Older Persons has a mandate to coordinate social interventions with relevant partners in the national security, health, justice and education sectors, as well as civil society.
“As Minister, I want to reassure the public that the Department will intensify its efforts to work with all relevant agencies and the general public to address this troubling trend. We will strengthen our engagement with the families of victims of violence and the NGOs working alongside them, and listen to their perspectives on how best we can respond to their concerns and needs.I am therefore appealing to all sectors to stand with the social sector in this effort as we work together to demand and create safer spaces for everyone, especially our children, women, older persons and those who are most vulnerable in our society.” Minister Hippolyte said.
Ending violence is a shared responsibility. Speak up. Take action. Support one another. Together, we can help build a Saint Lucia where every woman, man and child can live free from fear and violence.
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Contacts:
Shervroy Marius, Information Assistant III, Department of Equity, Social Justice, Gender and Older Persons T: (758) 468-5146, E: [email protected]
John Emmanuel, Communications Manager, Department of Equity, Social Justice, Gender and Older Persons T: (758) 468-5131 E: [email protected]
Esther Rigobert
PERMANENT SECRETARY
Tel: 468 5108/5125/5194
Email: [email protected]
